Why choose the School of Education and English
A practice-led approach to gaining Qualified Teacher Status, with 80% of your time spent on placement.
In the NSS 2025, our teacher training courses scored student satisfaction rates of 90% and over for teaching, learning opportunities, academic support, learning resources and freedom of expression.
In the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2025, our education and teaching courses rank in the top 25 in their subject field for sense of community and skills development.
About the course
This largely placement-based course focuses on developing your practical teaching skills, understanding of educational theory and subject-specific knowledge needed to be a physics teacher at secondary level. The course explores investigational, collaborative and problem-solving activities while giving you the skills to teach a broad spectrum of physics-based concepts. In your University-based sessions, you build your awareness and understanding of professional issues; the physics curriculum; the role of technology; and aspects of teaching such as planning and assessment.
There is the option to take this course part time over two years, making it easier to balance study with your other commitments.
For further course information, contact Stephen Cox at stephen.cox@beds.ac.uk
Course accreditation / industry endorsement
We are a Department for Education-accredited provider of Initial Teacher Training (ITT). This course meets the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Teacher Education Centre with realistic mock classrooms supported by specialist technology that allows you to watch and self-assess your lesson
- Recently refurbished science labs with facilities for wet work
- Forest School
- Sensory Centre
- Up-to-the-minute simulation technology
- Multimedia space for webinars and podcasting
Industry links
We have well-established partnerships with more than 500 schools and other associated organisations across the eastern region, a network that puts us ahead when it comes to national priorities, issues and developments in educational practice. We also work with several professional bodies such as the local science learning partnership, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society of Biology and Institute of Physics.
Your student experience
The University of Bedfordshire is one of the largest providers of teacher education in the region with a long, successful history of teacher education going back to 1882.
Gain real-world experience on a practice-led teaching course where you complete your training in the classroom at placements in our partner schools around the region.
The PGCE course has wellbeing embedded throughout, with specialist sessions entitled ‘Looking after yourself as a teacher’.
The enrichment arm of the course enables you to gain further understanding in areas of your choosing, such as autism or school leadership, with some choices leading to additional qualifications.
Your mentor is fully trained and may be a former University of Bedfordshire student teacher so you are joining a large, lifelong community.
Additional placement support is provided by our placement coordinator and wellbeing coordinator.
University-based sessions take place at our Bedford campus, a small, thriving academic community where academic staff get to know you well and provide individual academic support.
All University-based staff teaching our QTS courses were previously employed as teachers, senior leaders and/or head teachers.
Staff are evidence informed and current in their education practice through school settings or research activities at HE/national level.
We use blended-learning strategies, with conferences, TED-style masterclasses and cross-curricular discussions taking place on campus as well as online.
Regular visits by professionals from schools, local organisations, community partners and professional bodies including both primary and secondary teachers and senior leaders, SEN schools, and local education authorities.
Experience field trips to locations you would be likely to take your pupils.
On graduating, you gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to work as a science teacher with a physics specialism, in a secondary education setting.
Did you know?
Why does a ball bounce?
How big is an atom? And what is it made of?
How far away is the sun? And how long does it take for its light to reach Earth?
Studying our Secondary Science with Physics PGCE course will equip you with in-depth knowledge and skills to teach science, specialising in physics, at secondary level. The Curriculum Specialist (Secondary Science with Physics) focuses on developing inclusive and dynamic science teaching that helps develop practical skills in students and promotes engagement in physics. We will explore a wide variety of teaching strategies, theories and recent research and analyse the rationale behind using them. You will then be supported in applying this theory in creative ways within your own teaching practice through collaborative planning, weekly progress reviews and evaluations.
The university works closely with various partners including the local Science Learning Partnerships (SLP), the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Bedford Physic Partnership (BPP) with colleagues from all three leading training and development sessions on the course, such as teaching physic practical skills and developing subject specific knowledge, such as maths in physics. This course is taught alongside the Secondary Science (Biology) and (Chemistry) courses allowing a unique opportunity to develop as a science teacher across all three specialisms with a focus in physics.
The course is predominately taught in a bespoke teaching lab as well as several sessions taking place in alternative learning environments to help consider the role of physics in the real world and how these applications can be brought back to a classroom setting. The locations vary each year and range from our purpose-built forest school to a zoo. The Evidence Informed Curriculum Specialist unit builds on your understanding of current contexts in chemistry, as well as how to apply that knowledge into practice through a variety of methods of delivery including keynote lectures, conference day and cross subject discussion groups. As well as enrichment activities throughout the year to explore beyond the curriculum and promote positive physical and mental wellbeing.
Throughout this unit, you will have the opportunity to undertake school placements where you will build your experience to independently plan and deliver lessons based on your observations and learning in our School Experience 1 unit. You will also explore new pedagogical ideas while also learning to align with behaviour management policy in schools. In the second part of this unit, School Experience 2, you will continue to develop and apply your experience from the first unit while also learning methods to adapt teaching, effective use of assessment and to promote good progress. This course is available as both a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time course.
