pgce course assignment

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Our Postgraduate Certificate in Education course offers you the opportunity to train to teach the secondary age group in one of the leading educational establishments in the country. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 places Oxford as 1st in the UK for Degrees in Education for the eleventh year running. The University of Oxford’s Department of Education has a long history in initial teacher education, dating back to 1892.

Meet our students

Partnership schools.

The D epartment works in partnership with over 37 secondary comprehensive schools in Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties, with most being within 30 miles of Oxford.  

We work on an internship model (the Oxford Internship Scheme) which recognises the different roles of university and schools in teacher education and the need for a truly collaborative partnership. Such collaboration involves joint responsibility within the partnership for the planning, delivery and assessment of the programme.  

All of our PGCE programmes run on a full-time basis for one academic year.  

In addition to being awarded the PGCE qualification, successful students are also recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, which indicates that they have met the requirements of the Government’s Teachers’ Standards.  

Our PGCE offers you excellent career prospects.  

As of October 2023, 94% of our 2022-23 student cohort were employed as a teacher or seeking teaching roles; of those who had specified their destination to us 72% were working as a teacher in the state sector and 42% were working in a partnership school.  

Student statistics for 2023-24 entry     

• Application success: we accepted 1 in 3 applications 
• 50% of course starters were aged 24 and under, 81% were 29 or under
• 6% of our students had previously studied at Oxford 
• 35% of our students had never studied at a Russell Group University before 
• Highest qualification: Undergraduate: 84%; Master’s: 15%; PhD: 1% 

Watch Dr Judith Hillier, Deputy PGCE Course Director, give us her account of the PGCE course programme

Entry requirements

You will need a n undergraduate degree at class 2:2 or above, or equivalent.  

It is important that your degree is directly related to the PGCE subject you wish to teach.  

Applications  for September 2 0 2 5  entry open on  Tuesday 8 October  2 0 24 .   Apply through the Department for Education’s site .

About the course

We offer the PGCE in the following subject areas:

Mathematics

• Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Mandarin)
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

The course structure

The course begins with an orientation experience in September in a primary school of your choice.  

This is followed by the first week of seminars at the University of Oxford’s Department of Education. The rest of the autumn term is made up of ‘joint weeks’ with days spent in the University and days in school. You will be attached to the same school for the majority of the year, which makes it possible for you to get to know teachers and pupils in the school and to understand the school’s policies and practices.  

The spring term consists primarily of school experience and for the summer term, interns move to a second school so that they have the opportunity to consolidate and extend their understanding and experience of learning and teaching.  

This course structure reflects the internship model in that it is designed to:  

• enable interns to become fully integrated into one school over a long period .  
• enable interns to learn about their own teaching in the context of the wider school, rather than focusing initially on their own classroom and only later widening their view .  
• allow schools to offer coherent and challenging professional development programmes over the course of the long placement, and in the short placement focus on preparation for continuing professional development .  
• enable school-based tutors to see interns’ development from the start of the course to a position of competence .  
• offer interns the opportunity to encounter a new school context at a time of the course when they are ready to make critical comparisons

Components of the PGCE course

Curriculum work includes a range of activities related to the teaching of a specific subject in the secondary school. These activities include seminars and workshops in the University, as well as collaborative teaching, solo teaching, observation and discussion in school. The activities are aimed at giving interns competence in teaching their subject, the opportunity to develop a range of teaching strategies, and an understanding of wider issues affecting the teaching of those subjects within the whole school curriculum.  

The work in each subject is organised by the Curriculum Tutor and school -based mentor for that subject. Part of the work in each subject area is planned for all interns, and part develops from the progress of individual interns.  

An experienced teacher (or mentor) co-ordinates the subject – related classroom – based activities of the intern. The mentor provides guidance and support and, as the year goes by, judges when and how to increase an intern’s experience and responsibilities.

Interns complete two written assignments related to their subject teaching. These involve school – based investigation and the critical analysis of relevant research and professional literature.  

The professional development programme (PDP) involves a range of activities related to important educational issues. These activities include lectures in the University, weekly seminars in school and an assignment focused on a specific aspect of schooling of the interns’ own choice. These activities are aimed at giving interns an understanding of whole-school and cross-curricular issues, and an appreciation of the contribution which they can make to developing these issues through teaching their own subjects.  

The Professional Tutor responsible for interns at the school co-ordinates school based activities related to general educational issues, called the school professional development programme.  

Some aspects of the PDP are planned and organised for all interns by university tutors, who take responsibility for particular issues. The detailed programme for the interns in each school, however, is organised by the Professional Tutor and General Tutor for that school.  

The PGCE at Oxford is assessed as an M level course (in line with the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education). Successful completion of the examined assignments at m aster ’ s level carries the award of 6 0 M level credits. Those who pass the assignments at Honours level can be awarded a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (provided that their practice also meets the Teachers’ Standards).  

Watch Dr Katharine Burn, PGCE Course Director, tell us a little bit more about the PGCE Course Programme

Find out more about the Professional Development Programme (PDP) with Dr Katharine Burn

Course code Q3X1

The PGCE Internship programme in English is designed to prepare you to teach the subject in comprehensive schools. It aims to help you make the complex transition from having been a successful student of English in higher education to becoming a successful school teacher.

