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Secondary Physical Education with QTS - BA (Hons) *

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If you have a passion for Physical Education and Sport, inspiring and educating young learners, and want the best possible career opportunities after graduating, then this is the course for you.

  • Level Undergraduate
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

If you have a passion for Physical Education and Sport, inspiring and educating young learners, and want the best possible career opportunities after graduating, then this is the course for you.

What's covered in this course?

Our roots in delivering Physical Education training go back as far as 1897 and we are now the largest provider of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in the West Midlands. Our strong partnerships across a diverse range of secondary schools will enable you to gain practical experience that reflects the rich variety of cultural and linguistic influences, religious beliefs, and social diversity of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. This course gives you the opportunity to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and teach PE to secondary school pupils aged 11–16, as well as providing some post-16 enhancement.

The course aims to develop your PE subject and pedagogical knowledge at degree level, alongside gaining QTS. The combination of professional teaching practice and subject expertise means you get the best of both worlds – benefitting from the strong partnership between our PE teacher educators and our subject specialists who are at the forefront of practice in their fields. To do this, you will be taught across our City Centre Campus and at our Doug Ellis Sport Centre in Perry Barr.

Studying this course will enable you to discover the contemporary place and role of Physical Education, School Sport, and Physical Activity within the education setting. You will explore the current national curriculum for PE and have opportunities to develop your subject knowledge across a range of physical activities alongside effective teaching pedagogy to deliver high-quality PE in the secondary school phase.

You will develop a deeper understanding of the PE teaching environment and learn how to meet the needs of learners from a range of socio-cultural settings, as well as pupils with learning barriers and specific education needs, all the while ensuring PE is meaningful and engaging for all. We will look at alternative PE curriculum designs, exploring a combination of traditional and alternative activity pathways, including off-site, outdoor activity experiences, which will widen your skillset as a trainee PE teacher. This means that, in addition to covering more traditional team sports, such as football and netball, and other invasion game activities, you will gain practical experience of gymnastics and dance, net and wall activities and athletics, and emerging and alternative physical activities, such as parkour, kinball and adventurous outdoor activities.

Across your three years, you take some modules of school-based training. You will spend at least 120 days on placement across the course, with the majority taking place in years two and three of your degree. Your placement experiences are designed to equip you with a wealth of practical experience to develop you as a PE teacher, working in partnership with experienced school subject mentors. You will develop your professional behaviors as a trainee teacher and immerse yourself into the day-to-day responsibilities of a secondary school PE teacher.

In addition to your school placement, you will also have three separate enrichment weeks, which provide you with the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), both in mainstream and specialist school provision, primary education, and post-16 provision. In your final year, you will also study an additional subject module and undertake some teaching experience. This will enhance your employability by showing employers you can bring some additional flexibility because you are able to design and deliver the curriculum in another area other than PE.

Why Choose Us?

  • Develop in-depth subject knowledge and train to teach all in three years, saving a year of study (and fees) compared to the usual three-year degree plus one year of postgraduate teacher training.
  • You will spend time in a range of local secondary schools on professional placements, equipping you with a wealth of practical experience to develop you as a physical education teacher, working in partnership with experienced school subject mentors.
  • Practical hands-on experience in schools right from the start of your programme.
  • For the subject-specific modules, you will be taught with our BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Physical Education students using our specialist facilities at the Alexander Stadium and Doug Ellis Sports Centre in Perry Barr.
  • 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.
  • You will have 15 days across the course duration allocated for enrichment blocks to allow you gain Key Stage Two, special educational needs (SEN), and post-16 experience.

Open Days

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 Open Day: 28 June 2025

Book your place What to expect

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

112 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.

Applicants will also need to complete an interview for this course; see interview arrangements below.

If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS Tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on an alternative course or Foundation Year. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS Tariff.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Successful candidates must meet Department for Education requirements for Initial Teacher Training prior to enrolling on this course. This includes obtaining a satisfactory occupational health check and an enhanced DBS check, as well as prohibition and children’s barred list checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance.

You will receive details of what is required if you are offered a place on the course. If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact admissions@bcu.ac.uk.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

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: BA (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

(Back to price) * The Government is proposing to increase the cap on full-time regulated tuition fees to £9,535 from 2025/26 onwards 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.

Award: BA (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Field trips 

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Key subscriptions 

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library. 

DBS check 

If you are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this course, the cost for your first DBS check is included in your fees. 

Uniform 

You will be provided with 2 BCU PE tops and 1 zip fleece.  

Placement expenses (mandatory) 

Placements are a compulsory element of this course. You'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Field trips (optional) 

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost. 

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Guidance for UK students

UCAS

UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

Applying through UCAS
 Register with UCAS
 Login to UCAS
 Complete your details
 Select your course
 Write a personal statement
 Get a reference
 Pay your application fee
 Send UCAS your application

Our advice for applying to a health care course

Applying for a course and preparing for an interview can be a daunting process, so we have created a series of films to help you through the process, including what to put in your personal statement.

