Intro

Our (Secondary) Chemistry PGCE leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status for the 11–16 age range with enrichment opportunities to teach age 16–18. 

We will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become a confident and competent chemistry teacher. You will benefit from also teaching biology and physics and we will develop your subject and pedagogical knowledge to be able to do this.

Our teaching graduates' benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average. Plus, we’ll continue to support you as an early career teacher.

At Brighton you’ll train to teach with an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ provider and be educated by an expert team. 

You’ll gain practical experiences in two carefully selected schools – we have over 600 placement partners offering a variety of opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings. 

At university you’ll learn in our specialist science lab and other facilities that replicate those used in schools. 

If your degree was awarded more than five years ago, isn’t in chemistry but is closely related, or you have relevant professional experience but need to learn how to apply that to teaching, we offer Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses.

You could be eligible for a scholarship or bursary of up to £30,000 if you are looking to start this course in 2024.

Brighton is one of the UKs largest teacher training universities and has been educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

Course code F1X1

Full-time 1 year

Qualified Teacher Status is awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)

Application and interview advice sessions

Get top tips for your application and interview at one of our online advice sessions.

Apply now with DfE Apply

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Degree and experience
Normally an honours degree, or equivalent qualification, in chemistry or a subject that is closely related. 

If your degree was awarded more than five tears ago, isn’t in the subject area you wish to teach, or you have relevant professional experience but need to learn how to apply that to teaching you may be suitable for a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course. If you pass the SKE it qualifies you to start a PGCE.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language and maths. Equivalence tests are available for suitable candidates.

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International student application deadline
The deadline for international applicants is late May. This deadline is in place to ensure sufficient time for the visa process to be completed before the course starts in early September. 

Training to teach in England as an international student
If you're not a UK citizen, with the exception of those training to teach physics or modern languages, you are unlikely to get help funding your training unless you have permission to live permanently in the UK. You can find information about your options on the UK government's Get into Teaching website.

Interviews
Interviews for this course can be in-person at the university or online. If we invite you to an interview you'll be able to choose a date and which option suits you best.

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.

Read the tips on applying for teacher training.

Other

  • Applicants from minority ethnic and other groups under-represented in the profession are particularly welcome.
  • All offers of places are subject to a satisfactory health check and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check.
  • We are committed to safeguarding and child protection. As part of our selection and interview process, we will undertake additional checks to confirm the suitability of candidates.

Course content

Course structure

Two-thirds of your year will be spent teaching, under supervision, in schools. Our tutors and mentors will advise and support you throughout each placement. You will receive comprehensive feedback during this time, enabling you to see what you are doing well and where you might need to improve.

The university works in partnership with schools and colleges to provide a high quality programme of support, ensuring a sound relationship between theory and practice. You will benefit from undertaking two placements in two schools or colleges, with the opportunity to visit additional schools or colleges as part of the 'Peer Observation' programme.

The School of Education is excellently equipped with multimedia training materials, giving you the opportunity to develop your confidence and competence in the use of ICT. Our multimedia suites are regularly updated to keep up with technological advancements in classroom teaching provision.

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Areas of study

There are four strands to this course: subject study/subject education, education and professional studies, school placements and professional practice.

Course content is kept up to date with changes in local and national initiatives and legislation, so you will be confident that your working knowledge is based on current theory and practice.

The subject study/subject education strand builds upon your existing expertise in chemistry and provides you with the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of chemistry in the secondary school context. You will consider the learning and teaching strategies that are relevant to the specialist subject.

The subject education module is specifically related to teaching the specialist subject in school while the subject study module enables you to take your subject specialist studies to an increased depth.

The education and professional studies strand will give you a thorough understanding of the learning process itself, including an appreciation of individual differences. The study of the principles and practices of learning and teaching is through both school and university settings, allowing you to develop practical competencies, supported by analytical skills. By the end of the course you will:

  • refine your understanding of pedagogy, including an appreciation of current and emerging educational theories and debate
  • understand how to use and adapt a range of teaching, learning, management and assessment strategies in order to meet the varying needs of learners
  • understand how the progress and wellbeing of learners is affected by a range of influences and know how to take account of the principles of equality, inclusion and diversity.

