PGCE with QTS Secondary Geography

Placements

As a trainee teacher, you'll complete 120 days in school placement practice blocks in at least two different schools, plus further focused teaching experiences. You'll practise as a subject specialist teacher for the secondary age range (11-16), and gain experience of the 16-18 age range. 

The schools and settings within our Initial Teacher Training partnership are geographically diverse, with placements in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and Wales. We work hard to match placements to trainee teacher needs, experience and locations. 

At UWE Bristol, we'll support you to become an authentic, effective, thoughtful teacher. Towards the end of your course, your progress review will enable your entry to the teaching profession and your ongoing development as an Early Career Teacher (ECT). 

Study facilities

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Education and Teaching facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Entry requirements

• An undergraduate degree (typically 2:2 or above) or an equivalent qualification, in a subject relevant to the subject you wish to teach. Relevant subject experience can also be demonstrated at master's level.
• GCSE grade C/4 or above in English and Mathematics, or equivalent. We do not accept Level 2 Key Skills, Functional Skills or Certificates in Adult Numeracy and Literacy as alternatives to GCSEs. Candidates with pending GCSEs will be considered. Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English Literature only, we'll look for further evidence of achievement in English.

We'll look at all applications against the demands of the course. If you have any questions about our entry requirements, please contact our Admissions team and we can discuss your application.

Our PGCE courses include a high level of placement-based learning and working with children. We would encourage all applicants to get as much relevant experience of working or volunteering with children to help prepare them for this crucial element of their course.

Selection process

Applicants who meet the entry criteria will be invited to an interview. We want to ensure you get all the information you need about the course and about studying at UWE Bristol, and that you can meet members of the course team. There'll be a group discussion and an interview, and you'll get plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Here you can find top tips on how to write your teacher training personal statement.

Additional requirements(as mandated by the DfE)

• Health checks - for Fitness to Teach.
• A clear Enhanced DBS Disclosure including check of children's barred list.
• Satisfactory references including one from latest employer and/or latest role involving working with children.
• Verification of identity and right to work in the UK.
• Check for sanction, restriction or prohibition on teaching issued by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) (if in teaching role).
• Overseas Criminal Record check, if you've lived, studied or worked overseas for five months or more in the last five years.

The university will also check that candidates are not:

• subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State
• disqualified from childcare;
• or have obtained a childcare disqualification waiver from Ofsted.

All information will be treated in confidence.

Read more about professional checks.

Further Statutory Guidance

• Supervision of activity with children
• Working together to safeguard children
• Keeping children safe in education

If you would like information regarding issues that could disqualify you from teaching training, please contact us on +44 (0)117 32 83333.

Standards and requirements

Following the review of Standards and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) by the Secretary of State in 2012 (revised in June 2013), our full-time courses have been designed to be compliant with the latest standards and requirements.

Find out further information about the national curriculum and subjects taught in secondary schools.

English Language Requirement

All International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 6.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

Due to a high level of placement based learning and working with children, all applicants should have an effective command of the English language and be able to use it appropriately, accurately and fluently in a school setting. International and EU students will be required to produce a certificate evidencing the necessary IELTS or approved equivalent*.

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you'll need in our English Language section.

How to apply

The deadline for Home applications is Monday 14 July, with final interviews being held on Tuesday 22 July.

The deadline for International applications is Friday 13 June, with final interviews* being held on Tuesday 24 June.

*From 1 June onwards, only applicants who have met academic conditions will be invited to interview. All applicants need to meet all their offer conditions and pay the deposit by 30 June to receive a CAS.

Please see the Department for Education pages for guidance on how to apply.

We encourage you to apply for our PGCE courses as early as possible in the cycle in order to be guaranteed consideration. The courses begin in early September and require sufficient time to review applications, process decisions and fulfil additional entry requirements as mandated by DfE. As a result we may be unable to consider applications received after July. In addition, many of our courses are very popular and will reach their capacity and be closed to further recruitment prior to this date.

Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.

For further information

• Email: Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
• Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83333