International PGCE

If a teacher wishes to become a qualified teacher in the UK there are three stages:

1. The training (typically a PGCE).
2. Gaining Qualified Teacher Status
3. Successfully completing induction for newly qualified teachers

All three stages employ the UK government Teachers’ Standards as the basis for assessment.

This PGCE is suitable for those teaching in a primary, prep or secondary school.

PGCE course outline if you work in a secondary school

The International Postgraduate Certificate of Education is similar in format and structure to our Independent School PGCE. It offers teachers based in schools outside the UK, who have not undergone a period of formal training, the opportunity to participate in a structured programme of professional development.

What is the point of doing a PGCE if I am already working in a school?

1. A doctor does not simply learn to recognise symptoms and the best-known response to those symptoms.  He/she knows the deeper causes of each illness and the way such illness might impact different people.  In the same way, a teacher should know the deeper theoretical background to different teaching strategies, such as mixed ability teaching or differentiation, something which will enable them to teach with professional confidence.  To achieve this they need to read and evaluate recent research and texts.
2. Although part of a teacher’s ability depends on their subject knowledge and force of personality, there are specific skills (the ‘craft of the classroom’) that need to be grasped if they are to be truly effective.  All teachers, for example, need to know about pupils with special needs.  All need to know about the most effective ways of maintaining good behaviour.  All should know about the best ways of ensuring pupils capture what you are teaching them in their long-term memories.
3. Having taken the trouble to gain this qualification will show your employer and future employers that you are a serious, professional employee.
4. The PGCE at The University of Buckingham is a Level 7 course and is therefore designed to be intellectually stimulating. It leads on to an MA for those who wish to take that more advanced qualification.

Course content

The PGCE is the main qualification required of successful teachers in the UK. It is only available to teachers who already have a job in a school. It is a 37-week school-based course, during which time trainee teachers work under the guidance of a mentor (appointed by the school in which they work) and receive weekly tutorials to review progress and set targets. It is available in most subjects and age levels. We employ external examiners to quality assure the qualification.

For teachers undertaking their first year of teaching, we recommend your participation in the Ab Initio course and PGCE introductory day. This will provide you with some basic knowledge and skills to start teaching.

For those able to come to England there are two residential courses held in Buckingham (five or six days overall, depending on your entry point) to attend and these are supplemented by a weekly online programme. Trainees are assigned a University of Buckingham tutor who visits their school twice, wherever it is in the world, to assess their progress and guide their development. You will be assessed by both your mentor and your tutor and there are three written assignments to complete.

The tutor will visit twice. A tutor visit takes the best part of a full day when we observe three lessons, give feedback (including one paired feedback session with the mentor), meet with the mentor, give e-portfolio guidance to the trainee, and tackle any issues that may arise.

If it is impossible to travel during the pandemic this course will be delivered online.

For those unable to come to England for the five or six days of training, this can happen in the country where the trainees work, delivered EITHER by the University of Buckingham staff OR by staff trained and accredited by us. This is only possible when there are ten or more trainees in one area of the host country to make this a viable option. In addition, the tutor from Buckingham will observe lessons, normally in the trainee’s school or, if this is difficult, in another agreed central school.

If a teacher wishes to teach in a state school in England they will also need what is called Qualified Teacher Status. For a teacher who has been teaching for 2 or more years, it is possible to do the Assessment-Only Qualified Teacher Status assessment and/or a trainee may do the AO QTS in the term following our one-year international PGCE.

In China we have an office in Beijing (Buckingham International School of Education) that can handle enquiries: info@bise.org

Your subject specialism

Different school subjects demand different teaching methods and resources, so part of the residential course will be taught by a subject specialist.  Our subject specialists this year include Art, Music, Design Technology, Business Studies & Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Computer Science, English, Drama, Classics, Modern Languages, Geography, History, Religious Studies, Psychology, and PE.

Start dates

The normal start date is September. This has the advantage that the whole course can be completed within one academic year.

You must be employed as a teacher in an international independent school abroad and be in sole charge of a full size class for a minimum of 10 hours a week.

You will be expected to have a degree from a UK university or equivalent.

In addition, you must:

• Obtain the commitment from your school to provide a suitable mentor.
• Show the physical and mental fitness to teach.

The employing school must be able to fully support a candidate through the course, enabling them to demonstrate all of the Teachers’ Standards across the full age and ability range of training, and cannot be graded as inadequate.

How to apply

Please use the ‘Apply Now’ button or contact The School of Education by email. To apply you will need to supply:

•  copy of degree certificate
• copy of passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
• head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card

Please apply by the 31 July 2021 for a September 2021 start.

Terms and conditions for prospective students

When you are offered a place at the University you will be notified of the terms and conditions between the University and students on our courses of study. When you accept an offer of a place on the course at the University a legal contract is formed between you and the University on the basis of the terms and conditions outlined in your offer letter. Your offer letter and the terms and conditions contain important information which you should read carefully before accepting any offer. Read the admissions terms and conditions > >

Tuition fees cover the cost of all tutoring as well as food and accommodation when at Buckingham. International trainees will need to cover the visa, flight, accommodation and sustenance expenses incurred by the visiting tutor.

Fees can be paid in termly instalments or in one lump sum. Termly instalments can be arranged directly with the Finance department upon receipt of the invoice.

Applicants must also pay a non-refundable £275 registration fee.

Note: Training may be affected by Covid-19. We will keep applicants updated if the situation changes.

All staff at COBIS member schools get a 5% discount on course fees. To ensure discount is applied please select COBIS from the partnership box on your application form.