PGCE Primary 5-11 (with QTS)
PGCE
Expected move to Headington Campus for the start of the 2025/26 academic year
Overview
You'll join a course whose graduates inspire thousands of children and teach in hundreds of schools across Oxfordshire and beyond. The PGCE is specifically designed to provide you with secure subject and pedagogical knowledge that enables you to be an effective classroom teacher.
School leaders know our graduates are well-prepared to meet the high standards expected of them in our schools, with a broad range of on-campus and on-placement teaching and learning. Which will prepare you to make a difference in the lives of every child you will teach, every day.
Your University lecturers have held senior posts in schools and are subject specialists. While on-placement, expert colleagues in our partnership schools will provide you with the mentoring to support your development of purposeful practice in schools.
At the end of the programme, successful completion of the programme, will enable you to be recommended for qualified teacher status (QTS).
Why Oxford Brookes University?
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Purposefully designed placements
Put your training into practice with placements in at least two different schools and key stages and learn how to make a difference in the lives of every child you teach.
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Excellence for all
The programme is underpinned by the principles of character, equity and inclusion, with a focus on adaptive inclusive pedagogies and also supporting all pupils to become a primary school teacher.
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Evidence informed practice
Masters level modules that foster curiosity and aspiration to make a difference.
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Expert support
Incremental and sustained trainee progress - with nothing left to chance and tailored support where needed.
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Excellent career options
Trainees secure jobs in schools that are right for them.
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Accreditation(s)
The Department for Education and The Teaching Regulation Agency.
Course details
Course structure
Our PGCE prepares you to teach effectively across the primary phase. Our curriculum, which is underpinned by the statutory expectations of the DfE, ensures that you’ll learn, review and revisit ideas through the novice, advanced beginner and effective stages, to become proficient in all aspects of teaching.
The programme consists of on-campus and on-placement learning, helping you to observe, deconstruct, practise, refine and apply your learning to your classroom teaching.
The Oxford Brookes University ITET curriculum contains core components that you’ll need to secure to enable you to meet the standards required for QTS. These include
- Professional Conduct and Responsibilities
- Climate for Learning
- How Pupils Learn
- Subject and Curriculum Knowledge
- Planning and Preparation
- Assessment, Adaptation and Feedback.
The OBU ITET Knowledge Base outlines the core knowledge underpinning the curriculum as well as guidance on how you can enhance your current knowledge.
Study modules
Through the course we’ll:
- train you to hold high expectations for every child you teach by upholding values of character, equity and inclusion from day one.
- provide you with the knowledge, skills and understanding required to be recommended for qualified teacher status
- train and support our mentors - so that they know how to help you make progress
- assess and support you to become a teacher that makes a positive difference.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Research
The School of Education, Humanities and Languages is a thriving centre for educational research and teacher professional development. Students on master's level programmes therefore join a large research community comprising researchers at all levels of higher education study.
We hold two major research conferences each year - the School of Education Research Conference and the EdD Colloquium. All students are invited to attend our annual Research
Seminar Series (which attracts both internal and external speakers). We also organise a number of conferences, lectures, seminars and debates, some of which have an international reach.
The School’s six research groups exist to encourage engagement in research, publication, conference presentations, seminars and workshops:
- Inclusion and Wellbeing
- Policy, Partnership and Leadership
- STEAM pedagogy and learning
- Humanistic Perspectives on Education
- Early Years
- Applied Linguistics
View all staff profiles for School of Education, Humanities and Languages
Careers
Teaching is a career where you can make a real difference to children’s lives. And you’ll finish this course with the skills and confidence to become an outstanding primary teacher, ready to start your teaching career.
You’ll develop strong relationships with teachers and school leaders at multiple schools during your placements. And you’ll graduate with a solid professional network that will help you secure your first teaching role.
Professional Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Teaching Regulation Agency to grant Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in the UK. You will be provisionally registered with the Teaching Regulation Agency at the beginning of your course. Students who successfully complete the course will be recommended for QTS.
Student profiles
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
GCSE: GCSEs or equivalents: achieve a standard of grade 4 or higher in English, Mathematics and Science (Science with Chemistry, Science with Physics, Science with Biology).
- A recognised UK degree, or degree equivalent, normally at second class honours.
- Additional DBS and Health teaching checks are completed prior to your enrolment. Once you have accepted an offer from Oxford Brookes you will be notified to complete your Health and DBS checks preceding your enrolment; you will receive your DBS notification by email in May.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
Screening
All applicants will be screened for fitness to practise and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be made.
Selection process
Applicants who meet the entry criteria will be invited to an online interview. You'll receive an email invite to your interview, where you’ll find linked interview advice and guidance about what to bring and how to prepare.
The interview is an opportunity for us to get to know you and for you to discover more about the programme. During the interview you will be given the opportunity to respond to a core element of the OBU ITET evidence base.
A successful interview will lead to you receiving an offer for a place on this course.
English language requirements
Please see the University's standard English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
International qualifications and equivalences
Tuition fees
Tuition fees
Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
For further information please see our 2025-26 tuition fees FAQs.
Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Compulsory costs
| Additional costs | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) initial check | £54 |
Optional costs
| Additional costs | Amount (£) |
|---|---|
| Travel and associated costs if relevant when undertaking work placements. | £30-700 per year |
| 3-day Outdoor Education Residential in South Wales (inc. food, accommodation, travel, equipment and tuition) | £180 |
| Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) top-up check (to keep up to date) | £13 |
It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
| You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£94-265 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£122-180 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. BrookesBus travel is subsidised for full-time undergraduate students that are on a course with a fee of £9,250 or more, or living in an Oxford Brookes hall of residence. There is an administration fee for the production of a BrookesKey. |
From £10 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
Oxford Brookes alumni may be eligible for a 10% fees discount on postgraduate study.
All financial support and scholarships
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.