General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

• UK Bachelors degree with Honours at 2:2 or above, or equivalent level.

• At least Grade C or the new Grade 4 in GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science.*

Equivalency Tests

For the 2023/24 cohort only, we will be accepting 3rd party equivalency tests in place of GCSEs. The current providers that have been approved are as follows, with details of the current discounts that are available. If you are intending to use another equivalency testing company, we recommend you contact our admissions team prior to doing so to ensure that they meet the entry criteria. 

Equivalency Testing

• Why choose Equivalency Testing? 
• Long standing company 
• Excellent student support 
• Secure testing 
• Good and quick feedback 
• Significant discount available for PGCE offer holders, please email cte.admissions@warwick.ac.uk for the code.

A Star Equivalency**

Why chose A Star Equivalency? 

• Excellent student support 
• A clear outline of required material in each exam 

• Rolling programme of live online subject specific support sessions. 
• An extensive range of free support material 
• Practice papers and marking schemes 
• Discounted from £165* to £139 (saving £26). Please contact cte.admissions@warwick.ac.uk for the discount code. 

If you are intending to use another equivalency testing company, we recommend you contact our admissions team prior to doing so to ensure that they meet the entry criteria. 

English language requirements

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, you will need a minimum score of 7.0 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Find out more about English language requirements at Warwick.

Documentation

If you graduated in the last two years, you’ll need to provide an academic reference. It can take a while to complete and submit a reference, so the sooner you get in touch, the better – you might want to send a description of the course and what you’d like to get out of it to make it easier. For more information and guidance, we recommend using UCAS Teacher Training References.

You will need original copies of all your qualifications. If you don’t have these any more, you can obtain a Certified Statement of Results instead, but these can take some time to retrieve from exam boards and you may need to pay a fee.

Classroom Experience

Although it is not a requirement for entry, we strongly recommend that you have some experience in the classroom within mainstream UK schools (Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2) before applying. This experience will give you a flavour for your potential future career and will help you write your application. Find out how to gain school experience.

 Safeguarding checks

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff, enrolled trainees and offer holders to share this commitment. The successful completion of an enhanced DBS check to confirm your suitability for the profession is a condition of any offer to study within CTE. Disclosure does not automatically make you ineligible to enrol onto a PGCE course, each application will be considered on a case by case basis, we recommend you use the DBS guidelines for applicants with previous convictions.

*The new grading system for those receiving their results for GCSE English, Mathematics and English was adopted in 2017. The grading system is now 9-1, with Grade 9 awarded to those students in the very top tier. Grade 4 is considered equivalent to the old Grade C.

**Special offer for the University of Warwick students. Maths exams are available in Foundation or Higher. English, Science and Biology are untiered
If students require further support, we offer a range of low cost options.

Core Modules

Subject Studies

This module ensures you are able to teach children the prime and specific areas of the Early Years Framework as well as the full range of core and foundation subjects in Key Stage 1. Particular focus is given to the balance of adult led and child initiated use of an enabling environment in the Early Years as well as a strong focus on Personal Social and Emotional Development, English, Mathematics and Science in EY and KS1. These are important areas of primary education and present you with some interesting challenges.

Professional Enquiry

This module is concerned with pedagogy – the method and practice of teaching. It addresses central issues such as, teaching methods, how children learn, meeting individual needs, assessment, differentiation and behaviour management.

Professional Practice

This module is concerned with ensuring that you are able to teach children a broad and balanced curriculum giving consideration to the ways children learn best including learning through play. It will develop your subject knowledge as well as provide you with a wealth of teaching approaches and activities for each subject.

Assessment

You will be assessed through written Master’s level assignments, which are aimed at assessing your professional and subject-specific learning. You’ll also be assessed on whether you meet the Teachers' StandardsLink opens in a new window at a level appropriate for a newly qualified teacher.

The current assessment methods consist of the following, however, CTE reserves the right to change these as appropriate in line with the requirements of regulatory authorities such as Ofsted and the DfE.

Professional Enquiry (Master's level)

Coursework focusing on a key issue and combining theory with your practice in schools. (Master's level assignment.)

Subject Studies (Master's level)

Coursework focusing on the role of the adult in supporting children's language development across the curriculum. (Masters level assignment.)

Professional Practice (Honour's level)

Meeting the Teachers’ Standards – at a Good or Outstanding level (weekly observations by School Mentor; visits by Link Tutor, and tutorials with Personal Tutor and completion of an online reflective account.)

Fees and Funding

Additional Costs

• Study costs
  There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
• Computing requirements
  A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for the course. The university provides central guidance on the recommended specification for any device you use to undertake your academic work.

For up-to-date information concerning fees, funding and scholarships for Home/EU and Overseas students please visit Warwick's PGCE Fees and Funding webpageLink opens in a new window.

Your career

Career progression may be through a specialist curriculum or pastoral role, or by moving into management. Teachers may become heads of Key Stages or coordinators of a cross-curricular area, such as special needs or careers education, as well as subject or professional mentors for trainee teachers on placement.

Upon completing this course you'll be recommended for qualified teacher status (QTS) and gain 90 credits at Master's level. This allows you to fast-track to stage two of our Master's degree, quickly progressing your professional development. If you choose to complete a different Master's, you can still use 60 credits towards your course.

What do our students say?

I began my teacher training via a School Direct route in 2014. When I qualified, I began working at a Primary School which was where I stayed for about 5 years. I took on the role of class mentor to trainees, supported NQTs and lead geography throughout the school. I began then working for the University of Warwick in January 2020. I mostly teach geography and history but also some maths across the EY, KS1 and KS2 curriculums. I also support trainee teachers in a pastoral setting as well as in a moderation setting by visiting the schools the trainees are placed in. I love teaching others, both children and adults alike and love learning myself. My motivation, I then suppose, comes from my own love of learning and wanting to instil that in others.

I like to think I’m an empathic educator and recognise the challenges that teachers, especially those beginning their career can face. I’m an advocate for the use of mindfulness as a way to manage the day to day difficulties teachers can face and run a weekly Twitter chat that looks at this (every Wednesday at 8pm. #MindfulTeacherChat).

I’d say that it’s important to remember that teaching is a career full of peaks and troughs. Sometimes you can have the best time of your life teaching and sometimes you can feel really snowed under but that it’s worth it in the end. Seeing those around you flourish under your guidance as their teacher is deeply satisfying and rewarding. There’s simply no other job like it."

Emily | Teaching Fellow at The University of Warwick
CTE School Direct Alumnus
Graduated 2014.