Course information
UK fee £9,250
International fee £18,950
Taught by Education
Primary PGCE Office
+44 (0)116 252 3687
EDenquiries@le.ac.uk
Course description
Course description
Our PGCE Primary has been running for over 60 years and schools tell us we are developing the kind of teachers they want to employ.
All of our PGCE courses are made up of both campus-based sessions - which will give you a grounding in the principles of good teaching practice - and school-based placements, giving you the chance to apply your knowledge and experience to a wide range of classroom situations. These placements will be in contrasting schools to provide you with a broad range of experience; they could be in city, suburban or rural schools, in the independent or state sector.
The PGCE Primary course prepares you to teach across the full range of the Primary Curriculum. We will introduce you to the wider context of teaching, including responding to diversity in schools and the inclusion of Special Needs Education, as well as equipping you with classroom management and planning skills.
By the end of the course you will meet the required professional standards for Qualified Teachers Status (QTS) and will be awarded a University of Leicester PGCE. Our strong ethos of reflective practice will prepare you well for your future career in teaching.
New teachers have now become some of the best-paid postgraduates in England. From September 2023, once you have completed your one-year PGCE course - which awards you QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) - as a primary or secondary school teacher in England, you’ll start on a minimum salary of £30,000 (£36,745 in inner London). Your salary will be reviewed every year, with most teachers moving up the pay range annually. A typical teacher could earn at least £41,333 (or more in London) within 5 years.
Not sure which PGCE route is right for you? Have a look at our Routes into Teaching pages to find out more about PGCE, Lead Partners and SCITT routes, including the dates of regular events we hold.
Alongside this ‘University-led’ PGCE, we work in partnership with schools across the region to offer a Lead Partners Primary PGCE.
We’re delighted that in 2024, Ofsted have graded our initial teacher training programmes as Outstanding. This means that both our primary and secondary teacher training adheres to the highest standards set by the Department for Education.
According to the report, “trainees are exceptionally positive about the high quality of training they receive. They benefit from an ambitious curriculum, delivered by experts, and supported by relevant, up-to-date research. Trainees have ample opportunities to integrate theory and practice. They learn to be instinctively reflective, and this helps them to decide the beliefs and values they will hold as a teacher.
Trainees gain rich experiences in schools with different contexts.”
Read the full report.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
- 2:1 degree or above
- GCSE grade C or above in English Language, Maths and Science.
- Although not essential, you may find it useful to have recent experience working with children and/or observing teaching in a school setting, ideally relating to the age range/subject you wish to teach. When writing your application you should try to reflect on your experience and tell us what you learnt.
- Please consult our Education at Leicester website to find detailed explanations of our recruitment and selection processes and criteria.
Additional requirements
Admission to the course is subject to a satisfactory medical report. The University will provide more information about this should you be offered a place.
All offers are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure. We will provide instructions regarding the DBS application process once you have accepted an offer of a place on the course.
Application Process
The application process for a PGCE is different from other postgraduate courses so please see our information on how to apply.
English Language Requirements
You must have a GCSE Grade C in English Language. Please see our entry requirements (left) for more information.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in September 2025
- £9,250
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
PGCE students can apply for loans from Student Finance England and may be entitled to a tax-free NCTL bursary.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
International Students
Starting in September 2025
- £18,950
You will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
Please note that International Students will not be eligible for bursaries offered by the Department for Education. For more information, please visit the Get into Teaching website.
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
We will support you in applying for teaching posts by guiding and supporting you through the whole process including workshops run by head teachers and recruitment specialists. The workshop content includes writing letters of application; interview techniques; teaching sample lessons and one-to-one coaching and mock interviews. We know that this approach is highly successful every year and, and Ofsted noted, 'Former trainees from this provider are highly prized locally and demand often outstrips the number of NQT positions available'.
We foster your continued relationship with Education at Leicester once you become an NQT by supporting your career development in a number of ways, including running a successful NQT Conference each spring.
Our PhD opportunities are very popular with those wishing to pursue a particular research interest at doctoral level. We are committed to training excellent teachers during the PGCE and beyond, and we are proud that so many of our students return to Education at Leicester for further study once qualified.
New teachers have now become some of the best-paid postgraduates in England. From September 2023, once you have completed your one-year PGCE course - which awards you QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) - as a primary or secondary school teacher in England, you’ll start on a minimum salary of £30,000 (£36,745 in inner London). Your salary will be reviewed every year, with most teachers moving up the pay range annually. A typical teacher could earn at least £41,333 (or more in London) within 5 years.
