Secondary Physical Education PGCE

This course will enable you to use your degree level skills in the teaching of Physical Education (PE) so that you can promote physical activities and a healthy lifestyle in a positive and enjoyable way for all pupils. We believe that PE is a crucial element in the education of all pupils, and will work with you to enable you to become the inspirational secondary school teacher that today’s young people deserve.

The course provides you with the knowledge and understanding that will enable your current creative skills to grow into exciting and engaging teaching for the classroom. The course is a practice-based programme that will fully support you into becoming a confident, dynamic and creative teacher committed to making PE accessible for all. Central to the curriculum is the study of PE pedagogy and professional practice, which you will access through a synthesis of practical workshops, lectures, seminar groups and individual study.

Curriculum workshops are a key element of your course. Dedicated PE lecturers and teachers deliver these in our specialist education classrooms and lecture theatres. The workshops enable you to experience and develop your understanding of subject pedagogy through topics such as: Physical literacy, growth mindset through PE, dance in the curriculum, gymnastics, invasion games, net and wall games, target games and athletics, health and safety, as well as Key Stage 3 National Curriculum topics, GCSE and A Level PE topics.

Ofsted inspections have confirmed that our trainees “leave their courses with a wide range of knowledge and skills that make them highly employable. Their career progression is swift and they make a real difference to the quality of teaching and learning in their schools.” (Ofsted 2014) This is an 11-16 years course, with post-16 enhancement, which offers a high degree of employability within secondary teaching. The high demand for our trained Geography teachers and our consistently high employability scores mean that trainees who successfully complete the course to a high standard have very good employment prospects.

Two-thirds of your course takes place in school and we ensure that you are offered a number of placements in a wide range of educational establishments. You will do work placements in at least two different schools and also visit others – including a primary. This all helps you to see how teachers are working in practice and gives you a wealth of experience. You will have the opportunity to do serial and block placements and you will also have trained mentors, who will guide and support your studies and provide you with feedback.

Opportunity: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market. It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.