The English programme has been developed with colleagues from our partnership schools and is based upon the following core principles:

• T he view that the creative, imaginative and expressive aspects of the subject have a key role in pupils’ learning  
• T he view that English teachers should write for pleasure, read widely for enjoyment and participate in cultural events in their school and in the wider community  
• T he view that English teachers should share their experiences as writers, readers, speakers and listeners with their pupils  
• T he understanding that writing is a practice that covers a wide range of processes, functions, rhetorical situations, and categories of discourse  
• A broad view of what constitutes text and the understanding that technological innovation can change both what is considered as text, how text is prepared and how it may be interpreted  
• T he importance of literature in the development and understanding of human cultures and in personal, social and ethical development  
• T he importance of diversity in reading practices and the value of a range of interpretative approaches to texts  
• A n understanding of the English language at word, sentence and text level Recognition and respect for varieties of language and languages  
• A belief that English, as a subject, involves the development of social relationships and collaborative work  
• The inter-relationship of speaking, listening, reading and writing  

In addition, the programme covers the key professional skills of:

• L esson and course planning and preparation  
• A ssessment, recording and reporting  
• R esponding to individual learning needs  
• Classroom behaviour and management  

English teaching in England is subject to continuous change and development. The Internship English programme is intended to enable beginning teachers to meet the challenges of change confidently and creatively.

Assessment of your progress and achievements are jointly carried out by your schools and the university, and you take part in informal and formal discussions about this. Continuous assessment is used throughout the course and there are no examinations.

We look for applicants with a good degree in English  or  a degree in another subject that involves textual study together with further degree-level work (through the Open University, for example) in English. We of course welcome applications from those with degrees in English Language or Linguistics as well as in English Literature.

If you think Oxford isn’t for people like you – talk to us! More than three quarters of our interns have degrees from outside Oxbridge.

Watch student, Daisy, give her account of the PGCE English course

Watch student, Jamilyn, give her account of the PGCE English course

Course code F8X1

Learning to become a G eography teacher at Oxford is challenging, stimulating, very rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable. The subject naturally lends itself to a huge range of student learning activities, both in the classroom and in the field, and most interns find this diversity one of its attractions.  

The main aims of the geography course are to provide the foundations for you to become an inspiring and effective geography teacher of young people who now find themselves living in a fast-changing world, and to quickly become innovative leaders in the field.

Central to the course is the basic tenant that all young people, regardless of social class, race, ethnicity, gender or ability can learn and enjoy geography, and that geography, as a discipline, has a significant contribution to make to the broader aims of education.

The idea of ‘subject’ is central to the design of the course and we encourage you to engage critically with ongoing policy and academic debates about what kinds of geographies are fit for a 21st century education system.

By the end of the course, you should:  

• be competent in the skills of teaching geography, as specified in the Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status .  
• understand the contribution that you as a geography teacher can make to the education of pupils in the widest sense .  
• be able to take responsibility for your continuing professional development.  

The course consists of an integrated programme of lesson observations, school-based activities, teaching and reflection in school and university workshops, lectures, tutorials and fieldwork. In school you will begin by working with teachers and small groups of pupils. As your confidence grows, you will plan and teach lessons with a class teacher and with other interns, sometimes working with a group of pupils, sometimes with a whole class.

In the University, you will work with the other geography interns, and with the geography education tutors. You will be expected to read and to think about teaching in a critical and theoretical way, taking account of your own ideas about the sort of teacher you would like to be.

You will be able to make a real difference to pupils, fostering their learning of the important issues which shape the future.

All geography interns gain fieldwork experience in their schools and during a weekend residential course at a Field Studies Council Centre . T he practicalities of organising such trips are explored in departmental sessions.  

Assessment of your progress and achievements are jointly carried out by your schools and the U niversity, and you take part in informal and formal discussions about this. Continuous assessment is used throughout the course and there are no examinations.  

We welcome applications from candidates who have studied Geography or a degree in a related area, such as Geology. Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree , please contact the PGCE Office.  

Watch student, Daniel, give his account of the PGCE Geography course

Course code V1X1

We are committed to enabling you to teach history in rigorous ways while taking account of the learners’ needs, desires and dispositions, across a range of different contexts. Our course is based on a strong set of partnerships built over a long period of time with local schools.  This partnership extends to include visits to local museums, a local case study and visits to a number of London schools to explore EAL and diversity issues. We have a real passion for history and young people and are looking for candidates that share this passion. Our course looks to support successful history teaching based on the use of engaging and rigorous historical enquiries that link substantive historical knowledge with critical historical thinking.

Course development evolves in response to feedback from all PGCE partners, combining insights from up – to – date research with the perspectives of PGCE students and their mentors. The course integrates teaching experience in partner secondary schools with practical university-based workshops and helps you develop teaching skills and a critical understanding of learning and teaching across a range of different contexts.  

The curriculum programme is organised around six broad themes:  

• E xploring your preconceptions about the nature of history and about effective teaching and learning  
• T he context of history teaching today, including the nature of the history curriculum itself (Key Stage 3, GCSE and post-16), the relationship between history and citizenship education and the wider professional context of teachers’ work  
• M anaging history classrooms  
• P lanning for learning – exploring the range of decisions that you need to make in planning for single lessons and longer schemes of work, examining the range of goals and activities possible, and the ways in which you can select and tailor your objectives and learning tasks to ensure that all pupils are engaged and can make progress  
• C arrying out your plans  
• Evaluation: of both your own teaching and the pupils’ learning in history  

In school you will be involved in all aspects of a teacher’s role. You will observe experienced teachers and discuss your observations and your own developing ideas and practice with them , plan and teach collaboratively, and design and develop resources for that teaching. You will work both with individuals and small groups of pupils, as well as taking responsibility for teaching history to whole classes. In the U niversity you will work with other history interns in seminars and workshops using a wide variety of approaches intended to develop your own repertoire and understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies, informed by both practical and research-based, theoretical perspectives. One key aspect of the PGCE programme is the space to share knowledge and understanding of the variety of contexts.  

