PGCE Secondary Art and Design

Program Overview

PGCE Secondary Art and Design

PGCE

Initial Teacher Education

Overview

Make a difference to pupils’ lives by becoming a Secondary teacher through our highly regarded teacher training course.

• Learn from staff who are experts in a range of educational theories – in an institution that has been training outstanding teachers for over 70 years.
• Become a knowledgeable and resilient education professional who has developed your own resources, techniques and individual teaching style.
• What you’ll learn has been co-created with our partner schools to meet their needs, placing you in an excellent position for future employment.

What You'll Learn

• Explore the fundamentals of teaching through an integrated programme that encompasses both university and school-based training.
• Develop your understanding and practice through these core components:
  • Subject and curriculum knowledge
  • Behaviour management
  • Assessment of pupils
  • Planning for learning
  • Adaptive teaching and inclusion
  • Professional behaviours and responsibilities
  • How pupils learn
  • Pupil health and wellbeing

Course Structure

• The PGCE Secondary programme covers all subjects and is studied full-time over one academic year.
• Your first school placement begins with familiarisation, where you observe your Training Mentors teaching the classes that you will eventually take over.
• You’ll teach parts of lessons before assuming responsibility for them.
• You’ll also learn about the curriculum in your subject, how schools work and how pupils make progress.

How You'll Be Taught

• Learn through doing – gain practical teaching experience (planning, assessment and the impact of these on pupils’ progress) during your placements in schools.
• Explore the professional role of a teacher, including safeguarding, working with colleagues and parents, taking responsibility for a tutor group, and extracurricular activities.
• Your Academic Tutor and Training Mentor will model good practice and provide regular feedback on your progress.

How You'll Be Assessed

• Throughout the programme, you’ll gather examples of practice to reflect your progress at each of the four review points during the course.
• Your Training Mentor will observe you regularly during school training, and provide personalised feedback to enable you to succeed as a teacher.
• You’ll write reflective reviews; these are designed to help you further your knowledge and skills and to become a reflective practitioner.
• Your subject knowledge and fundamental skills in Maths and English will be monitored throughout the programme.
• You’ll also submit two subject-focused assignments at Level 7 to gain 60 Master’s-level credits and demonstrate the critical and academic knowledge you’ve gained in your subject.

Course Modules

• Positive Classroom Environments
• How Pupils Learn
• Adaptive Teaching
• Inspiring Learning

Opportunities

• Careers: As a graduate of our PGCE with a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you can begin your teaching career right away.
• During the course, we offer support with applications and interviews so that you can give your teaching career the best possible start.
• As an Early Career Teacher, you’ll be supported by your new employing school for a further two years, after which you might work to become a Head of Department, Assistant Head, Deputy or Headteacher, or take on a more pastoral role such as Head of Year.

Facilities and Resources

• Where the subject is taught: As a Bath Spa Teacher, you'll learn in a variety of locations, both at the University and in schools.
• Your main campus will be Sion Hill but as a Bath Spa student, you’ll have access to all our campuses, including our state-of-the-art Locksbrook Campus.
• Teaching will take place in rooms equipped with relevant texts, equipment, training materials and electronic resources.
• Resources: You’ll have access to:
  • Our Writing and Learning Centre for academic support
  • Specialist Education Library resources and dedicated subject Librarian
  • The University’s Virtual Learning Environment (Ultra)
  • Free access to software, creative, design and business skills courses via LinkedIn Learning
  • English Language Unit for help with your English language skills.

Fees

• 2025 entry:
  • UK full time: £9,535
  • International full time: £16,460

Additional Course Costs

• You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits.
• Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs.
• You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.

Funding Opportunities

• Please visit our Funding pages for an overview of the funding options that may be available, including scholarships and bursaries.

Bursaries and Scholarships

• The following amounts apply if you're starting your teacher training course between September 2025 and July 2026.
• You may be eligible for a teaching bursary or scholarship when training to teach.
• Please use the table below to check which subjects offer bursaries and scholarships.

Entry Requirements

• You’ll need to be well suited to the teaching profession both personally and academically.
• See 'What we look for in potential students' for more information.

What We Look for in Potential Students

• Teachers are role models for their pupils and must act with integrity at all times, while having the highest expectations of themselves and their pupils.
• They forge positive professional relationships and engage with wider communities.
• You’ll need to be suited to the teaching profession both personally and academically.
• We look for committed individuals with a professional approach and an exceptional work ethic.
• We value strong communication skills, adaptability and emotional resilience.
• Having a true passion for your subject will give you the edge.

Academic Requirements

• In order to apply you'll need to have completed, or be in the final year of a UK degree (or equivalent qualification).
• You'll need a good honours degree in an Art and Design subject (for example Fine Art, Ceramics, Textiles, Photography or Graphics).
• History of Art or Cultural Studies graduates will need to demonstrate their practical abilities.
• You'll also need GCSE passes at grade 4/C or above or recognised equivalents in English and Maths.

Non-Academic Requirements

• Before being allowed to enrol, all teacher training applicants are required to complete a number of compulsory compliance checks, including:
  • Enhanced DBS check
  • Childrens' Barred List check
  • Prohibition from Teaching
  • Fitness to Train to Teach questionnaire

How to Apply

• Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page to apply through the Department for Education's application system.
• If you need more guidance, please head to our how to apply webpages.

Interviews

• Once your application has been received and assessed, and if it is successful in making it to the next stage of the application process, you'll be invited to attend an interview (these are currently held online).
• At the interview, we'll assess your suitability and passion for teaching.
• The interview will include a short teaching exercise and a discussion of educational issues.
• We'll ask you about your experience to-date of working with children and young people.