PGCE Primary (Part-Time)

Ranked 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)

Why study this course

Our highly respected two-year, part-time PGCE primary course is designed with more than 120 days spent on placement in a school or setting.

Gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) in a more flexible way on a route that supports trainees with other life or work commitments.

BGU has 160 years of experience in education and upholds an excellent and long-standing national reputation within the field.

Our academic modules are designed to complement your time spent on placement and are designed to best prepare you for a career in teaching.

Course summary

This PGCE course prepares you to teach children in either the 3 to 7 age range or 5-11 age phase. This 2-year, part-time blended route provides you with the skills to teach your chosen age range, integrating theory and practice and combining study at either postgraduate or professional level alongside practical training to enable you to meet the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the course. This course will be delivered via blended learning with training usually taking place on a Friday. Students will attend campus for sessions (usually 6 sessions in each academic year delivered on campus), and the remainder of the taught content will be delivered through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous sessions as well as independent study, to allow flexibility for students choosing this route. Our ITE Curriculum is underpinned by the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework to ensure you are well prepared to teach during your placements and to prepare you for your future career in the classroom.

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Key facts

Award	PGCE
DfE code	2NP6 (3 - 7)
Duration	2 years
Mode of study	Part-time
Start date	September 2025
Award	Bishop Grosseteste University
Institution code	B38

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When you're ready to apply, the route you take will depend on your personal circumstances and preferred method of study. Click the relevant button below to start your application journey.

About this course

This part-time, two-year course includes time spent on placement in schools or Early Years settings- more than 120 days will be based in a placement school or setting. Placements are carefully structured to ensure the gradual development of your confidence as an effective teacher through building up experiences working with university-based mentors and school/setting-based mentors. Students on this route will undertake three placements over two years. In the first year, students undertake the ‘Introductory placement’ with 2 consecutive days a week spent on placement, leading to a 6-week block (5 days a week) which usually takes place after Easter. In the second academic year, there will be two more placements following a similar structure whereby students are in school for 2 consecutive days a week, leading to a longer 6-week block in each.

The course allows for integrated academic and professional preparation for teaching, combining study at either postgraduate or professional level with practical training to meet the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the course. The goal is that you should become a reflective practitioner – a teacher who thinks about their experiences and learns from them to improve their practice. The focus of this course is on teaching and learning to support children, and on the importance of your professional role. You will carry out a series of study tasks which link theory to practice and provide a focus for reflection. You will be supported in your learning by university tutors, school/setting-based

mentors and your peers. Practical teaching is introduced gradually, allowing you to build confidence and skills in a structured way.

There is a strong emphasis on linking theory and practice, with the academic modules supporting you in developing your practice. All placements form an integral part of the course, leading to a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by the end of your training. At Bishop Grosseteste University, our PGCE programme is underpinned by an ambitious curriculum, carefully sequenced to provide you with the knowledge and skills for you to be successful in your training. There are also opportunities for enrichment experiences to develop your breadth of experience in different schools and settings.

Our Ofsted Report (2016) found that high-quality training, provided through an effective partnership between the university and schools/settings, ‘ensures that teachers trained by the university present as confident and effective practitioners, who are valued by their employing schools’.

What you will study

Students on this course currently study some or all of the following modules:

Course modules

This module will enable you to undertake meaningful reflection of your experiences, enabling the development of professional and subject knowledge. You will use critical incident analysis models and develop your understanding of theories of learning and reflective practice.

This module provides opportunities for you to undertake professional small-scale research in order to develop an understanding of educational theory and current issues in teaching practice.

Entry requirements

You will normally need:

GCSEs at grade 4 (previously C) or above (or equivalent) in English Language, Mathematics and a Science. Please see our list of accepted equivalents.
An honours degree at a 2:2 classification or above (Where the degree result is to be awarded in the year of application, we will require a predicted degree classification as part of an academic reference provided on the application)
Experience – please see information below
Declaration of Health
DBS (formerly the CRB) Enhanced Disclosure

When shortlisting for an interview, we will consider the following aspects of your qualifications:

GCSE grades (or equivalents) and relevance of subjects
A Level grades (or equivalents) and relevance of subjects
Degree Class and relevance of content
Additional relevant qualifications

GCSEs

You must be able to evidence successful completion of your GCSE qualifications before your enrolment onto the course. Please see our list of accepted equivalents.

Experience

Experience in a relevant setting is useful as it will help you to make sure that you are aware of the role of a teacher in the twenty-first century. The course is intensive and demanding and you need to be aware of what a career in the teaching profession entails.