We welcome applications from candidates who have not studied History but have completed a degree in a related area, such as Law or Sociology. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree ,  please contact the PGCE Office.  

Watch Dr Katharine Burn, PGCE Course Director, tell us about the PGCE History course

Watch student, Melissa, tell us about her account of the PGCE History course

Course code G1X1

The aim of the Mathematics course is to help you to become an effective secondary school teacher of mathematics. To help you achieve this goal, we teach you through a variety of styles, paces, approaches and presentations in the hope that you will use a similar variety when you teach. Learning mathematics can be challenging. It requires concentration, and can feel like hard work, but it also has the ability to surprise, and to give a sense of achievement and enjoyment. Learning to be a teacher will be all of these things too. Teaching on the PGCE course is strongly informed by the mathematics education research which takes place in the Department, some of which is undertaken collaboratively with partner schools. Course tutors are active researchers and experienced in writing for teacher trainees and practising teachers of mathematics.

Objectives of the course

• T o provide mathematical experiences on which you can reflect as a learner, and relate these to planning for teaching  
• T o offer insights into children’s learning and, through recognition of their particular conceptions, to help you plan your teaching accordingly  
• T o provide skills and experiences in planning, teaching and managing effective lessons through which learners can gain mathematical knowledge, awareness and understanding  
• T o help you to reflect on and analyse your teaching, and make decisions about how to modify and adapt it to be more effective for students’ learning  
• T o introduce you to a range of resources, research and theoretical perspectives on which to base your growth as a teacher  
• To enable you to develop skills and experience in ICT that will support your teaching and its management  

Main themes of the course

• Developing reflective teaching (DRT): in which you think about your practice in a professional, developmental manner  
• Learners’ mathematical development (LMD): in which you think about mathematics and lessons from the point of view of how learners think  
• Teaching and learning a topic (TLT): in which you learn how to structure mathematical knowledge so that your teaching is effective  
• Planning and management (PM): in which you look at planning and managing lessons, classrooms, professional work and yourself  

You are encouraged to apply if you are committed to teaching mathematics in state comprehensive schools, can demonstrate your commitment to working with children in schools through voluntary work or other experience, have a good degree (a 2:2 or above) in mathematics or a mathematics-related subject such as engineering or economics, and can provide an excellent academic or work reference . Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree , please contact the PGCE Office.  

Watch student, Joanna, give us her account of the PGCE Mathematics course

Modern Languages

The University of Oxford offers a PGCE in Modern Languages (Chinese (Mandarin), French, German and Spanish).

We expect you to be able to offer two Modern Languages from the four listed above , and we can provide a range of placements for various combinations of these languages. We may not be able to offer you an interview if we do not have school placement capacity in your preferred language combination.  

It is important that you have qualifications in both the languages that you wish to teach. For your main language, these qualifications should preferably be at university level, or you should have it as one of your first languages, e.g. have spoken it from a young age. You will be expected to teach your main language up to and including A-level.

For your second language, your qualifications should preferably be at A-level or equivalent (B2 CEFR level). You will be expected to teach your second language up to age 14 as a minimum.

The Modern Languages PGCE course is designed and implemented jointly by colleagues in schools and the U niversity working in close partnership. It is not our aim to prescribe particular approaches to teaching Modern Languages, but rather to enable you to draw on the full range of different sources available to you for your own professional learning – and in so doing to develop a clear and reasoned understanding of the sort of teacher that you want to become. Tutors on the course, who have many years of classroom teaching experience as well as teacher training experience, will guide you and support you in this exciting but challenging process.  

Our course will help you to become an effective and confident teacher by providing you with the following:  

• O pportunities to observe other practitioners in the classroom and to understand their decision making  
• I nsight into theories and findings from research into Second Language Acquisition, helping you to understand how adolescents learn a modern language in a classroom setting  
• O pportunities to learn from school students themselves about their experiences of language learning and the barriers they encounter  
• O pportunities to learn from, and share good practice with, other beginning teachers working in different school contexts  
• P ractical advice on: the preparation, teaching and evaluation of languages lessons; how to assess and monitor students’ progress; promoting positive behaviour for learning; and responding to the diverse needs of individual students  
• O pportunities to try out and systematically evaluate a range of teaching approaches in a range of classrooms over an extended period of time  
• Many ideas for using and adapting a range of modern language materials in the classroom

Assessment of your progress and achievements are jointly carried out by your schools and the U niversity, and you take part in informal and formal discussions about this. Continuous assessment is used throughout the course and there are no examinations.

Student Ye-Ye Xu (French with Mandarin 2020-21) discusses her PGCE experiences in this podcast .

Watch Modern Languages PGCE student, Constance, tell us about her experience

Watch Modern Languages PGCE student, Phil, tell is about his experience

Religious Education

From 2024, the PGCE in Religious Education is suspended.

Course codes:   Biology C1X1           Chemistry F1X1          Physics F3X1

The teaching of the sciences in schools is normally organised within a single Science department or faculty to which teachers from the different sciences contribute their respective expertise . Such a structure is reflected in the Oxford Department which, while actively recruiting for trainee teachers of the separate sciences – biology, chemistry and physics – works as a co-ordinated team of scientists.  

