Overview
PGCE with QTS is an Initial Teacher Training course, which certifies trainees to teach in state-maintained schools in England.
Applicants for the course can also teach in independent schools. The course is offered at Primary level (5-11 and 7-11 age ranges) and in all subjects at Secondary level (11-16, 11-18, 14-19 age ranges).
We’re a bit different to some other providers of Initial Teacher Training. Normally, you have two options – to train with a university or train with a school – but we’ve combined the best of both.
The course is written and led by us, so you can be assured that your training is of a quality expected from a university, but because we believe that teacher training is best done in schools, under the supervision of first-rate teachers, all but six days of your training will be spent in school. Also, as a number of schools work with us across the country, it is likely that you may be able to train to teach in a location that suits you. We work closely with the school to ensure that you receive all the support you need and also provide you with a personal university tutor, who can help you along the way.
You may wish to be salaried and employed by the school when you train, or you may prefer not to be salaried and be on ‘placement’ in a school (i.e. as a full-time student). Either way, we can help you with your choice, as well as assist you in applying for the range of bursaries and scholarships, for which you may be eligible. Alternatively, you may already be employed as an unqualified teacher, teaching assistant or cover supervisor, and looking for a teacher training course that you can do on the job.
Whilst most trainees will start the course in September, we offer multiple start dates throughout the year, so you can start at the right time for you. The course is usually studied over one academic year, but this is also flexible and can take longer to allow for individual circumstances if, for example, you work part-time or simply wish to take more time to complete the course.
For teachers with more than two years of teaching experience, who have not undergone formal teacher training, you may wish to consider our Assessment-Only Route to QTS, which is a fast-track programme (up to 12 weeks) to gain Qualified Teacher Status upon successful completion.
If you are interested in teaching and would like the opportunity to gain some experience prior to undertaking our PGCE with QTS, you may wish to look at our Pre-Teach course, which serves as an introduction to teaching.
Flexibility
Short 2-week learning blocks combined with a pay-as-you-go payment modelValue
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Our PGCE with QTS is an Initial Teacher Training course, which upon successful completion certifies trainees to teach in state-maintained schools in England. It is offered at primary level (5-11 and 7-11 age ranges) and secondary in all subjects (11-16, 11-18, 14-19 age ranges). Applicants for the course can also teach in independent schools.
Whilst the course is written and led by the university, we believe that teacher training is best done in schools, under the supervision of first-rate teachers, and so all but six days of your training is spent in school. We work closely with the school to ensure that you receive all the support you for the opportunity to become a great teacher. We also work closely with you, and you will have access to your own university tutor, who can help you along the way.
You may wish to be salaried and employed by the school when you train, or you may prefer not to be salaried and be on ‘placement’ in a school (i.e. as a full-time student). Alternatively, you may already be employed as an unqualified teacher, teaching assistant or cover supervisor, and looking for a teacher training course that you can do on the job.
Whilst most trainees will start the course in September, we offer multiple start dates throughout the year, so you can start at the right time for you. The course is usually studied over one academic year, but this is also flexible and can take longer to allow for individual circumstances.
The course aims to develop teachers who are confident, inspiring and highly effective in transferring knowledge and skills to their pupils. In doing so, the course aims to:
- Enable you to explore wider perspectives in education and the opportunity to deepen your understanding of codes of practice and contemporary issues affecting schools
- Equip you with the skills to reflect on your personal and professional development and respond positively to feedback through critical analysis of your practice
- Support you to develop an inquiry-led approach to research of your own practice and reflect on strategies for effective teaching and learning
- Foster a culture of independent learning and self-awareness so you can take responsibility for your own professional development while understanding your strengths, weaknesses and how to progress your own teaching
Modules
In more detail...
If you aspire to be a first-rate teacher, who is respected and remembered by your pupils, our PGCE with QTS may be for you. It is designed to combine the flexibility of online study and face-to-face training with practical in-school experience, which aims to help you to train on the job, under the supervision of skilled school-based mentors and experienced university tutors.
You can also choose whether to be a full-time student or employed/salaried. You will likely be able to study in a location that suits you, and we can support you in finding grants or bursaries to fund the course fee.
The online segments are designed to be studied at your own pace, fitting more naturally with the changing patterns of life and work, while the in-school and face-to-face components aim to offer hands-on teaching opportunities and collaborative learning experiences.
Start dates are flexible too. While most trainee teachers will start in September and complete their study in July, some may decide, for example, to start in January or April. Study can also be extended to take longer than a typical academic year to support personal or professional circumstances.
- Personalised on-the-job training
- Available in a location that suits you
- Designed to provide highly practical learning experiences
- Built around the craft of the classroom
- Available for both primary and secondary phases in all school subjects
- Multiple start dates
- 24/7 access to online learning materials
- Day-to-day guidance from a school-based mentor
- Face-to-face sessions/seminars
- Designed to provide varied and engaging assessments
The course is designed to be highly practical, so aims to help trainee teachers develop their craft in schools, under the supervision of skilled school-based mentors and experienced university tutors.