The school placements/professional practice strand is intrinsically linked to all key strands of the course and is designed to enable you to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive as creative, informed and critical professionals.

You will engage in target setting and action planning, and reflect upon your learning in order to make improvements as you progress through the emerging, embedding and enhancing phases of trainee teacher development towards meeting the Teachers’ Standards and the award of Qualified Teacher Status at the end of the course.

Placements

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 teachers, 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 a variety 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.

Meet the course leader

Sarah Poore, Senior Lecturer and Route Leader for Science

Sarah Poore is the Route Leader for Secondary Science PGCE and School Direct Training courses. Since joining the University of Brighton she has taught at postgraduate level, undergraduate level, and held responsibility for subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses.

A qualified science teacher, Sarah has worked for over 20 years in secondary science education. She has enjoyed a range of roles including Head of Biology, Second in Department, Head of KS3 Science and Head of Year. She was also a school-based mentor for trainee science teachers for a number of years.

Sarah is passionate about inspiring children through science teaching so is keen to encourage teachers to teach in a creative way that will ‘hook in’ children to want to find out why things happen. She is also very interested in helping teachers to connect with the children that are often difficult to form a good working relationship with.

She is currently working on developing ways for mentors and trainees to gain a shared understanding of feedback conversations.

If you would like to contact Sarah, please email: s.j.r.poore@brighton.ac.uk

Sarah Poore

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.
Student in a lab coat and safety specs watching a purple liquid rotate in a glass beaker

 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 Early Teacher Career support programme
  • We’re one of the UKs largest teacher training universities, educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years
Controlled chemical fire experiment at the front of a secondary school chemistry classroom

Features

We offer a range of course features to enhance your learning experience.

Field trips

The School of Education collaborates with science-related establishments providing field trip opportunities throughout the year which support development of your knowledge and skills. Previous visits have included:

  • Brighton Booth Museum
  • Natural History Museum
  • SciArt

Guest speakers

You will have the opportunity to expand your personal subject expertise through curriculum workshops led by visiting lectures, we have had guests previously from the following:

  • Institute of Physics
  • Association of Science Educators
  • Science Partnership
Students in a lab

School Connect PGCE and School Direct Salaried

School Connect PGCE and School Direct Salaried are alternative routes to gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The University of Brighton works 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 Connect PGCE or the School Direct Salaried programme you need to apply directly to a school for a training place. Schools advertise their vacancies on the Department for Educations 'Find Postgraduate training courses' website. 

Find out more about School Connect PGCE and School Direct Salaried.

secondary education students

Careers

Preparing for your teaching career

You will graduate from this course equipped with the skills and knowledge to become a confident and competent secondary school teacher.

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.

You’ll benefit from our partnership with over 600 schools, where you’ll gain practical school-based experience in a wide range of settings – large, small, rural and urban.

You will gain a knowledge and understanding of your specialist subject in the secondary school context. You will consider the learning and teaching strategies that are relevant to this subject and develop leadership and management skills.

If you are considering whether a career in teaching is for you, and you are a UK resident, the Department for Education’s School Experience Programme offers between one and 10 days’ classroom experience in a secondary school.

School-based training

Each phase of your school-based training will give you supported experience and help you gain confidence in your teaching ability.

Our staff will ensure that you are well prepared prior to your school-based training, and that you have all the support and guidance you need to make the most of these opportunities.

We have partnerships with over 600 schools and settings 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.

Your school-based training experiences will include:

  • writing lesson plans and evaluations for the classes you teach
  • engaging in both formative and summative assessment of pupils learning and performance.
  • completing your e-portfolio as evidence of meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students with partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities. We work hard to ensure that your school-based training will provide you with learning opportunities and valuable experience with the age group you are qualifying to teach.

School-based experience will enable you to demonstrate and grow your knowledge. It will also enable you to make valuable contacts in schools which will help when you are looking for your first teaching role.

Facilities for learning

Our facilities include a curriculum centre which contains more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers including books, DVDs, games and an online catalogue.