The course aims to produce high quality teachers of the sciences across the 11-19 age range who will not only become competent teachers but will quickly become innovative leaders in their field. Interns will gain expertise in the different strategies for teaching science and will get insights into the way that pupils learn across the whole range of attainments, aptitudes and pupil differences.  

Interns will learn how to turn their own subject knowledge into a form that can be appreciated by pupils and will think critically about the aims and practicalities of teaching science in schools. To attain these goals, interns work with each other, the University tutors and their mentors in schools as adult learners, motivated to take responsibility for their own learning. The learning is structured through workshops, seminars, discussions, focussed assignments, school-based activities and sympathetic, expert, supervision and support. There are opportunities to prepare science lessons, in particular, by trying out practical work both here in the Department as well as in school. Between them the six science tutors cover such subjects as biology, chemistry, physics, earth and environmental sciences. All have extensive experience of teaching and are involved in curriculum developments and research in science education at national and international level.  

Rather than attempt to train all interns to teach in a particular way, we aim to build on your existing strengths – as good scientists and as mature, autonomous, motivated personalities – to help you teach in the way most suited to you and your school students.  

Aims of the course

• To develop as a professional  
• To explore your pre-conceptions about science and teaching science, and draw on your teaching experiences in a positive and reflective way  
• To have opportunities to use research and academic study to inform your thinking and practice  
• To learn how you can plan lessons which take account of how students learn science, so that you can? develop their scientific understanding and investigative skills  
• To organise and manage school science lessons which are safe and secure learning environments  
• To contribute to students’ understanding of science in society, citizenship and development of literacy and mathematical skills  

We welcome applications from candidates who have studied Biology, Chemistry or Physics or a degree in a related area, such as Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science, Materials or Zoology. Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree , please contact the PGCE Office.  

Watch Lead PGCE Science Tutor, Dr Judith Hillier, tell us about the main PGCE Science course 

Watch student, Ed, give us his account of the PGCE Physics course

Watch student, Rebecca, give us her account of the PGCE Chemistry Course

PGCE Science student, Jacob, gets a big hug from one of the snakes during an end-of-term reptile science lab visit!

PGCE Science student, Lucy, is not scared of her new acquaintance!

PGCE Science student, Euan, has discovered a natural bond with reptiles in our end-of-term reptile science lab visit.

Thomas, our PGCE Science student, makes friends with a reptile in our end-of-term science lab visit.

A key strength of our PGCE programme is the cohort of students themselves, who create a network of peer support to one another during their studies.

This also provides the opportunity to compare and contrast knowledge and teaching experiences between a variety of different schools. Discover more by reading some of their stories below.

The other interns are an amazing source of support as we can share stories with each other and turn to each other for our opinions on certain things. The tutors in the department are also a great help and are available for you to meet whenever you need them.

The interview was actually an enjoyable experience. The tasks we were asked to do were interesting and enjoyable for historical minds, and the interview itself was relaxed and friendly.

The Oxford PGCE programme has a very good reputation.  Indeed, the University and Oxford itself are ideal locations to live and study in.

I had the incredible opportunity of doing a one-week placement at Swiss Cottage School along with five more students. The knowledge I gained about SEN students helped me to understand my pupils more and I saw ‘teaching’ in a different light. Furthermore the amount of teaching ideas I learnt there were key to my development as a new beginning teacher.

I was impressed by the mix of rigorous academic training and practical placement experiences. I felt that I was challenged equally by the pedagogical theory taught during the department weeks and the teaching practice that I received in both of my placement schools.

I can’t recommend the PGCE at Oxford highly enough. It kick-started my career in education by giving me the skills to develop situated methodologies for my classroom, drawing on practical understandings as well as education research.

I found the course to be interesting, informative and hard work. The staff in the Education department are extremely supportive and I always felt that they fought my corner when I needed it, which was amazing.

Study for your PGCE with us and you will benefit from our unrivalled relationship with local schools. We enjoy close links with more than 37 well established partner schools across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.  

Our partnerships, developed over many years, will enrich and inform your teaching experience, setting you on a path towards a bright future in the classroom. The non-selective, state-funded schools are all located in easy travelling distance across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties. They offer genuine diversity, both in terms of intake and location. You will work in two of the schools, enabling you to experience and compare different approaches to policy and practice.   

School placements are allocated by your tutor and would depend on a school’s capacity for subject specialisms, your circumstances (e.g. childcare, disabilities), where you live, transport and your training/development plan. You will be expected to travel regularly between home, the Department and partnership schools. You would also be responsible for organising your own transport.

Watch partnership school Professional Tutor, Rob, give his account of how he supports PGCE Interns

Watch alumni PGCE Intern, Liz, talk about her experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

Watch alumni PGCE Intern, Ross, talk about his experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

Watch alumni PGCE Intern, May, talk about her experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

UK Government Teacher Training Bursaries & Scholarships 2025/26

The PGCE course fees (Home: £9,250; Overseas: £36,000) are due before any teacher training bursary or scholarship is paid. Therefore, a teacher training bursary or scholarship cannot be relied upon to cover the course fees.

Students cannot receive a bursary and a scholarship. Both the bursary and scholarship are tax-free and are paid via monthly instalments directly into your UK bank account whilst you study. All students are given an application form once an offer to study the PGCE at the University of Oxford has been accepted.

Teacher training bursaries and scholarships are separate from any Student Finance application. Students could receive all three types of funding: tuition fee loan, maintenance grant and a teacher training bursary/scholarship.

