Prep PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status
The Prep Postgraduate Certificate in Education with QTS is a formal teacher training course tailored to teachers in independent preparatory schools (to age 13) in England. You must be employed as a teacher in a preparatory independent school and be teaching the 3 core subjects at key stage 2 and a chosen subject at key stage 3 for a minimum of 50% of a full timetable.
Trainees will be expected to undertake a teaching placement in a second school which must be a non-selective state-maintained school. The duration of this teaching placement is determined upon the interview and is usually for three weeks.
What is the point of doing a PGCE if I am already working in a school?
- 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.
- 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.
- Having taken the trouble to gain this qualification will show your employer and future employers that you are a serious, professional employee.
- The PGCE with QTS will enable you to apply for jobs at the many schools that require teachers to have qualified teacher status.
- 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 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. There are four residentials (nine days overall) to attend and these are supplemented by a weekly programme on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
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.
Full details in the Curriculum Handbook
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 a preparatory independent school in England and be teaching the 3 core subjects (English, maths and science) at key stage 2 and a chosen subject at key stage 3 for a minimum of 50% of a full timetable.
Every year some of our applicants have arranged to work in a prep 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:
- A degree from a UK university or equivalent.
- GCSE in English Language, Maths and Science at grade C/4 or above or equivalent.
In addition, you must:
- Attend an interview.
- Demonstrate competence in literacy and numeracy
- 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.
How to Apply
Please use the ‘Apply Now’ button or contact The School of Education by email or call +44 (0)1280 820 222 To apply you will need to supply:
- copy of degree certificate
- copy of English, Maths and Science GCSE certificates
- copy of passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
- head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card
Apply by 31 July 2021.
If you have questions which need answering before you apply, please read our FAQs.
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 > >
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Tuition fees cover the cost of all tutoring as well as food and accommodation when at Buckingham.
Applicants must also pay a non-refundable £275 registration fee.
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.
You may be eligible for a Student Finance England loan. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study
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 beginning in September 2021 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 School of Education staff. If you have any questions, please contact us: education@buckingham.ac.uk
Apply directly
You can apply directly using our online application form – all you need to do is click the ‘apply’ button at the bottom of this page.
You do not need to apply separately for this programme, your offer will include the necessary Pre-Masters term.
Help and support
If you need any help making your application or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch using the form below, or by phone on +44 (0)1280 820227. We are available between 09:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday.
If you would like to make any changes to your current application, please contact Admissions using the form below.