PGCE in Prep PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status

Program Overview

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View full details in the curriculum handbook

September 2024 arrangements: the university has been accredited to deliver the Qualified Teacher Status course by the UK government.

This will follow the existing Core Content Framework syllabus and involve 20 days of training for beginning teachers.

The Prep Postgraduate Certificate in Education with QTS is a training course tailored to teachers in independent preparatory schools (ages 7 to 14) in England. You must be employed as a teacher in a preparatory independent school and be teaching within four consecutive school years to pupils aged 7-14 and across two key stages for a minimum of 50% of a full timetable. A requirement of this course is that you should have some involvement with Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) either in your school or in the second school placement.

Trainees will be expected to undertake a teaching placement in a second school which must be a non-selective state school. The duration of this teaching placement is determined upon the interview and is usually for 30-solo teaching hours over a minimum period of three weeks (15 days).

Program Outline

Teaching & Assessment

The Prep PGCE is a 37-week school-based course during which time you will work under the guidance of a mentor and receive weekly tutorials to review your progress and to set targets.

There are seven days of residential training and two days of online learning. During these sessions, Prep trainees will study Primary Curriculum topics as well as be able to access subject specialisms for key stage 3 subject knowledge development. The Buckingham tutor and the school mentor will jointly assess the student’s competence as a teacher during and at the end of the course. There are three essays to complete, carrying a total value of 60 Level 7 (Master’s) credits. If successful, trainees will be qualified to teach in both independent and maintained schools in England.

You need to be available to attend residential courses on 25-27 October 2023, 21-22 February 2024, 29-30 May 2024.

For teachers undertaking their first year of teaching we highly recommend your participation in our Ab Initio course as an addition to the PGCE. This will provide you with some basic knowledge and skills to start teaching.