Our Falmer campus also houses specialist classrooms that replicate those used in schools so you’ll feel at home when you go on your school-based training and start your career.

Teaching facilities include:

  • science labs
  • art classrooms
  • kiln room
  • dark room
  • design and technology workshop
  • performance studio.
secondary biology education students

Click the image to view a virtual tour of our facilities for trainee teachers.

 Graduate destinations

Our teaching graduates benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average.

Career prospects are good; most graduates gain their first teaching posts in school settings as soon as they qualify.

University of Brighton trained teachers are highly sought after by our partnership schools. They are known for their creative and innovative approaches to teaching.

Many of our graduates take on mentoring and leadership roles, or opt for specialist roles such as special education needs.

Our careers service holds an annual teaching recruitment fair on campus which our partner schools attend as they are looking to recruit newly qualified teachers for the next school year.

secondary chemistry classroom

 Further study 

After completing your NQT year we offer opportunities for you to continue your studies. 

Successful completion of this course means you'll be awarded 60 masters-level credits which can be used towards our Education MA which further integrates academic study with work-based learning and research.

Group of students walking past Checkland Building on Falmer campus

 Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Employable

Early career support

We will continue to support you after you qualify through our early career support programme.

We’ll offer resources, advice, events and drop-in sessions to help you overcome the challenges that many new teachers face in their first few years of working as a qualified teacher. We’ll help you with the next stage of your journey and offer support that will enable you to develop and thrive in your early career.

Our website provides guidance and support for after you graduate, including the latest teaching job vacancies, personal statement feedback, short mock interviews, useful contacts for advice and a variety of helpful resources including videos.

The university tutors supported me long after finishing the course. During my NQT year at a community college they continued to provide me with advice and check on my professional progress and my wellbeing.

Brenda, graduate and teacher

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,900 GBP

As a postgraduate trainee teacher there is a range of funding available which you could be eligible to receive whilst you are studying:

On our website you will find information about other funding including:

  • the student finance package from Student Finance England – tuition fee loans and maintenance loans
  • Parents’ Learning Allowance
  • Childcare Grant
  • Care leaver’s bursary
  • Disabled Students’ Allowance.

If you're not a UK citizen, you are unlikely to get help funding your training unless you have permission to live permanently in the UK.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25.

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

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. 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. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Education are listed here.

  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget approximately £30 for printing.
  • For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your travel expenses but you may be able to claim some travel costs back from the university, depending on where your placement is in relation to where you live.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £150 to buy your own copies
  • You may wish to consider budgeting up to £25 for stationery/teaching materials.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects – from 2024 these will include education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the 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.

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. New facilities are being developed ready for September 2024 when all of our sport and health students will be based here. Learn more about the changes at Falmer.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. 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.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Falmer

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

  • You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
    • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

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
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

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.

Students playing frisbee

Student Views  

Nicola Glenister

I chose to study (Secondary) Chemistry PGCE as science was always one of my favourite subjects, I was really inspired by how my teachers delivered the subject in such an imaginative and creative way. I love the fact that science sparks young people’s curiosities and makes it ok to ask questions and to be critical about information they are given and to test out hypothesis and get answers for themselves.

I already had a psychology degree, so was offered a place on the Chemistry Subject Knowledge Enhancement, which put me in a good position before beginning my PGCE

The PGCE enabled me to improve and develop my subject knowledge and test out teaching methods in a non-judgement and supportive environment. I was able to gain experience in aspects of teaching before going on placement such as differentiation, working with mixed ability classes, effective outcomes and objectives for lessons as well as assessment for learning techniques. As well as this, the lecturers taught me how to be a reflective practitioner and to always continue to learn and develop my practice after each lesson through evaluation and feedback. I was able to gain all these skills which applied perfectly to my subject so I could feel confident going onto my first placement.

I really enjoyed the variety this course had to offer. I loved being able to spend a day in the university learning about teaching methods and everything that goes into planning an outstanding lesson and then being able to go and demonstrate this in the following week on placement.

