Physical Education BA(Hons) with QTS

Course structure

Year 1 of your course is mainly university-based, with a short secondary school placement towards the end of the year. Years 2 and 3 offer a combination of practical school experience and university-based learning.

You can choose to take NGB (National Governing Body) awards and participate in sports competitions. We also offer an optional water sports module.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, we will inform you of any improvements or innovations to the curriculum through Student View.

Year 1

In your first year of study you will focus on developing your knowledge and understanding of PE and PE teaching in a secondary school setting. This will include the study of contemporary issues in education, practice and policy. Practical modules align to the six activity areas of the National Curriculum for PE; adventurous activities, games, athletics, dance, gymnastics and swimming.

You will develop personal competence and confidence in each of these disciplines and learn how to apply pedagogic techniques to enable high quality teaching that is innovative, safe and inclusive for all pupils. You will also spend two weeks on school-based training in one of our quality assured partnership schools at the end of your first year.

Modules

• Performance in Physical Education: OAA, Gymnastics and Swimming

  This module will develop your performance for physical education. You will study outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA), gymnastics and swimming. You will acquire the foundation knowledge, skill and understanding necessary for further study. You will develop an appreciation of the distinctive nature of each specific activity, engage with the relative creative and analytic principles, explore physical literacy and what it means to be physically educated.

• Performance in Physical Education: Games, Dance and Athletics

  In this module you will develop your performance for physical education. You will study games, dance and track and field athletics, enabling you to acquire the foundation knowledge, skill and understanding necessary for further study at level 5 and 6. You will develop an appreciation of the distinctive nature of each specific activity, engage with the relative creative and analytic principles, and explore physical literacy and what it means to be physically educated.

• Education Studies 1: Applied Pedagogy

  This module introduces you to the content and structure of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) in relation to lesson planning. You will develop your lesson planning and pedagogical skills through practical experience of planning and evaluation, and gain an understanding of the theory and practice of formative assessment. You'll also become familiar with the Professional Standards for Teachers: Qualified Teacher Status.

• Learning and Teaching Through Games, Dance and Swimming

  This module will increase your understanding of the teaching and learning of games, dance and swimming-based activities to support the National Curriculum for Physical Education. You will study games, dance and swimming, with one third of the module time spent on each activity. This will enable you to gain the knowledge needed to develop related learning and teaching strategies before your school-based placements, whilst working on your own practical performance skills.

• Learning and Teaching Through Adventurous Activities, Athletics and Gymnastics

  This module will increase your understanding of the teaching and learning of athletics, gymnastics and adventurous activities in supporting the National Curriculum for Physical Education. Within each activity you'll focus on particular aspects of each activity: the teaching of running, throwing and jumping in athletics; teaching compositional gymnastics from a skills-based approach; and problem solving, physical challenges, navigation and orienteering activities. You'll develop practical knowledge and understanding through planning, performing and evaluating.

• Contemporary Issues in Physical Education

  This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the national curriculum, and selected aims of physical education (PE) specifically. You will explore historical and contemporary developments in PE, building your understanding of the place of PE within schools and reflecting upon your own PE experiences. You'll also develop key study skills needed for studying at undergraduate level.

• Initial School Experience

  This module is your initial placement experience in a secondary school, where you'll develop your understanding of the professional role of a physical education teacher. You'll become familiar with school and departmental procedures relating to health and safety, class management and lesson planning. You will engage with your e-portfolio throughout the placement to reflect on your progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards (Department of Education, 2012).

Year 2

You will spend 75 days on school-based training in the same secondary school as in year 1. You will work alongside an experienced mentor and university staff to develop and apply teaching methods consistent with the needs of your pupils and with your professional role.

You will develop your subject knowledge further through optional module choices, discover how to create a positive teaching and learning environment, and explore current discourse in PE.

Modules

• Education Studies: Policy and Practice
• Creating a Positive Teaching and Learning Environment
• Intermediate Professional Semester

Options*

• Practical Performance
• Primary Physical Education: Theory and Practice of Teaching KS1 and KS2 PE
• Globalisation and Sport
• Sport for Development and Peace

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Final year

You will complete a research project that critically examines an area of educational interest based on reflections from your year 2 placement. You will learn how to teach accredited PE and dance as part of the 14-19 curriculum, and practical option modules will give you the flexibility to study and specialise in activity areas that interest you most.

You will also complete your final phase of school-based training with a 15-week placement at a contrasting secondary school. Throughout both formal placements you will work towards meeting the Teachers Standards for Qualified Teacher Status.

Modules

• Education Studies 3: Inclusive Practice
• Physical Education in the 14–19 Curriculum
• Final Professional Semester

Options*

• Physical Practical Activity
• Primary Physical Education: Active Learning in the Primary Setting
• Community Sport Development: Policy and Practice
• Racism in Sport and Popular Culture
• Sport and Deviancy

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

School-based training 

School-based training in a partnership school forms an important element of the course. You will spend time in schools in your second, third and final year teaching under supervision.

You will be asked to complete a school-based training information form when you start your course and we will use this information to match you to a suitable placement. We will consider your previous experience, travelling distance, and your current needs.

You will be fully prepared leading up to your school-based training and will be supported by both the university and a school-based mentor throughout your training.

In your first year, you will spend 10 days in a secondary school to become familiar with school and departmental procedures relating to health and safety, class management and lesson planning. You will teach a minimum of 3 lessons in this time.

In your second year, you will spend 75 days in a school and teach a 40% timetable, 8–10 lessons, using the remaining time for preparing and evaluating lessons, researching specific activities, lesson observations and updating your e-portfolio with appropriate evidence of achieving the Teachers’ Standards with personal reflections. 

In your final year, you will spend another 75 days in a school setting teaching a 60% timetable which is between 10 and 13 lessons per week.

Facilities

From September 2024 this course will be taught at our Brighton, Falmer campus. The Falmer campus is being redesigned, renovated and upgraded and will have lots of new facilities for sport and health science students.

The Eastbourne campus has excellent sport and fitness facilities on site which include:

• large six court sports hall
• artificial ¾ length training pitch
• climbing wall
• 25m swimming pool
• two gymnasiums
• 36-station fitness suite with a designated cardiovascular area packed with bikes, treadmills, and rowers, cross-trainers and steppers
• two dance studios.

Find out more about the facilities available to our sport and exercise students.

 Ofsted

In our most recent Initial Teacher Education inspection report, the University of Brighton was graded 'outstanding'.

Ofsted identified some of our key strengths as:

• the very high attainment of the majority of trainees
• the expertly designed and diverse range of programmes that respond to trainees' backgrounds, needs and interests as well as to national priorities
• the outstanding progress made by trainees as a result of training, which enables them to fulfil their potential
• inspirational teaching, tutoring and mentoring that model the best teaching and give trainees the ambition to reach the highest standards
• highly reflective trainees who demonstrate good subject knowledge and a breadth of understanding of how to teach
• an excellent range of training experiences that effectively prepare trainees to teach in a diverse society
• the excellent resources available to trainees
• leadership that is dynamic in its approach to anticipating change and solving problems
• a visionary approach to innovation and change.

Meet the team

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you’ll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports Scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about Sport Scholarships.

Interviews

Successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview. These are currently being held online.

Course fees

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

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