We encourage you to gain some experience in schools as this is a good starting point for you to gain an interview for the Primary PGCE, but experience is not a requirement for applying or obtaining an interview.

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) – formerly the CRB and Health

In addition, you will be required to obtain a satisfactory Declaration of Health Form, or if required, a medical examination. In addition, all students will need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (formerly the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)). A successful Enhanced Disclosure is required before commencing the course.

If you have any questions about the entry requirements for this course, please contact our Enquiries team for advice on +44 (0) 1522 583658 or email courseenquiries@bishopg.ac.uk.

Further information

Click here for important information about this course including additional costs, resources and key policies.

In accordance with University conditions, students are entitled to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, RP(C)L, based on relevant credit at another HE institution or credit Awarded for Experiential Learning, (RP(E)L).

How you will be taught

The course allows students the opportunity to learn through the VLE with around 6 campus sessions taking place in each academic year. The students choosing this route, have opportunities to gain a PGCE with QTS in a more flexible way, with time for other work or life commitments. The course ensures the integration of theory and practice with placements in schools/settings an integral part of the programme.

Placements:

Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to learn from experts during time on school/setting placements, in addition to Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP) experiences. At the end of the programme, there will be a summative assessment leading to a recommendation of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Students will be supported during each placement by a school-based mentor, who will in turn be supported by a university-based mentor.

Academic staff

Assessment

Assessments include written assignments that support your analysis and reflection of theory and practice. You will be summatively assessed against the Teachers’ Standards at the end of the second academic year and your final placement, to be recommended for QTS. Formative assessments will also take place throughout your time on placement, to check understanding and knowledge gained against the BGU ITE primary curriculum.

Careers & Further study

The teaching profession has a well-structured career pathway which moves progressively from initial teacher training (ITT) through to Early Career Teacher (ECT) status. On passing your induction, your career can develop with opportunities to work towards NPQs (National Professional Qualifications), or progress towards leadership positions, such as Deputy Head teacher, and perhaps a Headteacher. Alternatively, you may decide to focus on other roles within school, such as SEND Co-ordinator, or perhaps further develop your postgraduate studies to a full Masters degree.

What Our Students Say

Discover what life is like at Bishop Grosseteste University from our students.

Support

Staff and students work together in a friendly and supportive atmosphere, as part of an intimate campus community. You will know every member of staff personally and feel confident in approaching them for help and advice and staff members will also recognise you, not just by sight, but as an individual with unique interests and talents. We are here to support you, personally and academically, from induction to graduation.

Fees & Funding

A lot of student finance information is available from numerous sources, but it is sometimes confusing and contradictory. That’s why at BGU we try to give you all the information and support we can to help to throughout the process. Our Student Advice team are experts in helping you sort out the funding arrangements for your studies, offering a range of services to guide you through all aspects of student finance step by step.

Click here to find information about fees, loans and support which will help to make the whole process a little easier to understand. For all applicants, there are full instructions at UCAS to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate. Full details of all tuition fees can be found here.

For all applicants, there are full instructions here to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate.

Expert subject specialists ensure that trainees acquire strong subject and pedagogical knowledge. There is a clear intent to ensure that the training develops high quality, insightful teachers who work to address social inequality and ‘change pupils’ lives.’

Ofsted, 2024

Why Study for a PGCE at BGU?

Our University has been a historic part of Lincoln and educational institution since 1862, beginning as an Anglican teacher training college for women. Studying a PGCE Primary qualification at BGU, you will be part of a first class education experience and part of the wider BGU community.

Your lecturers will guide you through the PGCE journey, offering in-depth sessions and advice to ensure your success. They will be with you every step of the way with the benefit of being in a university setting, so you know you are staying on track.

Studying on-campus opens you up to more personal and connecting experiences. The practical sessions will allow you to try out your teaching ideas and techniques, gaining invaluable feedback from your peers and teachers.

BGU students across all subjects have access to a range of facilities to support their learning. Our expansive library is an inclusive and communal space, complete with over 140,000 physical resources, The Teaching Resources Collection (TRC), electronic assets, and quiet study areas.

The TRC is one of several incredibly useful resources you will find as a PGCE student. It is designed in a way that will help you engage your classes and includes various DVDs, puppets, games, and children's books.

CELT is BGU's dedicated area for Learning Development, Digital Learning, and Student Engagement. The CELT team works closely with colleagues across the University to help meet students’ expectations and provide learning resources that best suit them.

Studying towards a degree or qualification can be incredibly rewarding, but sometimes students will need some assistance and encouragement during this time. Whilst completing your PGCE Primary you have full access to student support including: Student Advice, International Student Support, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Estranged Students, Students From Care, and Accessibility.