The assessment strategy is based upon the premise that critical evaluation of theoretical perspectives as they apply to your own teaching is an intrinsic element of best teaching practice. Throughout the course, therefore, you will continually be encouraged to explore what is known about teaching and learning, and to demonstrate independence and creativity in evaluating the relevance of that knowledge in your own context. Sound subject knowledge is a fundamental quality of an effective teacher and you will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to ongoing development of that knowledge throughout the course in preparation for the final assessment. Also key to the course is a focus on the development of evidence informed teaching, culminating in an extended systematic study of your own practice.
By embracing the professional requirements for Qualified Teacher Status within the course it supports you in developing the qualities which define the University of Bedfordshire graduate teacher: an independent, reflective, creative, innovative, collaborative and resilient professional who is committed to ongoing personal and professional development.
The assessment for this course seeks to support you in developing your understanding of the interplay between theoretical perspectives and practice-based experience. You will be developing your skills of reviewing and evaluation of evidence, critical thinking, creativity and independence. The themes for your evidence informed writing are developed from local and national subject priorities and, therefore, allow you to develop the evidence of your understanding of values and principles found in the cumulative evidence record which enable you to meet the Teachers’ Standards as they apply to your working context at the end of the course. By building your work around these themes, you will generate rich evidence which can contribute to the assessment of your professional performance: the Profile Review Points. Hence, the assessment items are intrinsically connected and, in combination, allow you to demonstrate your achievement of all learning outcomes.
The Profile Review Point is the process by which the mentor reviews your progress in your teaching practice and offers this evidence to your university tutor to review against all the other evidence that they see of you on the course. The Cumulative Evidence Record provides the framework by which this progress is judged and are supplemented with descriptors which support you in understanding how to show you have learned the curriculum of the course. The Teachers Standards are used at the end of the course as per the statutory PSRB guidance.
Formative use of assessment is embedded throughout the course and is a principle which we would expect you to adopt in your own teaching. You will be supported to become familiar with self- and peer-assessment approaches and to make effective use of feedback on both academic and practice-based aspects of the course, to identify targets for your ongoing development and plan actions to address them.
The passing of all four units will mean the course will recommend you to the TRA for QTS. In exceptional circumstances, approved by the head of school, it may be possible for recommendation for QTS to be made without completion of all four units. This option is not an automatic entitlement.
Engagement with published research is a fundamental aspect of the course and you will be supported in developing skills of critical analysis of the literature. Rigorous attention to referencing conventions is, therefore, essential and you will be required to adopt the Harvard system. You will be supported in developing your understanding of plagiarism and in the use of Turnitin as a means of ensuring that referencing requirements are satisfied.
Careers
On graduating, you can apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to work as a science teacher with a physics specialism in a secondary education setting. Many of our graduates go on to rewarding employment in local schools.
As well as Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), completing the course also offers you up to 60 Master's-level credits with opportunities for further study at MA/MSc, MPhil, PhD and EdD levels.
Entry Requirements
- Safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS, and Occupational Health check are required
Entry Requirements
- Safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS, and Occupational Health check are required
Fees for this course
UK
You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for PGCE tuition fees.
See www.gov.uk/student-finance
A limited number of bursaries are available for Primary PGCE courses.
See www.gov.uk/teacher-training-funding
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Bedfordshire Scholarship Available
The University of Bedfordshire is proud of its alumni and is delighted to offer a tuition fee discount for those who choose to continue or return to the University for on campus Postgraduate level studies.
We offer a 20% discount on full and part-time Masters courses to those who were successful in completing an Honours Degree with the University of Bedfordshire, DMU’s Bedford campus or the University of Luton.
The Department for Education (DFE) Bursaries and Scholarships
Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on tuition fee-based teacher training courses in England that lead to the award of qualified teacher status (QTS).
| Subject | Bursary | Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Computing | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Mathematics | £29,000 | — |
| Physics | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Chemistry | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Design and Technology | £20,000 | — |
| Biology | £5,000 | — |
| Geography | £5,000 | — |
Fees for this course
UK
You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for PGCE tuition fees.
See www.gov.uk/student-finance
A limited number of bursaries are available for Primary PGCE courses.
See www.gov.uk/teacher-training-funding
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Bedfordshire Scholarship Available
The University of Bedfordshire is proud of its alumni and is delighted to offer a tuition fee discount for those who choose to continue or return to the University for on campus Postgraduate level studies.
We offer a 20% discount on full and part-time Masters courses to those who were successful in completing an Honours Degree with the University of Bedfordshire, DMU’s Bedford campus or the University of Luton.
The Department for Education (DFE) Bursaries and Scholarships
Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on tuition fee-based teacher training courses in England that lead to the award of qualified teacher status (QTS).
| Subject | Bursary | Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Computing | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Mathematics | £29,000 | — |
| Physics | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Chemistry | £29,000 | £31,000 |
| Design and Technology | £20,000 | — |
| Biology | £5,000 | — |
| Geography | £5,000 | — |