The course maintains that there is no one way to teach and encourages teachers to engage with a variety of teaching methods to develop their own best practice. It promotes the principle that continued professional development is fundamental to outstanding teaching and aims for its graduates to carry forward this belief throughout their careers.
There are four modules of study, comprising Behaviour and Classroom Management, Curriculum Delivery and Assessment, Development of the Teachers’ Standards, and Practical Teaching Practice.
You will also undertake a second school placement of between three and six weeks so that you have the opportunity to gain experience of teaching in more than one school.
The Practical Teaching Practice module culminates in a summative assessment at the end of the year via a portfolio of evidence. Trainees are required to collate evidence for this throughout the course and the portfolio is assessed formatively across the first three modules of study.
Our course comprises four modules and is typically studied over one academic year (three school terms), but this can be extended. You will receive day-to-day guidance from a school-based mentor trained by the university. You will also be assigned a university tutor who will visit you at your school.
The modular structure of the course is blended in approach. It combines online learning with practical in-school support. There are also face-to-face sessions at our educational conferences, which aims to provide valuable peer support and a collaborative learning environment so that trainees have the opportunity to learn from one another while sharing and reflecting on experiences away from school.
Hotel accommodation and sustenance for trainees attending the face-to-face sessions are organised by the university and included in the course fee. The trainee's travel costs to and from the venue are not included in the course fee.
Assessment throughout our PGCE with QTS is varied and designed to stimulate learning. It includes lesson observations, case study research, oral presentations and written assignments.
The Practical Teaching Practice module culminates in a summative assessment at the end of the year via a portfolio of evidence. You are required to collate this evidence throughout the course, and it will be assessed formatively across the first three modules of study.
Our PGCE with QTS course is a formal Initial Teacher Training qualification, which upon successful completion results in the accreditation to teach in state-maintained schools in England. Successful completion of the course will also provide 60 Level 7 credits that may be transferred as prior learning credits for future study at master’s degree level.
On successful completion of the course, you should be able to:
- Teach effectively and skilfully so that all pupils in your lessons progress and learn well
- Develop a reflective and self-critical approach to analyse and foster skills in teaching that promote your self-efficacy and confidence
- Critically evaluate pedagogy to adopt relevant strategies and teaching methods that promote high-quality behaviour and learning within your individual context
- Adapt to new environments according to the needs of children
- Critically reflect on what impacts pupil learning, and exercise independent judgement, using evidence from your own teaching as well as relevant educational research, to inform and improve your own teaching
- Analyse your own teaching, and research both teaching theory and practice to identify opportunities for future development, and put improvements into practice
- Develop critical self-awareness from mentoring and respond positively to feedback to develop greater resilience that will help you to enjoy longevity in a teaching career
- Demonstrate that you understand the relationship between theory and your own practice, and meet the minimum level when assessed against the Teachers’ Standards
- Synthesise and critically evaluate pedagogical theory and literature in support of an argument and present evidence of effectiveness in relation to your own teaching
*This course is accredited by QTS for the September 2020, Jan 2021 and May 2021 intakes. Whilst the University hopes and anticipates the accreditation will continue, if the course would no longer be accredited we would notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
A 15-credit module consists of 150 hours of learning, which comprise a mix of directed and self-directed study.
During your study, you’ll have access to an experienced team, including associate lecturers, progression coaches and student experience officers, who will support your studies through regular feedback and dedicated live seminars
Entry Requirements
Fee breakdown for Employment Based Route PGCE (with QTS) - ETT01QTSE
| PGCE (with QTS) - ETT01QTSE | Degree Fee: £6,500 (Employment Based Route) | ||
| Module Code | Module Name | Credits | Fee per module |
| TT7013CUG | Behaviour and Classroom Management | 15 | £1,625.00 |
| TT014CUG | Curriculum Delivery & Assessment | 15 | £ 1,625.00 |
| TT7015CUG | Development of the Teachers’ Standards | 15 | £1,625.00 |
| TT7016CUG | Practical Teaching Practice | 15 | £ 1,625.00 |
Fee breakdown for PGCE (with QTS) - ETT001QTS
| PGCE (with QTS) - ETT001QTS | Degree Fee: £7,500 (Tuition-fee route, UK and EU students only) | ||
| Module Code | Module Name | Credits | Fee per module |
| TT7013CUG | Behaviour and Classroom Management | 15 | £1,875.00 |
| TT7014CUG | Curriculum Delivery & Assessment | 15 | £1,875.00 |
| TT7015CUG | Development of the Teachers’ Standards | 15 | £1,875.00 |
| TT7016CUG | Practical Teaching Practice | 15 | £1,875.00 |
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
Career prospects
Our PGCE with QTS is a teacher training course, which upon successful completion certifies trainees to teach in state-maintained schools in England.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with Coventry University, a Student Contract will be formed between you and Coventry University. A copy of the student contract will be made available to you via the dedicated Admissions Teams, during the enquiry/application stage. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the University will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol with the University.