Postgraduate bursaries for PGCE students are as follows:

The scholarships available are as follows:

A scholarship award will replace a government teacher training bursary. Students cannot hold a teacher training bursary and a scholarship. For Languages and Physics, it is possible for international applicants to be eligible for a bursary or scholarship and still be required to pay international fees of £36,000. For all other subjects, international applicants are not eligible for any bursary or scholarship.

Please visit Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2025 to 2026 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)   for more information.

Oxford Bursary

Home or Republic of Ireland PGCE students who are not in receipt of a teacher training bursary or scholarship, and who are from lower income households are eligible to be assessed for an Oxford Bursary. There is no additional application as the Oxford Bursary is based on the household assessment carried out by your regional student finance funding agency. Eligible students could receive up to £4, 0 0 0 . If you are eligible , you will be notified of your entitlement from mid to late September 2 0 2 4 , you must have your financial assessment completed by May 2 0 2 5 to be considered. Please visit the Oxford Bursaries page for more details.  

Browse the full list of University scholarships .

When do applications open.

Applications for September 2 0 2 5 entry open on Tuesday 8 October 2 0 24 . Apply through the Department for Education’s site .

When do applications close?

There are no formal application deadlines for the PGCE at the University of Oxford. The University tutors continually review new applications until spaces for each subject are filled. If you meet our entry requirements , we encourage you to submit your competitive application as soon as possible.  

Do you offer a Primary PGCE?

No. The PGCE course at the University of Oxford works exclusively with state-funded secondary schools.

Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans

Students who are entitled to support under the student finance criteria can apply for :  

• A t uition fee loan of up to £9,250 to cover your teacher training (‘Home’ student fee level), so you do not need to pay course fees upfront  
• A maintenance loan to help with living costs  

You can still apply for a tuition fee and a maintenance loan if you already have a student loan, and regardless of whether you get a teaching bursary or scholarship. You will only have to make loan repayments once you are earning. Your repayments will not increase if you already have a student loan and take an additional loan for teacher training.  

Please note that if you are not eligible for ‘home’ fees, the international fee level for entry in 2024-5 is £36,000.  

I have applied. When will I receive a response?

We will review and process your application as quickly as possible. If you meet the selection criteria for interview, you will be contacted by email and invited for an interview. If your application does not meet the selection criteria, it will be rejected on the DfE Apply system.

Do you offer distance learning?

The PGCE is a full-time course requiring attendance at the University and in school for placements. It is not possible to take this course through distance learning.

Will I be required to travel for my interview?

All applicants shortlisted will be interviewed online via Teams.

What degree class do I need?

Applications are welcome from candidates with a 2:2 classification or higher. In all cases we review both your academic history and your attitudes towards teaching. Consequently , we would also encourage applications from those who have extensive UK school experience and a 3 rd class classification. Honours classification would be competitive but is not essential when applying for the PGCE, however it will be essential for any teacher training bursary or scholarship application.  

Do I need to complete school experience?

Candidates are encouraged to spend at least one day of observation in a non-selective, state funded UK secondary school prior to making an application or att ending an interview . If you cannot complete this observation, you can still submit an application . Although strongly encouraged, school experience is not a condition for the Oxford PGCE.

Is there a residency requirement?

All PGCE students are normally expected to live within 25 miles of Oxford’s city centre. If you are moving to Oxford for the first time, we suggest that you seek accommodation as centrally as possible, because you will then have access to more public transport options and thus can be considered for placements within more partnership schools. As the PGCE works with schools across Oxfordshire and in neighbouring counties we can consider requests to be excused from this requirement, but this is not guaranteed.

What accommodation is available?

Accommodation is not guaranteed for any student, but there are plenty of options to explore. Colleges and the Graduate Accommodation Office offer a wide range including non en -suite single rooms and private flats. Once an offer has been accepted , PGCE students can simultaneously apply for college and Graduate accommodation. If you have childcare responsibilities then advice is available from   Childcare Services .

How are partnership schools allocated?

School places are decided by the D epartment, but are informed by student s’ home location, professional preferences, caring responsibilities and disabilities. Throughout the PGCE , students experience two partnership schools . W hen your second school placement is decided , the D epartment also consider your experience so far on the course and the developmental priorities that have emerged . It is important to note that not every school will offer a training place for every subject and that a place at a particular partnership school cannot be guaranteed.  

How do I select my college?

All PGCE interns are guaranteed a college place. For the PGCE, a college choice is not made at the point of initial application. If you make your application before 1 March, upon accepting your offer to study you can select your preferred colleges from a list of available institutions, or you can choose to not state a preference. Those applying after 1 March will be allocated to a college with availability by the admin team.  Many PGCE students approach their college for accommodation and/or car parking facilities.

Can I be considered for a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course?

We do set SKEs as conditions of offers. SKE courses give students the opportunity to improve their knowledge before the PGCE starts. We typically set SKE courses where students have been outside of formal education for a significant period, or when they have studied a subject related to the area that they wish to complete a PGCE in. If invited to interview there will be an opportunity to have a tailored conversation about your SKE options with the panel. If you are interested in completing a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course then you should briefly mention this in your application form. For more information please see this website .

Do you accept international students and international qualifications?

Around two thirds of Oxford’s graduate students are international, and international students are welcome to apply for Oxford’s PGCE. Although not a condition of an application or of an interview, experience within a state-funded UK secondary school is highly recommended. If this is not possible then observing elements of UK teaching outside of the UK (for example, International GCSE lessons) is also highly relevant. Although strongly encouraged school experience is not a condition for the Oxford PGCE.  

