Primary 5-11 years PGCE

Intro

The University of Brighton is one of the UK's largest teacher training universities, rated ‘outstanding’ in our last Ofsted inspection.

This course covers the 5–11 age phase and you will engage in school-based training in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Passing the programme leads to the recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) which enables you to be employed as a qualified teacher in primary schools in England and Wales.

The programme would be suitable if you are a graduate with a good honours degree or equivalent, in an area that has some relevance to primary school teaching.

Studying with us, you will have access to excellent resources and gain practical experience in two contrasting schools. We have partnerships with over 600 schools and colleges in the south east offering opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings.

You will be mentored by a successful teaching team with an outstanding national reputation and comprehensive research profile that informs course content.

Students on this course can choose to progress to one of our Education MAs after completing the PGCE.

How to apply for teacher training.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS Teacher Training code X100

Full-time 1 year

Before starting this course you will need to have passed the Professional Skills Tests; if you have not already completed these you are advised to take them as soon as possible.

Apply now with UCAS

Course content

Course structure

This is an intensive year, with two-thirds of the course based in partnership schools and the remainder in lectures, seminars and independent study. Inherent to this programme are the government's national priorities and we will give you support while thoroughly addressing these issues.

In line with government requirements, you will spend the majority of your course gaining experience in schools, where you will spend 24 weeks teaching under supervision. Our tutors and mentors will advise and support you throughout each placement. We will give you plenty of comprehensive feedback during this time, which will enable you to see what you are doing well and where you might need to improve.

You will benefit from experiencing school-based training in two different schools and age-phases. The first phase of school-based training runs simultaneously to the University-based programme, which ensures that teaching theory is effectively integrated with practice.

We believe in nurturing and facilitating your opportunities to discuss and critically evaluate effective teaching practices through small interactive seminar groups, which complement larger-group lectures.

All students are enrolled onto the Postgraduate Certificate in Education but an alternative exit award, the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education, which also includes QTS, is available if you do not achieve the masters-level elements of the postgraduate programme.

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Areas of study

You will explore the subject curriculum areas for Key Stages 1 and 2, and practise the strategies and skills that encourage you to interpret the curriculum confidently and creatively. The programme is designed to encourage teaching practice that you can continually reflect upon and critique.

You will study modules that investigate learning and teaching throughout the two Stages within the context of child development as a whole.

Our teaching and learning strategies go across and beyond subject areas, to ensure inclusive practice and equal, effective teaching of children from a diverse range of backgrounds.

You will engage in a masters-level school-based Professional Enquiry module, focusing on an aspect of your own professional development.

School-based training

Ofsted identify our approach to training in schools as a key strength of this course, with an excellent balance between university tuition and school-based training.

You will spend a minimum of 120 days on school-based activities, with your training shared between the university and the partner school.

Your school-based training will include observing primary practitioners, working with individual pupils and groups of pupils, team teaching and independent teaching. Your training will also entail completing specific subject tasks and developing your knowledge of school policy and effective practices.

You will maintain a professional training portfolio and be supported to review your work critically and analytically as well as to set appropriately challenging targets. We will also develop an action plan with you to identify strengths, development needs and actions, so that your practice is continually developing.

Key aims of the school-based training:

advance the development of your professional attributes, skills, knowledge and understanding
provide practical and specific experiences that enable you to critically analyse your professional practice and take responsibility for your own professional development
enable you to work collaboratively with colleagues in order to develop an understanding of the ways in which the attainment, development and well-being of all learners can be achieved with a unified support and teaching system
provide opportunities that enable you to adopt a creative and constructively critical approach towards your practice, supported by appropriate reading and research.

During your school-based training, university tutors, school mentors and teachers will support you and take shared responsibility for your professional development.

Your progress will be observed and assessed throughout your placement by university and school staff, followed by feedback sessions to discuss your development. Your e-portfolio will also be evaluated as part of the overall assessment.

Organising your school-based training

Our Partnership Office will organise the school-based training for you. Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students. We work hard to ensure that you have placement opportunities that will give you valuable and varied experiences in the area of education in which you are interested.

How it works

We will ask you to complete a placement information form when you start your course, and will use this information to match you to a suitable placement. We will consider your previous experience, travelling distance, the age ranges you wish to teach, and your current needs.

Once we have matched you with a placement, the team in the Partnership Office will confirm the placement as quickly as possible with the school or organisation. They will then contact you with the placement details. Almost all of our placements will be with partner schools or organisations in south-east England, most of them in East and West Sussex.

