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PGCE Secondary at University of Leicester - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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Course summary

All of our PGCE courses are made up of both campus-based sessions - which will give you a grounding in the principles of good teaching practice - and school-based placements, giving you the chance to apply your knowledge and experience to a wide range of classroom situations. These placements will be in contrasting schools to provide you with a broad range of experience; they could be in city, suburban or rural schools, in the independent or state sector. You will be taught by academics who are leaders in their field and have years of experience themselves as teachers. We believe that teaching inspired by research both within and beyond the School of Education, and backed up with extensive teaching experience, provides excellent opportunities for our trainees to grow as teachers and reflective practitioners. You will choose a subject to specialise in over the course of the PGCE, usually related to the subject that you studied to degree level. At Leicester we offer the PGCE in the following subject areas:

  • English
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Modern Languages
  • Religious Education (French, French with Spanish, Spanish with French, French with German)
  • Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Mathematics)
  • Social Science
By the end of this course you will meet the required processional standards for Qualified Teacher Status, and will be awarded a University of Leicester PGCE. Our strong ethos of reflective practice will prepare you well for your future career in teaching. New teachers have now become some of the best-paid postgraduates in England. From September 2023, once you have completed your one-year PGCE course - which awards you QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) - as a primary or secondary school teacher in England, you’ll start on a minimum salary of £30,000 (£36,745 in inner London). Your salary will be reviewed every year, with most teachers moving up the pay range annually. A typical teacher could earn at least £41,333 (or more in London) within 5 years. Not sure which PGCE route is right for you? Have a look at our Routes into Teaching pages to find out more about PGCE, Lead Partners and SCITT routes. Alongside this 'University-led' PGCE, we work in partnership with schools across the region to offer a Lead Partners Secondary PGCE. We’re delighted that in 2024, Ofsted have graded our initial teacher training programmes as Outstanding. This means that both our primary and secondary teacher training adheres to the highest standards set by the Department for Education.

Assessment method

Your learning will consist of a combination of university-based classes and school-based teaching placements where you will get hands-on experience of teaching a class. Our course has been praised by external examiners for its focus on reflection. You will be encouraged to evaluate your own teaching and share your learning with your peers. Throughout your PGCE course you’ll have the support of a range of tutors and the confidence this brings. We’ll make sure you have the right support at the right time – whether that’s at university, in school or within your own specific discipline.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Secondary

How to apply

International applicants

https://le.ac.uk/study/international-students

Entry requirements

2:1 degree for English, Geography, History or Social Science 2:2 degreefor Maths, MFL, Sciences or RE (We may, under exceptional circumstances, accept a Third if there are other very strong recommending features in your application.) GCSE Grade C or above in English Language and Maths. A-levels (or equivalent) in relevant subjects Although not essential, you may find it useful to have recent experience working with children and/or observing teaching in a school setting, ideally relating to the age range/subject you wish to teach. When writing your application you should try to reflect on your experience and tell us what you learnt. Application Process The application process for a PGCE is different from other postgraduate courses so please see the university website for details on how to apply. Additional requirements Admission to the course is subject to a satisfactory medical report. The University will provide more information about this should you be offered a place. All offers are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure. We will provide instructions regarding the DBS application process once you have accepted an offer of a place on the course. English Language Requirements You must have a GCSE Grade C in English Language. Please see our entry requirements (left) for more information. International Qualifications Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Please see website for 25/26 postgraduate fee information

Sponsorship information

https://le.ac.uk/study/postgraduates/fees-funding

PGCE Secondary at University of Leicester - UCAS