PGCE Primary Education

Ambition for Teaching Excellence: Be Informed, Inspiring and Influential 

The Institute of Education trains teachers for all phases, all routes and all contexts.  At the heart of our work is a commitment to improving education and opportunities across the region. We are one of the UK's largest and most established providers of Initial Teacher Education.  Our ambition is for all our qualified teachers to be informed, inspiring and influential.  We are highly committed to developing the professional workforce across education, and our ambition for teaching excellence is centred on developing professionals as lifelong learners and future leaders who will influence educational change.  We see providing teachers for the region as a key aim of our work, and we strive to be the provider of choice for people wanting to teach in the Black Country and the wider West Midlands.  However, we also work closely with a range of partners across other areas of the UK.

PGCE Course Provision Mission Statement:
Upon completion of our initial teacher training course, our trainees will be able to embrace the value and contribution of reflective and reflexive practice as tools for continued professional development and improvement. Their practice will be underpinned by being critical thinkers and evidence-informed practice with strong subject knowledge to deliver outstanding pedagogical content knowledge in readiness for their ECT induction period. The course also offers an ambitious curriculum to develop further opportunities to lead within the field of study.
QTS provides a license to teach in England in maintained schools. Whilst the course is designed to teach in primary settings, with relevant experience, gaining a PGCE Primary Education with QTS permits you to teach in secondary, SEND and other educational settings.

These fees relate to new entrants only for the academic year indicated for entry onto the course, any subsequent years study may be subject to an annual increase, usually in line with inflation.

• To hold a first degree of a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification.

For example Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of science (BSc) etc. or similar . They are sometimes known as 'undergraduate' or 'first' degrees.

• To have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (previously Grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English, Mathematics and Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Combined Science). 
• To have taken part in a rigorous selection process designed to assess your readiness to train to teach.

Please note we do NOT accept GCSE Short Courses, GCSE Equivalent Tests from other institutions or organisations, Key Skills Level 2 or Functional Skills Level 2.

If you unsure please contact our Admissions Department admissions@wlv.ac.uk for clarification.

Your personal statement is an important part of the application process. We will be reviewing your personal statement to find out more about you and we will also be reviewing your spelling, grammar and punctuation and you have followed the UCAS (for undergraduate applications) or DfE Apply (for post graduate applications) guidance regarding length and what to include. Your application will not be successful if you do not demonstrate the high standards of accuracy the teaching profession demands.

Important Requirements

As part of the Department for Education (DfE) ITT compliance, if you are successful you will be required to provide your ORIGINAL certificates to the University of Wolverhampton Admissions Unit.

You will also take part in a rigorous selection process designed to assess your readiness to train to teach. Further information regarding the interview process can be found at https://www.wlv.ac.uk/apply/how-to-apply/4---after-youve-applied/subject-specific-applications/.

Interview and Selection

First Stage: All applicants that are successful with their application will be invited to complete a set of short professional scenarios involving reading, writing and numerical tasks. These will provide us with an audit of your existing strengths as well as indicate any areas where you need to develop your knowledge and understanding during your course. If you are offered a place following interview, you will be required to demonstrate your professional readiness through successful completion of all of the tasks as one of your conditions of acceptance before the course starts. This may mean that you are asked to attend support sessions in English and mathematics during your course to enable you to demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency by the completion of your course.

Any work to address shortfalls in English and mathematics must be undertaken by the trainee teacher in addition to other aspects of their training. It is the trainee’s responsibility to secure these fundamental skills before being recommended for Qualified Teacher Status.

Second Stage: You will undertake either an observed group task or a subject-specific activity (if you are applying for secondary teacher training).

Third Stage: You will engage in individual face to face interview

We will be assessing your ability to be able to meet the Teachers’ Standards by the completion of your course. Those successful in the audits and at interview will be subsequently required to meet enhanced DBS checks, fitness to teach and medical check and prohibition order check requirements. You will be expected to complete these forms once you have been successful and have a Conditional Offer.

If you have accepted a Conditional Offer made by the University of Wolverhampton you will receive correspondence asking you to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The charge for this will be a dbs fee of £38.00 and a £6.00 ID check service fee. You will also need an Occupational Health Check and a prohibition check prior to starting the course.

 

Please note that:

Application forms should be able to demonstrate not only your depth of knowledge of the role of a Primary teacher but also your enthusiasm and commitment to a career in teaching.

We will not accept applicants onto our professional courses who have been unsuccessful on professional courses at other institutions of higher education.

Free Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Check:

Due to the professional nature of some of our courses you may also be required to complete a Declaration of Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check. We will coordinate both of these non-academic conditions with you should your course require this and you receive an offer from us.

There will be no cost for the DBS this is free to applicants who have secured an offer and have chosen to study at the University of Wolverhampton.

We wish you every success with your application.

Karisma Takhar

Completed PGCE Primary Course: July 2024
Year 1 Teacher 
Crocketts Community Primary School 

“The teaching and lectures at Wolverhampton were incredibly informative and helpful. Each session was beneficial, preparing us for the necessary skills required to succeed as teachers. The support continued whilst on placement; the lecturers were always just an email away and always happy to help. I always felt looked after and could tell they cared about my well-being just as much as they did about my progress.

Completing my PGCE through Wolverhampton was definitely one of the best decisions I made; whilst it was hard work, the people I met along on the way, the structure of the course and the children I got to work with made it worthwhile.”

Jonathan Madhoo, PGCE alumnus

“As a young teenage boy, I always dreamed of inspiring the next generation. Becoming a teacher gave me the job satisfaction that only a few jobs will experience. Other than parents, as teachers, we have arguably the biggest influence on a child's life. The pride I take in playing a part in a child’s development of intelligence is the best part of becoming a teacher.

This would not have been possible if I had not taken the plunge and applied for a PGCE school’s direct course. With already having a sport, coaching and development BA degree, this allowed me to join the course.

Wolverhampton University has a strong reputation for exemplary teaching, and the University is known for delivering a high-quality PGCE course. The course was difficult and hard (especially while raising a newborn child at the same time), however, the support from the university lecturers and the structure of the curriculum assisted me in completing the course successfully and finishing with an overall 96%. 

If I were going to give any advice to future applicants, it would be “go for it”! The helpful nature of the PGCE course mentors well help guide you through your high-quality course and assist with securing your first teaching job. I passed this course over seven years ago, and I still use key techniques I learnt at university. The skills and techniques taught will help you throughout your teaching career.” 

Chris Evison, alumnus PGCE trainee, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rl2jFxj1kk 

"The trip to India and Dubai organised for the Primary Education students of the University of Wolverhampton was something that I will remember forever. This experience that the course offered attracted me right away as not many University students can graduate leaving their course with an opportunity to work in education internationally. The memories and the friendships that the trip gave us will stay with us forever. I would like to thank the University of Wolverhampton for this trip and would recommend this experience for any future student at Wolverhampton."

 

Tuition Fees Loan (Home Fee Status):

Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.

For more information please contact the Gateway.

Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.

Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.

Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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