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.

Skills Tests

Support for the skills tests

You have to pass the professional skills tests before you begin your teacher training. The University of Brighton recognises that these tests may present a challenge to some candidates and hope these support materials will help you to be fully prepared before attempting them.

Department for Education Practise Materials – You will find a range of support materials on this official site, including online tests.

Passing the Numeracy Skills Test – Book by Mark Patmore, including one practice test . Published February 2018. ISBN-13: 978-1526419231

How to Pass the QTS Numeracy and Literacy Skills Tests: Essential Practice for the Qualified Teacher Status Skills Tests - Book by Chris John Tyreman. Published July 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0749478292

School Direct

School Direct is an alternative route to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the University of Brighton is working with a number of schools to deliver this programme across a range of secondary subjects as well as in the primary phase.

To train as a teacher through the School Direct programme you need to apply directly to a school for a School Direct training place, with schools advertising their vacancies on the UCAS Teacher Training website. The University of Brighton supports School Direct through providing training and assessment opportunities at the request of participating schools.

Find out more about School Direct and view vacancies.

Teacher reading from a book to her class

Study here

Why choose teaching at the University of Brighton?

We were rated Outstanding by Ofsted in our 2018 inspection
Our graduates benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average
We have 600 partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities to our students
We work closely with local authorities, schools, colleges and educational organisations ensuring that our students are kept up to date with the changing world of education
Our tutors are experts in their area of research and have published numerous academic publications
We offer several routes into teaching with the opportunity to engage in professional development after graduating
We have a dedicated team to help you after you qualify, through our NQT support programme
We’re one of the UKs largest teacher training universities, educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years

primary school children drawing on paper

Facilities

Curriculum Centre
Our outstanding Curriculum Centre provides trainee teachers with over 30,000 specialist teaching resources including books, DVDs, games and an online catalogue.

Specialist classrooms
Our Falmer campus facilities replicate those used in schools and all spaces include specialist equipment to help you become the best teacher you can be.

Teaching facilities include:

science labs
art classrooms
kiln room
dark room
design and technology workshop
performance studio.

Click to view a virtual tour of our facilities.

Careers

Graduates of the course are equipped with the skills and knowledge to become capable and confident primary school teachers.

As well as gaining a PGCE, you will be assessed against the national Teachers' Standards in order to be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.

Most graduates of this course begin their careers as primary school teachers where they work to make a difference in those important years of a child's education. From your first post as a newly qualified teacher, your career could develop in many different ways. Some of our graduates go on to be special educational needs teachers or head teachers.

Although trained to teach in the primary age range, Qualified Teacher Status is a universal qualification and many teachers go on to teach other age ranges throughout their career.

The course is incredibly organised and I have experienced some wonderful teaching. I feel very well prepared for my induction year and am so pleased that I chose to undertake this training year at the University of Brighton.

Course graduate – Primary Education PGCE

The teachers we train are:

highly committed to their pupils’ learning and ambitious in what they want to help them achieve
inquisitive, critically reflective and motivated to keep learning and improving their own practice
quick to adapt to different learning contexts and confident to challenge inequalities
an asset to the profession, willing to share their knowledge and experience and to collaborate with others
well-prepared for the realities of teaching, with the confidence, resilience and skills to be innovative, to take risks and be creative.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

This is a highly successful postgraduate route into teaching. We strongly encourage applications from candidates with the potential to become outstanding teachers in this intensive and mainly school-based programme.

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course. They should be used as a general guide.

Degree and experience
Normally an honours degree, or equivalent qualification.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language, maths and a science. In-house equivalence tests are available for suitable candidates.

Professional Skills Tests 

You have to pass the professional skills tests in numeracy and literacy before you begin your teacher training. These tests are compulsory and it will not be possible to enter training without having successfully completed them. You are able to book these tests in advance. The Department for Education (DfE) strongly advises you to take the tests soon after you have submitted an application.

As of February 2018 new changes to these tests means that you can make unlimited attempts and the first three attempts are free of charge. The DfE has also removed the lock-out period that previously prevented you from re-taking tests for two years.

You do not need to have completed these tests prior to making an application or attending an interview however your offer will be subject to successful completion.

The University of Brighton recognises that these tests may present a challenge to some candidates and we recommend that you prepare before attempting them.

Find out more about the tests including how to register and prepare on the DfE website.

