Secondary PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status

The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education with QTS is the accreditation that enables teachers to teach in state-maintained and special schools in England.

This course is available to teachers who are currently employed in maintained or independent schools in England. You will be expected to undertake a teaching placement in a contrasting school. The duration of this placement is determined upon interview but is usually for 30-hours over a minimum period of three weeks (15 days).

We train teachers from Special Schools as we as SEND teachers in all schools. If you teach children a curriculum which is normally accessed by older children (e.g. you teach pupils aged 11-14 a Key Stage 2 curriculum) you will need to do a second school placement in a mainstram school where you can teach an age-appropriate curriculum.

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 an illness might impact different people.  In the same way, a teacher should know the deeper theoretical background to different teaching strategies, 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’) which 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 with QTS will enable you to apply for jobs at the many schools that require teachers to have qualified teacher status.
5. 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.

“The course introduced me to teaching techniques and classroom strategies that I was able to implement immediately.”

Patrick Shacklady, PGCE

You must be employed as a teacher in a secondary independent or state school and be teaching your subject for a minimum of twelve hours across two consecutive Key Stages.

Every year some of our applicants have arranged to work in a school for the specific purpose of gaining this training, others have worked in the school for a year or two, some for longer than that.

You will be expected to have the following qualifications:

• UK degree (2.2 or above). For equivalent qualifications, contact education@buckingham.ac.uk to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements
• GCSE in English Language, Maths at grade C/4 or above or equivalent. For equivalent qualifications, contact education@buckingham.ac.uk to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements.

In addition, you must:

• Demonstrate competence in literacy and numeracy.
• Attend an interview.
• Provide a reference from your headteacher supporting your application to undertake a PGCE.
• Obtain the commitment from your school to release you for the second school placement and to provide a suitable mentor.
• Provide a satisfactory criminal record check and 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.

The PGCE is a 37-week school-based course during which time you will work under the guidance of a mentor and receive weekly tutorials to review your progress and to set targets.

These are supported by a weekly programme and nine days of training across the year, (August, October, February and June) including subject-specific content. Trainees will participate in lectures, workshops, seminars and discussion groups led by experts in their field. The course encourages reflective practice, focusing on the subjects being taught, the craft of the classroom and the underpinning educational values of the teacher.

You will also be assigned a University tutor who will visit you once per term to assess your progress and guide your development. You will be assessed against the Teaching Standards and Core Curriculum Framework, which is embedded in the PGCE curriculum, by both your mentor and your tutor. The Buckingham tutor and the school mentor will jointly assess the student’s competence as a teacher during and at the end of the course. There are three essays to complete, carrying a total value of 60 Level 7 (Master’s) credits. If successful, trainees will be qualified to teach in both independent and maintained schools in England.

For teachers undertaking their first year of teaching we highly recommend your participation in our Ab Initio course as an addition to the PGCE. This will provide you with some basic knowledge and skills to start teaching.

Your subject specialism

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

“The vast range of support in place ensures you grow throughout the course.”

Applicants must also pay a £275 non-refundable Registration Fee.

Fees are invoiced at the beginning of the course.  Instalments can be arranged directly with the Finance department upon receipt of the invoice.

IAPS members are eligible for a reduced fee.

Please select ‘IAPS’ on the partnership section of the application form. For further details please get in touch using the contact details above.

Bursary funding

If you need financial assistance for a course, please contact Shonali Mathur at: pgce-support@buckingham.ac.uk. You will be asked to fill in a means-test form.

Accommodation for all residentials will be arranged by the Faculty of Education staff. If you have any questions, please contact us: education@buckingham.ac.uk

Please use the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of this page; or contact The Faculty of Education on +44 (0)1280 820222 or email: education@buckingham.ac.uk.

Before we can accept you, you will need to supply:

• copy of your degree certificate
• copy of your English, Maths and Science GCSE (or equivalent) certificates
• copy of passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
• head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card

Closing date for applications: 17 July 2022 (September 2022 entry)