Our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.
Related courses
Course structure
Taught Strands
Taught Strands
The PGCE Primary covers the following three taught strands:
Professional Studies Strand
The Professional Strand of the PGCE course provides generic foundations for you as a future Primary teacher. It will support your development as a skilful practitioner by helping you to understand and engage with the complexities of teaching. You will cover a range of important elements including planning, teaching, learning, assessment and classroom management, according to the Teachers’ Standards. The sessions are designed to help you develop pedagogical understanding through critical discussion and reflection on classroom action. You will also develop an understanding of the role of teachers and their wider professional responsibilities.
Curriculum Strand
Whilst there is an emphasis on teaching Maths and English, PGCE Primary teaching sessions cover the full range of the Primary National Curriculum. Sessions may focus on a single subject area or involve cross-curricular or thematic approaches currently adopted in many schools. Some curriculum work will take place through Focus Days in schools.
Specialist Studies Strand
An engagement with research is an important element of developing as a critically reflective classroom practitioner; the sessions in this strand will introduce you to a range of theoretical ideas about learning and teaching and their implications for practice. This strand is also designed to help you develop skills related to professional inquiry and will show you how to carry out small scale studies in your placement classrooms which can then be written up for your two assignments. A significant element of the strand is undertaking a specialist study which includes taught sessions at the University combined with a small project in the spring term school placement. During the autumn term you will select your area for specialist study from options which may include:
- English
- Inclusion
- Mathematics
- Science
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
School Placements
School Placements
During the PGCE, you will be placed in three contrasting Partnership schools. We are proud to work with over 200 primary schools in the state and independent sectors, and in city, suburban and rural settings, as well as special schools.
Primary students (specialising in the 5-11 age range) are placed in a range of KS1 and KS2 classes, and Lower Primary students (specialising in the 3-7 age range) work in Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage settings. In addition to the three block teaching placements you will also visit different schools as part of a series of 'focus days', studying specific subject and professional topics in an intensive school-based context.
The school-based time is a vitally important element of the course. You will have the opportunity to observe skilled class teachers working and to discuss the things that underpin day-to-day classroom activities, as well as work alongside experienced teacher-mentors who will support your learning about classroom practice.
Teaching Experience 1
This is a six-week paired placement with two students working together in one class. This gives you the opportunity to work with a partner to develop classroom skills in a supportive environment. You will focus on developing observation skills to support your understanding of teaching and learning and to put your learning into practice. During this Autumn Term placement you and your partner will work towards taking an increased responsibility for teaching the class.
Teaching Experience 2
This takes place in the Spring Term and lasts for six weeks. The amount of time spent teaching the class increases over the placement until you have responsibility for up to 80% of the timetable.
Teaching Experience 3
This is an eight-week placement in the Summer Term with students working towards taking responsibility for 80% of the teaching timetable.
Throughout each of these placements you will be encouraged to participate fully in the life of the school and to take full advantage of the tasks and activities designed by your tutors to support your development. It is expected that through your three placements you will gain experience across the age range that you are training to teach.
Your placement schools will be decided by your personal tutor following discussions about your professional development needs.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester?
You'll have access to the very best, and most inspiring, practising teachers – participating in their seminars, observing them in the classroom, or being guided by them during your placements.
We work with over 200 primary and secondary schools in city, suburban and rural settings, in both the State and independent sectors.
Ofsted (2024) have graded our initial teacher training programmes as 'Outstanding'. This means our programmes adhere to the highest standards set by the Department for Education.
Teaching and learning
The majority of your taught sessions will be with students from the other routes into teaching, allowing you to benefit from their variety of experiences and knowledge. Some of your sessions will also be taught in age-phase groups (i.e. Lower Primary and Primary). There are also specialist study groups for all students.
Our course has been praised by external examiners and Ofsted for its focus on reflection. You will be encouraged to evaluate your own teaching and share your learning with your peers.
Throughout your PGCE course you'll have the support of a range of teachers and tutors, as we are aware of the confidence this brings. We'll make sure you have the right support at the right time – whether that's at university or in school.
As well as gaining your Postgraduate Certificate of Education and QTS, you will also be able to take 60 credits which can be put towards a Masters qualification (you need 180 credits to complete a Masters).
You will complete two written assignments which make up the academic part of your assessment. The rest of your assessment will take place continuously throughout the course. There are no exams.
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | Start Dates | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Primary Education | Qualification PGCE | Duration 1 year full-time | Start Dates September each year | Availability Apply Now |
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