The course team were amazing! They were extremely supportive in that it felt like the course was personalised to the cohort as we were taught strategies and techniques at exactly the right time in the right amounts. They motivated us to continue to develop to be the best practitioners we could be as well as pick us up and provide some encouragement when we needed it. The team were so approachable, empathetic and so knowledgeable and up to date in the lessons they delivered.

The SKE and PGCE really set me up for my ECT year and it was commented on how well I was trained by the senior leadership team. The fantastic training I received at the University of Brighton has definitely contributed to being able to progress from an early career teacher to Assistant Headteacher of a large secondary school in just 10 years without a doubt.

Nicola Glenister Chemistry PGCE

Natham Hetherington

I decided to pursue a career in teaching as had previously taught students whilst working part-time. The sharing of information was something I thoroughly enjoyed and I felt I had the skills and attributes to make a positive impact on students’ lives academically and through pastoral care.

I chose Brighton because of the excellent tutors within the subject and the reputation of many of their affiliated placement schools. The facilities at Brighton are excellent and the environment is welcoming and friendly.

My placements took place with two very different cohorts, which helped me to develop different areas of my own practice. At first it was quite daunting to stand in front of a room full of students but with support and guidance from my mentors this quickly became something I loved doing.

I enjoyed learning the practical side of science, many of the demonstrations I learnt during my PGCE are ones I regularly use each year to engage my students and help them to love science as much as I do.

Since graduating, I have worked in various roles from Head of Key Stage for Science, to Science Improvement Coordinator. I currently work in China as the Head of Science for an international school.

Natham Hetherington chemistry PGCE

Kathryn Asplin

I worked in business development and management roles for over 20 years. The pandemic saw me placed on furlough and it gave me opportunity to properly explore teaching and decided to take the plunge. 

Brighton was my preferred choice because it is rated Outstanding by Ofsted for its teacher training provision. My interview with the science course team was friendly, supportive and welcoming which gave me a good feeling about studying here.

The structure of the course really suited me, the first three weeks was spent on campus to get some basics in place, and then I had a few weeks where I was based in school for three days and the other two days at university. This gradual introduction really helped me to find my confidence in the school.

My host school was very supportive and had great resources that I could use. My mentor was always available and responsive to any questions or requests I had, and the feedback I got from the department on my lessons was friendly and constructive.

On both placements I taught a variety of year groups from Year 7 to Year 12 and taught all three sciences. This was really good grounding for my development as a science teacher. The university resources were really helpful, and the teachers were happy to explain concepts and suggest ideas as I prepared my lessons.

My mentor and tutors have all been great, but most important has been the support network from my peers – my fellow Brighton science students. The chunks of time together at Brighton meant we became a tight knit group who stayed in touch constantly once we were in our separate schools.

I have been lucky enough to get a teaching post at my host school where I will be a full-time science teacher, teaching all three sciences to GCSE and some sixth form classes as well.

Kathryn Asplin Chemistry PGCE

 Eun-Ji Kang 

During my first year at the University of Brighton I realised that I wanted to go into teaching so attended an open day where the tutors were able to advise me on the best options and courses available to help me fulfil my career goals.

From their advice I choose to study (Secondary) Chemistry PGCE as this course offered a lot of support as well as school-based experience which is required to become a teacher.

The subject tutors on this course have a lot of valuable experience which means they are able to offer students useful advice that has been tried and tested in the classroom. In addition to this they are extremely supportive and make a lot of effort to understand each and everyone’s needs.

I feel that I have been very lucky with my placements and have had some amazing mentors who have given up their time to offer me guidance. Overall, my school experiences have been really nice. It’s been great to meet a variety of new people who share my passion for teaching.

For anyone thinking of applying for this course, you need to be prepared for a physically and mentally demanding year, however the experience you will gain during this time is completely worth it and totally rewarding.

Once I have completed my NQT year, I plan on starting to build up my career with the ultimate goal to become a head teacher in the future.

Eun-Ji Kang

Stay in touch

Find out about postgraduate events

Ask a question about this course

Read our application advice for postgraduate teacher training. The DfE has also produced a helpful short film: what to know when applying for teacher training.

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

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