Experience

While experience in a school is not a condition of entry for initial teacher education courses we recommend that you take up opportunities to gain a realistic understanding of whether teaching is right for you. The Get Into Teaching School Experience Programme offers opportunities across the country to book a day’s worth of experience.

Selection

If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview in person at the Falmer campus where we have a number of structured activities aimed at allowing you to show your potential.

All offers of places are subject to required regulatory checks including an occupational health check and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,460 GBP

Bursaries and funding

Generous, tax-free funding is available to the best graduates training in a range of subjects. You could get up to £28,000 tax-free while you train, either as a bursary or prestigious scholarship. Early-career payments are also on offer for those choosing mathematics.Your eligibility for financial support, and the amount you can expect to receive, will depend on the subject you choose to teach and your degree classification or highest relevant academic qualification.

In addition, a small number of discretionary bursaries may be awarded to trainees who we identify as having outstanding potential, and who fall within the bottom and middle tier for core bursary payment purposes.

You don’t need to apply for a bursary – if you are enrolled on a non-salaried postgraduate course and meet the eligibility criteria, you will begin receiving payments automatically by your chosen teacher training provider. You will receive more information on the arrangements and how this is distributed prior to the start of your course.

Find out more about funding.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2019–20.

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/EU 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.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with us for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly. You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

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Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

Looking for clearing accommodation? Accommodation is available, we can help you find your home from home.

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park.
- Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of room types and catering options
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there's a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you're balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties across the city.

Starting in 2019 and looking for accommodation advice? Find out more about our accommodation options.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private rented accommodation. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus

Student views

Stephen Feeney

“After doing a bit of research it was clear that the University of Brighton was a highly regarded educational institution - this was important to me as you want to know that you will be coming out with the best qualification possible.

“My training taught me that the child always comes first in learning and that is across every aspect of school life. The lecturers were so passionate about the impact teaching has and you couldn't help but be inspired by that. It was like being in school again and was structured in such a way that you could imagine a child being as excited as you were about the learning that was taking place.

"The key message was always what was I going to do as a teacher to ensure that every child takes something away from a lesson and has an overall positive attitude about school life. It filled me with confidence that I could be a teacher.

"The lessons I have learnt at Brighton will form a big part of how I will approach the rest of my professional career.”

After spending both his final year placement and NQT year at Goldstone Primary School, Stephen was appointed as their PE coordinator. In 2014 he won the award of Sport Teacher of the Year.

Stephen collecting his Sport Teacher of the Year award

Jake Shone

"I always wanted to do something that made a difference and found children’s outlook on things to be a source of both inspiration and infinite humour.

"I chose to study at Brighton as it had a fantastic reputation and was involved in educational research of a high quality that challenged current practice in an effort to improve children’s educational outcomes. It is an incredibly demanding course but the course staff were lovely and the facilities and teaching environment were exceptional.

"The placements were without a doubt a highlight for me, they served as the perfect arena for developing my teaching style and experimenting with theory taught in university. The placements were varied; they were both supportive and challenging in different ways and served as an accurate reflection of the reality of practice.

"I was offered a role in one of my placement schools and have been working there since I graduated in July 2015."

Hilary Tutt

“I live locally and was impressed by the university’s reputation amongst teachers. People kept saying to me “you’re so lucky to live within commuting distant of Brighton” whenever I mentioned wanting to go into teaching.

“The university-based lessons, particularly in English, maths and science, were both fun and helpful. The Open Learning Centre has a wide variety of teaching resources, books, games, maths resources and a Smart Board to practise on. The course staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and I am particularly grateful to my maths tutor who was able to banish a lifelong fear of maths - it is now one of my favourite subjects and the one I find easiest to teach!

“I enjoyed the variety between placements and university-based training, every day was different. The pace at which we were learning was a challenge but one of the most enjoyable things about the course.

“The course was a challenge and you need to be prepared to work hard but it’s very enjoyable and the best decision I ever made. I am now working at Ocklynge Junior School in Eastbourne as a Year 4 teacher.”

Rebecca Hynam

"I had a huge desire to teach and chose Brighton. It has great facilities that cater for the demands of the course and the staff are helpful and approachable.

"The best part of the course for me was the school placements and being able to apply what I learnt at university into a real-life setting. I got to experience three different placement settings, including a private school.

"The University of Brighton is a great place to undertake teacher training - everyone is friendly and incredibly helpful throughout."