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COURSE OVERVIEW

  • Obtain Qualified Teacher Status with Ofsted outstanding-rated initial teacher training
  • Gain practical experience with two school placements
  • Benefit from a personal tutor who tracks and monitors your progress
  • Accredited by the Department for Education (DfE)

PGCE Primary at Winchester prepares you to teach in either the 3–7 or 5–11 age range. The course gives you the opportunity to learn to teach in a stimulating and supportive environment, from tutors with extensive expertise and experience. You leave the programme as a high quality postgraduate teacher, with the skills, knowledge and motivation to inspire and educate others.

Established in 1840 as a teacher training college, and graded as Outstanding by Ofsted, the University of Winchester has a reputation for innovative, high-quality teacher education programmes. PGCE Primary is a postgraduate professional programme of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) leading to the award of either Postgraduate Certificate in Education (for students achieving 40-60 Masters level credits) or Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (for students achieving fewer than 40 Masters levels credits, both including the recommendation of the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

This course prepares you to teach the 3–7 age range. The course covers everything that trainee teachers need: expert tuition in all early years and primary school subjects; understanding of childhood development and effective early years and Key Stage 1 pedagogy; meeting the needs of all learners and professional skills associated with high-quality teaching.

Our programme runs in close partnership with a wide range of schools and educational settings to provide supportive placements where you can develop your skills as a reflective teacher. You will spend 120 days developing your understanding and skills through classroom practice. This includes two assessed placements, one in the autumn term and a second in the spring/summer and a further three-week research based placement.

The programme prides itself on the support and guidance offered to students. Every student has a personal tutor who tracks and monitors your progress through the programme. On the 3-7 route this is often a tutor with expertise in this area. Progress is tracked both academically and in terms of the Teachers' Standards (Department for Education 2012), which are a required part of professional training.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Department for Education (DfE) for the purpose of delivering initial teacher training programmes to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Careers

The PGCE Primary programme at the University of Winchester has a high employability rate, with many students securing their first teaching posts in our partnership schools.

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Suitable for applicants from:

UK, EU, World

Work placements

120 days of the programme are dedicated to school based activity. This includes: a nine week Autumn School Experience Placement; a 12 week Spring/Summer School Experience Placement; and a three week Enquiry Week placement.

Learning and teaching

Tutors, with extensive experience and expertise of EYFS and primary phase education, support student learning through a range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, and a number of technological channels including online discussion forums.

Attendance regulations: There is a requirement for students to complete 120 days in school - students cannot be recommended for QTS unless we have evidence that they have completed these days. The penalty for not completing 120 days in school is that they cannot be recommended for QTS but students can still receive the academic award. For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.

Location

Taught elements of the course take place on campus, Winchester

Assessment

Modules are assessed either by assignment or by achievement of success against the Teachers' Standards (Department for Education 2012). Assignments are varied to capture students' differing strengths and include essays, presentations and practitioner enquiry reports. Feedback is given with all assignments in order that students can improve their academic writing as the programme progresses. School placements are assessed through graded observations measured against the Teachers' Standards (Department of Education 2012). The observations include detailed feedback, usually made by the class teacher and a university link-tutor mentor.

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Further information

For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A first or second-class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification). This can be in any subject.

GCSE English language, mathematics and a science at grade C or 4 or above, or an equivalent qualification recognised by the University. If you have taken a combined Science GCSE, a minimum grade of CC or 4-4 is required.

  • You will need to provide original certificates to the University. If you only hold a ‘statement of provisional results’ and do not hold original certificates, please contact the relevant awarding body to obtain a ‘certified statement of results’ as soon as possible. Further information about obtaining a replacement exam certificate is available on the gov.uk website.
  • Functional Skills, Key Skills, Adult Numeracy and Adult Literacy qualifications are not accepted by the University as GCSE equivalents.
  • If you do not hold GCSE qualifications, please contact us to confirm that we are able to accept the qualification you hold.

If English is not your first language: IELTS 7.0 overall (including 7.0 in academic writing) or equivalent is required.

If you have completed your qualifications outside the UK, the Department for Education (DfE) are able to help you obtain a UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) statement of comparability for free. For further information, please visit the get into teaching website.

We will look for evidence of a commitment to the teaching profession, an understanding of professional requirements, and an awareness of current educational issues in an application. Prior experience in a school is not required, however prospective students may find experience in a school useful for obtaining insights into the primary education classroom. Experience in a school or similar setting may also provide reassurance to prospective students that teaching is the right choice for their career.

We will also look for you demonstrate competency in Fundamental skills in English and mathematics during the selection process.

If you meet all of the above criteria or are expecting to meet the criteria prior to the course start date, you have a strong chance of being invited to interview.

 

Additional requirements

If you are offered a place after attending an interview you will need to meet the following additional requirements. The University will send you more information about when and how you need to complete each of these tasks if you accept our offer.