International qualifications viewed as comparable to qualifications taken within the UK are accepted for the PGCE. In order for the University of Oxford to formally recognise overseas qualification the student must present a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC. Students in this position should wait until they have accepted an offer to study on the Oxford PGCE and should then contact Get Into Teaching on 0800 389 2500, as a teacher training applicant you can obtain the Statement of Comparability for free (this usually costs £49.50 plus VAT).  

I have a criminal conviction. Can I still get a PGCE?

In many cases, yes, but it will depend on several factors.

For the PGCE, there are two processes for considering criminal convictions: one managed by the Department of Education and the other overseen by the University’s Criminal Conviction Panel. In the first instance, your disclosure will be reviewed by the Department, and then if the conviction disclosed meets the definition of a “relevant” criminal offence, which has to be disclosed to the University as stipulated by the University , it will be considered by the University’s Criminal Conviction Panel, which will follow the University of Oxford’s Criminal Conviction policy . Find out more here.

Can I receive feedback about my application?

All unsuccessful applicants will be provided with feedback on their application via the Department for Education application system.

What if I am unhappy about the outcome of my application?

Please refer to the University guidance on complaints and appeals regarding graduate admissions decisions, available on the University website at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/applying-to-oxford/university-policies/complaints-and-appeals .

Please note that each admissions decision is made on the basis of a number of different factors and on an assessment of your application as a whole. There is no right of appeal in relation to the University’s academic assessment of your application.

Couldn’t find your answers under our FAQ section?

Please contact our PGCE administrative team , and they will be happy to assist you.  

Phone: +44 (0)1865 274020 or 274058 Email: [email protected]

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What to expect on your PGCE

Miss K joins us for Wednesday Wisdom this week... Having trained in Performing Arts at University, Miss K made the decision to be a TA with special needs children in a mainstream secondary school. After 3 years of working as a TA, she took the amazing step into teaching. She completed a PGCE in Secondary English at Bath Spa University. Like many of you, she is starting her NQT year in September and has some advice for those who are just starting their PGCE (being fresh from the course!). You can follow Miss K on Instagram @missenglishnqt and Twitter @missenglishstar

I would like to start by congratulating you on considering or securing your place on a PGCE. Becoming a teacher is hard work, but like anything that is hard work, the rewards are worth it. Every day you will have an impact on the lives of young people. There is that famous quote that says ‘they may not remember what you said, but they will not forget how you make them feel’ my advice is to hold that close as you start this journey. This is my golden tip because developing strong and positive relationships with students will make all the difference to your experience as you train to become a teacher.

I am going to separate this post into sections related to some of the phases of training on your PGCE, as well as some of the most common concerns and things I wish I had known at the start of my training year. There may be some variations to your training depending on your specialism e.g Early Years, Primary or Secondary, but I will try to keep this as generalised as possible to suit all specialisms.

University Phase

To begin your training most of you will have a university-led phase. During this time, you will engage with a variety of sessions, from tailored lectures and activities with your subject specialism, as well as lectures that apply to the whole cohort like SEND and behaviour management. You will have subject mentors for secondary and I assume primary also have their own mentors. These will be the tutors who will supervise you during your PGCE and be your main point of contact. Ahead of your PGCE, my best suggestion is to familiarise yourself with the national curriculum and your subject. Find out what is taught most and what your responsibilities are, as these are discussions that are likely to take place at university. If you are not already familiar, then my next suggestion is to familiarise yourself with these key terms and their abbreviations:

Pupil Premium – PP

Free School Meals – FSM

Special Educational needs and disability - SEND

Looked after child – LAC

Assessment for learning - AFL

The reason I suggest this is that you will hear them during your university phase and as soon as you get into school. Teachers often talk with just the acronym, so the sooner you know them and understand the basics of what they entail, then the quicker you will be comfortable with ‘Teacher Talk’ as I like to call it.

Assignments

Perhaps the most time-consuming focus of your university training will be the written assignments that you need to pass in order to gain the PGCE qualification. There are 3 assignments and they vary in length depending on your training provider, however, the general summary of them goes as follows; two 3000-word assignments and one 5000-word assignment. The titles of them may differ, but they will generally cover the following topics: SEND, Assessment for learning, and a whole school policy. The main piece of advice here is don’t panic about these! You can resubmit if the assignment is not right the first time. There are also lots of sources that your provider will point you towards in order to support your writing.

Placement 1

Placement 1…your first real dive into teaching. An incredibly exciting time, but also a time that lots of you will feel apprehensive about and that is completely normal. Let me start by saying this. No one expects you to be perfect! Your first placement is all about finding your feet as a teacher, working out who you are and what works best for you. I coined this the ‘trial and error placement’ because it gives you the chance to make mistakes and learn from them.

By the time Christmas arrives, you should be teaching around 10hours a week. You will be given a lesson planning outline that will help you think about the key events in a lesson, as well as timing, differentiation, and assessment. Be aware, these can be time-consuming and most teachers will want to see them before you teach the lesson. Take the time to trial a multitude of different strategies and teaching methods because this is the best way to find your stride in the classroom.

While on placement, you will have a training mentor who will oversee your timetable and progress. You will have regular review meetings, most providers will ensure this happens once a week, where you discuss your progress and targets for the following week. It is crucial that you are honest about any struggles you have had; I don’t think enough trainees ask for help when they need it. Sometimes you are just in need of a little advice or reassurance. The biggest rush you will experience is the first time you teach a lesson that was successful, and it will happen more often than you think if you regularly reflect on your practice.