More guidance

Guidance for International students

There are three ways to apply:

1) Direct to the University

You will need to complete our International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, and submit them together with scan copies of your original academic transcripts and certificates.

2) Through a country representative

Our in-country representatives can help you make your application and apply for a visa. They can also offer advice on travel, living in the UK and studying abroad.

3) Through UCAS

If you are applying for an undergraduate degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), you can apply through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

You can request a printed form from your school or nearest British Council office. You will be charged for applying through UCAS. Birmingham City University’s UCAS code is B25 BCITY.

Personal statement

From 2026, personal statements have changed from one longer peice of text, to three separate questions. This is to help you understand what universities want to know, so you have more direction in your application.

The personal statement gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.

Here are the three areas you’ll need to address:

  • Why do you want to study this course or subject?
  • How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
  • What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Get personal statement advice

Course in Depth

Year One

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Year Two

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Year Three

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Download course specification

Download now

Course Structure

This course encompasses the contemporary place and role of school-based Physical Education, Health and Sport. Physical Education continues to be an important part of Government agendas, so with this in mind, you'll learn relevant and up-to-date techniques, subject and pedagogical knowledge and other PE-related information.

Linked and mapped to the national curriculum for PE, you'll be taught the physical activities and up-to-date information that you will need to be an effective PE teacher in a secondary school sector. Alongside the practical nature of this degree, participating in a mixture of activities and sports, you'll also be looking at different aspects of health and people at opposite ends of the health spectrum. It's a chance for you to gain the knowledge and skills needed to negotiate different challenges.

  • Sport and Exercise modules are taught at our specialist Sports facilities at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr.
  • We have a long and successful track record in the training of secondary school teachers.
  • The course is delivered in collaboration between PE specialist tutors in Education and Social Work, and academic PE and Sports and Exercise tutors.
  • The course aims to develop your PE subject and pedagogical knowledge and understanding at degree level, alongside gaining a professional qualification (QTS).
  • You will spend time in a range of local secondary schools on a professional placement, equipping you with a wealth of practical experience to develop you as a PE teacher, working in partnership with experienced school subject mentors.

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 undergraduate Secondary courses, we have over 40 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

Additional support

If you have a specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia or ADHD), a disability, a long-term health condition or mental health difficulties, our support teams provide advice, information and practical support (such as reasonable adjustments). Engaging with our support teams early on in the application process means that the University is more likely to be able to implement support before your arrival at University. If you require reasonable adjustments in your placement setting, early disclosure will assist the University in securing suitable placements wherever it reasonably can.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

We will support you in the transition to university through a careful induction process, confidence building activities, group work and a carefully planned programme with a range of formative and summative assessments.

Your programme will be interactive, practical, engaging, thought provoking and challenging and is designed to promote independence so that you become a confident, committed and creative teacher ready to join the teaching profession.

On the programme you will experience a variety of learning and teaching approaches that focus on modelling good practice and these will include: workshops, conferences, lectures, seminars, a range of guest speakers, visits to schools/settings and other sites as well as a range of practical teaching experiences.

The content of the programme is research led, innovative and responsive to the educational climate to enable you to develop your subject and pedagogical knowledge and apply it in the classroom.

Placements

We have developed a shared vision for educational excellence with the schools in our partnership. You will benefit from working with and learning from outstanding classroom teachers in schools and at University. Working in schools with teachers and pupils is key to you becoming a committed, creative and confident teacher.

School placements increase in length over the three years of your course to ensure you complete the minimum of 120 days required to build your teaching experience and gather evidence that you meet the requirements for QTS. The placement aspect of this course is non-credit bearing.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) Professional Standards for Teachers which lead to recommendation for the award of QTS will be assessed through the school based training modules.

More about our placement opportunities

Facilities & Staff

Alexander Stadium

Teaching for this course is split between City Centre Campus and our specialist home for sport at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr. Some practical sessions will take place at the Doug Ellis Sports Centre, also in Perry Barr.

The Benjamin Zephaniah Building (formerly University House), 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

You will also take part in practical activities at the Alexander Stadium.

Find out more about facilities at the Alexander Stadium

Our staff

Gemma Taylor

Course Leader for Secondary Education with QTS and Senior Lecturer in Physical Education

Gemma joined BCU in September 2021 as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education (PE) after teaching PE in Secondary Schools in the Worcestershire area. Gemma has recently been appointed Course Leader for the Secondary Physical Education with QTS course, with responsibility for both University- and School-Based Teaching for all students. Gemma is...

More about Gemma

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

Dr Peter Thain

Associate Professor and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy

As a Chartered Physiotherapist and Sports Therapist, Peter has over a decade of experience working in basketball, football and netball. Peter successfully designed and validated the initial BSc (Hons) in Sports Therapy, and after three consecutive 100% student satisfaction scores in the National Student Survey, continues to lead the sports...

More about Peter