Physical Education BA(Hons) with QTS

Interviews

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

Top reasons to choose this course

• Train to teach with an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ provider.
• Sport courses at Brighton have received the 3-star ‘Enhancing’ grade for quality from the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

• School placements in each year of the degree.

• Additional opportunities to work with school pupils throughout the degree.

• Gain the experience and knowledge required to teach the National Curriculum for Physical Education.

• Extensive on-site sport facilities.

• Opportunities to take National Governing Body (NGB) awards.

• 2nd in the UK for education courses in the Guardian University Guide 2025.

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 National Governing Body (NGB) 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 will 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 Athletics, Gymnastics and Adventurous Activities

  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 will 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.

• Physical Education Theory

  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, build your understanding of the place of PE within schools and reflect upon your own PE experiences. You will also develop the key skills needed for studying at undergraduate level.

• Initial School Experience

  This module is your initial placement experience in a secondary school, where you will 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 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

Core modules

• Intermediate Professional Semester

  During your Intermediate Professional Semester, you will spend 40% of placement time teaching secondary school pupils (supervised) and the rest furthering your professional development. This module provides opportunities for you to plan for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 across a range of physical activities. During the placement, you will be using your e-portfolio to reflect on your progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

• Creating a Positive Teaching and Learning Environment

  This module will introduce you to aspects of behaviour management within a school context. You will examine factors influencing pupil behaviour and strategies that may be employed by the teacher/support staff to help a child approach schooling in a more positive way. Topics will include expectations in the classroom, school and national behaviour policies, pupil motivation, special categories of pupils with behaviour problems, and theoretical approaches and their practical application to classroom management.

Options*

• Education Studies 2: Policy and Practice

  This module introduces behaviour management in a school context. You will examine various factors that influence pupil behaviour and strategies that may be used by the teacher and support staff to help the child approach the process of schooling more positively. 

• Sport for Development and Peace

  On this module you will get involved with our partner NGO Football4Peace (F4P) by taking part in practical coaching sessions. Through your engagement with F4P you’ll explore some of the theoretical ideas that underpin how sport can be a tool for community development, social justice and peace. The module will enable you to apply principles of sport for development and peace in practical, fieldwork settings.

• Primary Physical Education: Theory and practice of teaching KS1 and KS2 PE

  This module explores the teaching of primary PE, focusing on understanding child development and motor skill acquisition to plan and deliver appropriate physical activities. It will involve the application of theory to practical contexts and help you develop teaching methods and practice to ensure that learning in and through PE is maximised alongside addressing health, body awareness, development of positive attitudes and self-confidence.

• Practical Performance

  Practical Performance will help you develop an understanding of the principles and concepts of two areas of practical study that you choose. The key areas of focus will include the development of individual techniques and skills as applied to theoretical principles of performance in your chosen areas. The module will include the evaluation of coaching/teaching methods and practice.

*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

Core modules

• Education Studies 3: Inclusive Practice

  Issues of inclusion and exclusion in education will be examined in this module to help you learn how to work with various groups of children to promote inclusive practice. You will look at education legislation relating to provision for children with a variety of needs and study adapted physical activities which may be used when teaching children who have physical, social and emotional needs and those who have English as an additional language.

• Physical Education in the 14–16 curriculum

  This module identifies the principles underpinning the development of Physical Education (PE) curriculum design at Key Stage 4 and introduces the different academic and vocational routes available to you. It will expand your knowledge of the structure and content of 14-16 PE, including the understanding and delivery of key theoretical areas such as anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and contemporary Issues within accredited PE.

• Final Professional Semester

  The Final Professional Semester will involve you spending 60% in a placement teaching (supervised) secondary school pupils and the rest in furthering your professional development. This provides opportunities for you to plan a range of physical activities for Key Stage 3, 4 and where possible Key Stage 5 accredited courses. You will be using your e-portfolio to reflect upon your continued progress towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

Options*

• Physical Practical Activity 1

  You will focus on further developing your understanding of the techniques and skills required for effective performance during this module. You’ll analyse and evaluate coaching and teaching methods, and apply them to two different practical activities. The module includes student-led teaching and coaching sessions.

• Primary Physical Education: Active Learning in the Primary Setting

  This module will enable you to reflect on your understanding of developmental physical education and become a reflective teacher and leader. You will develop research and planning skills to effect change within a primary school setting and learn how to lead, manage and advocate PE in primary schools to ensure the curriculum is appropriate to the school and the pupils.

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

School-based training 

School-based training forms an important element of your course, enabling you to gain confidence in your teaching ability, demonstrate and grow your knowledge and make valuable contacts which will help when seeking your first teaching role.

You will spend time in schools in your second, third and final year teaching and assessing Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils (under supervision) in a range of physical education activity areas, including where appropriate accredited courses.

You’ll be fully prepared leading up to your training and will be supported by the university and a school-based mentor throughout to ensure you can make the most of these opportunities.

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 three lessons in this time.

In your second year, you will spend 75 days in a school and teach a 40% timetable, eight to 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 10–13 lessons per week.

Where will my placement be?

Placements for the Physical Education BA(Hons) with QTS degree take place across our placement partnership region, which covers from Southampton to Kent, including some of Essex, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire.

We have partnerships with over 600 schools and colleges which offer you opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings, ensuring you will have a well-rounded experience. You will experience time in two contrasting schools during your course.

We’ll use information you provide to match you to a suitable placement and will consider your previous experience, current needs and travelling distance.

Placements in Brighton are limited, so when matching you with a school we may consider the address you lived at when you applied to Brighton (home address) as well as your term-time address.

If your home address is in our partnership region we are likely to place you in a school close to that address. You may choose to return home when on placement. If you choose to live at your home address when on placement, we will be able to support you with university halls accommodation when your placement ends and you return to university.

If your home address is outside of our partnership region we will aim for your placement to be within 35 miles or a 90-minute commute by public transport of your term-time address. 

Facilities

As a Brighton student you’ll use our extensive sport facilities at Falmer which include:

• dance and spin studios
• five outdoor grass football pitches
• full-size floodlit synthetic turf pitch
• floodlit non-slip netball and tennis courts
• indoor swimming pool
• large fitness suite
• outdoor grass rugby pitch
• sports hall with netball, volleyball, basketball and badminton courts, and cricket nets
• strength and conditioning suite
• tennis and badminton courts.

You’ll be able to see the facilities when you visit us and learn more by checking out our Falmer campus information.

You will also have access to our curriculum centre which contains more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers, including books, DVDs, games and an online catalogue.

Ofsted ‘outstanding’

Graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for primary and secondary in our 2024 Initial Teacher Education inspection.

Ofsted commended us on many aspects of our courses, saying:

• Trainees shine at Brighton’s long-established and highly impressive teacher training programmes.
• The care and dedication shown by staff towards trainees is superb.
• Trainees are at the heart of everything. They are valued and expertly supported throughout the course.
• The curriculum skilfully equips trainees in safeguarding, behaviour management and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Trainees impress the placement settings they work in because of their professionalism and aptitude to apply what they have learned.

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 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 about sport scholarships.

Brighton Cricket Academy

Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment. 

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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