Placement 2

This is the longer of the two placements (primary and SCITT may have more) and the placement where you also face an increase in teaching hours. You will start with around 10 to 12 hours teaching and increase to 16 by the end of the placement. This may vary and I was certainly impacted by the arrival of Covid-19 on my placement. However, virtual teaching is an experience in and of itself, you should really have a go at teaching at session online and who knows? It may become part of the next scheme of teacher training.

You might start this placement feeling like you take a step backward because there is quite a gap between placement 1 and 2. It is absolutely okay to feel this way and have a wobble, but you will very quickly find your feet again. This placement is all about gaining the confidence in your teaching and improving your classroom practice. By placement 2 you may feel ready to start moving away from detailed lesson plans because you already know how to structure a lesson. This is individual to each teacher, don’t compare yourself. You will gradually be handed more independence and take on more responsibility, not only within your teaching but also in wider school responsibilities like parent’s evenings and lunchtime or after school commitments. I also think it is important to say that, although at this point you will be close to finishing your training, you are still a brand new teacher and you have lots still to learn and your practice still has a lot of developing to do. It is okay not to be the finished article by the end of your PGCE, but I promise you will have a lot more confidence in your ability, who you are in the classroom, and what works best for you and the students you teach. This way you can go into your new school as an NQT ready to work on yourself and enjoy the freedom to make your lessons suit your style and the needs of those students you are working with. As always, your students are your priority and if you shape your practice around them you are doing the best you can do.

Student relationships – This is my go-to mantra. Relationships are key to success in the classroom. Show them who you are from the moment they meet you, be kind and welcoming, and take an immediate interest in getting to know them. Learn names as quickly as you can!

Don’t compare yourself – Every trainee moves at a different pace and you will all have different backgrounds so some may find adjusting to school easier than others. There is no right way, you need to do what is best for you. Also, remember most teachers you meet have been doing their job for years and will appear to know everything…. they have taught it repeatedly for years, of course, they know more! so don’t feel inadequate everything comes with time.

Keep in contact with people on your course – This one may seem obvious, but it is ridiculously important. Keeping in touch will get you through some of the tougher times (because you will have them) and it also means you have a space to let off a little steam when you need to. Don’t bottle emotions up, talk about it, you will feel relieved once you do.

Time management – The PGCE is a balancing act and if you don’t time manage you will find yourself feeling overwhelmed. Decide what your priorities are for each day/week and get them done. Try to get ahead on assignments; it will make them feel like less of a mountain. Most importantly allow yourself downtime! Take some time off to do what you love and have a breather you will feel all the better for it.

Just make the most of the experience and enjoy it.

Good Luck! X

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What is a PGCE course?

A postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) is an academic qualification. You can get this through teacher training.

You do not need one to be a qualified teacher in England, but it can help you develop your teaching skills and knowledge.

The qualifications you need to teach in England

You need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in most primary, secondary and special schools in England. You can get QTS through undergraduate or postgraduate teacher training.

Find out more about qualified teacher status (QTS) .

Many teacher training courses also offer you a postgraduate qualification such as a PGCE, but you do not need one to teach.

Teacher training courses

You can do a teacher training course that leads to:

• QTS with PGCE
• PGCE without QTS

Getting a PGCE without QTS means you will not be qualified to teach in most primary, secondary and special schools in England, although some schools will employ teachers without QTS.

If you get a PGCE without QTS you will also not be entitled to the same benefits during your training and career as QTS with PGCE. For example, better pay and support when you start teaching.

Read about Nathan who chose to get QTS with PGCE .

Benefits of having QTS with PGCE

A PGCE can give you a better understanding of teaching practices, educational research and theory.

It can also be beneficial if you want to teach in other countries because it’s an internationally recognised academic qualification. However, you should always check the local requirements of the country you’re looking to teach in.

It can also award up to 60 credits at master’s level which you could use towards a full master’s qualification. This is usually 180 credits.

You may want to do a master’s in education, for example, for your professional development and to gain additional expertise in your teaching career.

Types of PGCE courses

You can get QTS with a PGCE in primary or secondary education. Your course will involve both school placements and academic theory.

You can do this through a school-led, university-led, or an apprenticeship teacher training programme.

You can do a full or part-time PGCE course.

As part of selecting your course, you will need to decide if you want to train to teach at a primary or secondary level. Learn about the different age groups you could teach .

You can also do a PGCE without QTS in further education .

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for a postgraduate teacher training course usually include an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification.

You also need the following GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above, or equivalent qualifications:

• science (if you want to teach primary)

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, you’ll need to show that they meet the standards set for teacher training in England.

You can get help comparing English and international qualifications .

What is a postgraduate diploma in education (PGDE)?

A PGDE in England is very similar to a PGCE, the difference being the number of academic credits you are awarded at the end of your course.

PGCE courses can contain up to 60 credits at master’s degree level, and PGDE courses can contain up to 120. This usually means that doing a PGDE will include more assignments.

More teacher training providers offer a PGCE than a PGDE.

Find your teacher training course

You can search for postgraduate teacher training courses to get QTS with a PGCE.

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Postgraduate taught

PGCE Primary

Learn to be an effective teacher, and gain an insight into the key skills your students will need across the primary curriculum.

Year of entry: 2025 (September)

10 months full-time

Department of Education

September 2025 ( semester dates )

Apply for this course

Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.

Challenge yourself and get to grips with up-to-date thinking and the latest research in teaching and learning for primary age pupils.

Become a research informed, adaptable teacher who is able to enrich the lives of pupils, and gain an insight into the key skills your pupils will need across the primary curriculum.

