Secondary Physical Education with QTS - PGCE
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
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....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award PGCE
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
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.
What's covered in this course?
Our 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. This course covers the 11-16 age range with post-16 enhancement.
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, including the Doug Ellis Sports Centre in Perry Barr. 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.
At least two thirds of the course takes place within school. You will be placed in a minimum of two PE departments.
Taught modules, assignments and School-Based Training are structured around the development of your progress against our ITE Core Curriculum. Our ambitious curriculum incorporates the ITT Core Content Framework (DfE, 2019) and the nationally agreed competences - the Teachers’ Standards, which all teachers must meet throughout their career.
Through our Intensive training and practice (ITAP), which we have designed to strengthen the link between evidence and classroom practice, you will consolidate your knowledge of key evidence-based principles for effective teaching. You will also gain and understanding of adaptive teaching for SEND learners via expert input.
We map your development as a subject specialist with reference to identified subject priorities appropriate to the needs of secondary teachers entering the profession. Our systems for continuous improvement, development and assessment of your progress will support your growing ability to take responsibility for your own professional development and ensure that you approach QTS with a sound understanding of research-informed pedagogies and practices.
Why Choose Us?
- We are a key source of new teachers to schools across the West Midlands region; a destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed they were employed in nearly 100 West Midlands schools as Early Career Teachers.
- Our curriculum is designed by research-active subject experts to be integrated between university and school-based training with input from our partnership schools, ensuring you’re equipped to meet the needs of the teaching workforce now and in the future.
- We have partnerships right across the West Midlands and beyond so you can benefit from training in a range of schools and early years settings, preparing you for work in a wide variety of schools when you qualify. A destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed that 76% of their employing schools were from within our BCU partnership.
- You will complete at least 120 days across a minimum of two placements, in line with Department for Education (DfE) requirements, supported by a subject mentor in your school and a personal development tutor at the University.
- Should you wish to take your development further, you'll gain Master's level credits gained as part of this course that you can then use towards a full Master's degree.
- We meet the Department for Education's (DfE) Criteria for Initial Teacher Training and successful candidates on our Initial Teacher Training courses will be recommended to the DfE for Qualified Teacher Status.
OPEN DAY
Join us for an Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.
Next Event: 28 June 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree or a Master’s degree in a relevant subject from a UK higher education institution or equivalent.
Applicants will also need to complete the relevant safeguarding checks for this course.
All applicants will be interviewed; see 'interview arrangements' below.
Applying with international qualifications
See below for further information on applying as an international student.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: PGCE
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £9,535 in 2025/26 ✱ Important note for this price
- Apply
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The Government is proposing to increase the cap on full-time regulated tuition fees to £9,535 for 2025/26 and the University is planning on increasing fees to that maximum level once legislation is enacted. Part-time fees are charged pro-rata, where applicable.
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Application deadlines
We advise you to apply early to allow sufficient time for you to prepare to start your studies in September. Please apply by Friday 18 July to allow time to arrange accommodation, student finance and visas where required.
Late applications will be accepted where places are still available, but please note that teaching begins on Monday 1 September 2025.
To find out more, see our application timeline.
The way you apply for teacher training has changed. The Department for Education (DfE) has developed a GOV.UK application service for postgraduate teacher training called ‘Apply for teacher training’ which you now have to use to make an application.
Course code: 3CJN
We would like all applicants to make a fully informed decision about joining the teaching profession. As part of that decision making process, spending sometime in a school and considering the role of the teacher will prove to be invaluable.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 60 credits):
This module, Professional Studies, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore and understand in practical terms the meaning of professionalism in the context of education and being a teacher. It is well known that education is an ever-changing environment and the desire for improvement is strong from all stakeholders. This module helps you to understand that the best teachers are those who continue to learn themselves and that your continual development can positively impact the learning experience of your students.
This module, Subject Pedagogy, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore the nature of your specialist subject in the context of learning and teaching in the secondary school. The module provides substantial support for your professional practice in school, assessed through the School Experience modules. This module provides a strong philosophical underpinning to your awareness of the importance of your specialist subject in the secondary school curriculum. By undertaking this module you will be shaping your own rationale for your approach to the teaching of your specialist subject, and to meeting the needs of the learners as they move through the secondary school phase.