  • Obtain enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check after accepting an offer. Please note, the cost of the clearance check is covered by the applicant (£40 at the time of publishing).
  • If you have spent over 6 months outside the UK in the last 5 years you will be required to obtain criminal records checks from each of the countries you lived in for over 6 months continuously. Further information about obtaining a criminal records check from outside the UK is available on the gov.uk website. Please note, obtaining criminal records checks from other countries can take a long time.
  • You will also be required to complete an occupational health check to confirm that you are fit to teach.

How to apply

The way to apply for postgraduate teacher training in England has changed. You can now use Apply for teacher training, a new GOV.UK service.

Apply for teacher training is easy to use and gives clear guidance to help potential teachers make strong applications.

To learn more about the new service and to get help with your application, visit Get into Teaching.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about the course or studying at Winchester, please get in touch using our Ask a question form and we will get back to you shortly. 

Alternatively, you can call us on:
+44 (0)1962 827234 – UK/Channel Islands/Isle of Man students
+44 (0)1962 826427 – International students

Visit us

Explore our campus and find out more about studying at Winchester by coming to one of our Open Evenings.

Year 1 (Level 7)

Modules Credits

What do we teach? Perspectives on curriculum and pedagogy 20

This module will introduce students to the structure, content and subject knowledge defined by the curriculum. Key educational theory, or ‘big ideas,’ will explore pupil’s experience in school and form strands of learning developed during subject sessions.  Students will consider specific subject knowledge associated with the curriculum and the kind of teaching approaches likely to engage children and promote learning. Students will explore one area of the curriculum for their assignment.

How do we teach? Research informed teaching 20

This module will develop critical understanding of the early years curriculum. Key theories, or ‘big ideas’, underpin the module, forming strands of learning that will be explored during curriculum sessions. Deepening of subject knowledge, skills and pedagogic understanding will be supported through the design and analysis of a school-based enquiry.  Students will demonstrate enhanced thinking in one area of learning in the early years curriculum and the ability to draw conclusions about effective practice.

Who do we teach? Respectful and inclusive classrooms 20

The module focuses on meeting individual needs. Students will engage in current issues relating to inclusion and additional needs and will develop some specialist knowledge of specific learning requirements.  In addition, students will consider the role of other adults, parents and agencies in protecting children’s social, emotional and educational wellbeing. Students will develop their understanding of curriculum planning and teaching, assessment and behaviour management in the context of an inclusive classroom.

Placement Learning and Reflection 1

Students will be introduced to the professional expectations and responsibilities associated with being an educator through a taught course, ahead of a professional placement. The course will develop students’ knowledge about the profession and their pedagogical craft. Whilst on placement in a school setting, students will work under the direction of staff, learning through participant observation and then progressing from teaching small groups and single lessons to planning and teaching sequences of whole class lessons. Students will be required to engage in continual reflective practice, collecting evidence and evaluating and recording their personal and professional progress.

Placement Learning and Reflection 2

Students will consolidate and extend their understanding of the professional expectations and responsibilities associated with being a teacher through a taught course, ahead of a professional placement. The course will further develop students’ knowledge about the profession and their pedagogical craft, using reflections on earlier placements. Whilst on placement in a school setting, students will work under the direction of staff, progressing to taking full responsibility for the pupils they are working with for the majority of time. Students will be required to engage in continual reflective practice, collecting evidence and evaluating and recording their personal and professional progress.

Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing, for full-time students entering the programme in Year 1. Optional modules are listed where applicable. Please note the University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. For further information please refer to the terms and conditions at www.winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions.
The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed above.

Progression from one level of the programme to the next is subject to meeting the University’s academic regulations.

2023 Course Tuition Fees and Additional Costs

UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man

Full-time
Total Cost: £9,250

If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2023, it will cost £9,250. Remember, you don't have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year. If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.

International Students

Full-time
Total Cost: £14,700

International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £122.50 and a 15 credit module is £1,837.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

Mandatory

Disclosure and Barring Service

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. This may also be required when applicants accept their offer for a place on the course.The indicative cost is £40.

Placements

The programme includes a significant number of days on placement, these placements may be closer or further from your home than the University of Winchester. Currently the University expects students to travel up to 90 mins to reach their placement and to cover the costs of travel themselves.

Printing and Binding

The University is pleased to offer our students a free printing allowance of £20 each academic year. This will print around 500 A4 mono pages. If students wish to print more, printer credit can be topped up by the student. The University and Student Union are champions of sustainability and we ask all our students to consider the environmental impact before printing. 

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.

 

Key course details

UCAS code
2JQV
Duration
Full-time only: 1 year
Typical offer
Honours degree, with an expected second-class award or above
Location
On campus, Winchester