Our 5-11 PGCE Primary course will prepare you to teach across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, supporting pupils in different age groups, with different needs and abilities. 

This course is delivered through a University-based core route and through our partnership with the Nicholas Postgate Academy Trust (NPCAT) . This course is delivered through university-centred and lead partner routes. Each route has a different course code and institution code. Please see our information on applying for details.

Accreditation

On successfully completing this course you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is awarded by the Department for Education (DfE).

Rated good by Ofsted

In its most recent evaluation, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) awarded our PGCE programme a Grade 2: Good.

UK top 10 department

We're ranked 9th in the UK and World Top 50 for Education (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2023)

Experienced Tutors

You'll be taught by experienced practitioners, with recent or current experience of working in classrooms.

Course content

Our PGCE provides a stimulating, collaborative and supporting learning environment, where you can develop your skills and understanding as a beginning teacher. Learning occurs in taught sessions and on teaching placements which take place in a diverse range of partnership schools, within the state and independent sector. 

You will understand how to create a safe and positive climate for learning, support pupils with a range of different needs and abilities, and develop a strong sense of subject-specific pedagogy. You will be taught the skills needed to engage in relevant current educational research, and understand what evidence-informed teaching looks like in the classroom. 

This course focuses on supporting you to develop your own professional identity as a skilled, solution-focused practitioner who is able to enrich the pupils’ experiences of learning and to support their colleagues and schools they work in.

This course is worth 60 Masters-level credits, which you can put towards a Masters degree through Accreditation of Prior Credited Learning (APCL).

Over the course of your two contrasting teaching placements in two different schools, you will have the opportunity to work in both Key Stage one and Key Stage two, with different age groups and different abilities. You will experience a variety of schools and approaches, enhancing your understanding and teaching skills

As part of your first placement you will complete assignments to support your own practice and understanding of teaching and learning covering the topics below.

• Lesson Observation and Wider School Ethos

During your second placement you will complete an assignment covering:

• Evaluation of a Learning and Teaching Sequence
• Special Study - Reflective and Research Literate Practitioner 

You will also be assessed throughout the PGCE course around the Professional Aspects of Training . These include:

• Meeting Teachers' Standards
• Secondary Experience (2 days)
• Professional Enrichment Experience (1 week)
• Future Career Profile

Before starting a placement that forms part of your course, you are likely to be asked by the placement provider to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is to ensure that you do not disclose any information that is confidential to the placement provider.

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

• Independently and creatively plan, resource and deliver lessons by applying theory, discipline knowledge and appropriate level expectations.
• Create an inclusive, stimulating learning environment by managing classroom dynamics and adapting to learning need.
• Effectively assess learning and progression through critiquing a range of well-developed formative and summative strategies.
• Critically reflect on, and perceptively develop their own classroom practice by assessing and selecting appropriate evaluative frameworks and engaging actively with a supportive network for feedback.
• Communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with teaching colleagues, pupils, parents/guardians, support staff, external agencies and in academic contexts, using media appropriate to the situation.
• Contribute with justifications to debates and developments in primary education by applying a research-informed approach to the analysis of their own practice and by proactively researching broader education issue.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2025/26.

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees?  The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student.  Check your fee status .

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

• Postgraduate taught fees and expenses

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a  10% Masters fee discount .

Funding opportunities

• UK government Masters loans
• Funding for UK students
• Funding for international students

Chevening Scholarships

We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.

Living costs

You can use our  living costs guide  to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. You will work with university PGCE tutors and school mentors who are experienced teachers with mentoring expertise in each of your main placements, and all of whom hold QTS (qualified teacher status).

Teaching format

Participation in the PGCE course is an active process. Although there are lectures and presentations, much of your learning will come from workshops, seminars and school and classroom activities with strategies and techniques for an effective learning environment in your placement classrooms.

Trainees come to the course with a range of qualifications, employment backgrounds and interests. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to work collaboratively, sharing your experience, knowledge and technical expertise. Activities emphasise teamwork and require you to share the responsibility for your learning.

Throughout the course, you will be guided by mentors in your placement schools and supported in school and in university by your specialist university tutors.

Teaching location

The Department of Education is located in  Derwent College , on the west part of our campus. Most of your teaching will take place nearby on Campus West.

School placements take place across the region. We take many factors into consideration when allocating placements and will work with you to ensure you can get to your placement safely and easily. 

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's  easy to get around campus  - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

You'll complete three academic assignments: 

• Lesson observation - You'll critically evaluate the observations you have undertaken during the serial visits to your first placement school. 
• Evaluation of Teaching and Learning - You'll evaluate your early teaching by analysing some of the work pupils have produced in the lessons you have planned and delivered. 
• In-depth Focus Study - This is a small-scale study based on a piece of research. This is an opportunity for you to pursue an individual professional interest by investigating a particular aspect of what it means to teach your subject effectively

The primary aim of the course is to enable you to meet, and ideally exceed, the Teachers’ Standards and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). 

• Education PGCE Administrator
• [email protected]

Related courses

• PGCE (Secondary) English
• PGCE (Secondary) Geography
• PGCE (Secondary) History
• PGCE (Secondary) Maths
• PGCE (Secondary) Biology
• PGCE (Secondary) Chemistry
• PGCE (Secondary) Physics 
• PGCE (Secondary) Modern Languages (French with German or Spanish)
• PGCE (Secondary) Modern Languages (German with French or Spanish)
• PGCE (Secondary) Modern Languages (Spanish with French or German)

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