This module, Professional Enquiry, forms an introduction to active examination of professional practice in the workplace and a reflective approach to personal development. It provides a foundation for future study modules and enables you to develop practice-based enquiry skills. Increasing importance is placed on evidence-based enquiry to inform professional development in education, most recently in The Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training (ITT).
This module, School Experience 1, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to meet the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers and other education professionals to develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
This module, School Experience 2, follows School Experience 1 and provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to enhance your achievement of the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work independently supported by experienced teachers and other education professionals to further develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
* School Experience 2 is dependent upon the successful completion of School Experience 1.
Download course specification
Download nowCourse structure
This postgraduate course takes place over one year full-time. Note that all PGCE with QTS courses commence teaching in the first week of September.
You’ll find that the Secondary PE PGCE is an intensive and demanding course which challenges people who are highly committed to teaching young people. It is an excellent way to prepare for a career within the profession.
We’ll deliver the course using a combination of workshops, lectures and seminar groups, and by encouraging individual study.
You’ll also complete a profile of evidence towards the achievement of the Teachers’ Standards required by the Department for Education for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.
The main thrust of the curriculum involves the study of education, pedagogy and professional practice, from both generic professional educational and subject-specific perspectives.
At least two-thirds of this course takes place off campus within schools. This means you have the opportunity to gain valuable ‘hands on’ experience in at least two different schools. In most cases you’ll also have the chance to visit other schools, including a primary school.
Trainee teachers are expected to take significant responsibility for their own progress and development. This type of professional development encourages the development of independent, creative practitioners who will be able to take the lead in the future.
Lead school partners
The lead school partner approach enables multi-academy trusts, or groups of schools, to offer teacher education courses offered in collaboration with a university partner. You may prefer to apply to a lead school partner if, for example, the range of schools where you could be placed for your teaching practice, better suits your circumstances. You spend the same amount of time on school placements and will study on campus with us for most if not all your taught sessions. You will also have the same access to a personal development tutor and all the resources we offer.
Our lead school partners for this PGCE Secondary course are (see links for details such as location maps and contact details):
Placement locations
Our students are asked to complete some forms for placements around whether they will be living, access to private transport etc., however, you must be prepared to travel around 90 minutes. Where you have one placement that is around this 90-minute mark, we will always try to make your other placement much closer for you, depending on availability.
For PGCE Secondary courses, we have over 100 placement providers across 14 local authorities including:
- Birmingham
- City of Wolverhampton
- Coventry
- Derby City
- Derbyshire
- Dudley
- Leicester City
- Sandwell
- Solihull
- Staffordshire
- Telford and Wrekin
- Walsall
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire
Attendance
120 days across a minimum of two school placements. Placement 1: September to December. Placement 2: January to June.
In September a three week block of daily University based sessions in preparation for school placement 1.
In January a two week block of daily University based sessions in preparation for school placement 2.
Every Monday Subject pedagogy sessions take place from September to January. PE sessions will take place at the Doug Ellis Sports Centre in Perry Barr.
Employability
Employability
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 teachers and our consistently high employability scores mean that trainees who successfully complete the course to a high standard have very good employment prospects.
Placements
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.
Facilities & Staff
Our facilities
This course is primarily based at our City Centre Campus, in the Benjamin Zephaniah Building (formerly University House), however, for some practical activities, such as sport, cookery or science lab sessions, you may be based at our City South Campus in Edgbaston, or the Alexander Stadium and Doug Ellis Sports Centre in Perry Barr.
About Benjamin Zephaniah Building
This freshly renovated building provides a dedicated teaching and learning space for our Education and Communities students and staff.
Spaces in the building include:
- Primary and secondary science labs
- Innovation and Lego teaching room
- Flexible space for Design and Technology
- Art room
As well as general teaching rooms.
Our staff
Grant Huddleston
CoESW Project Lead for Professional Development, Senior Lecturer in Physical Education
Grant commenced employment at Birmingham City University in 2017 as the Senior Lecturer for Physical Education (PE), working across both primary and secondary education within the College of Education and Social Work. During that time, Grant wrote, taught, and lead the PE curriculum for the BA (QTS) Primary Education, PGCE Primary Education (QTS),...
More about Grant