A one-year full-time course, PGCE Secondary Science with Physics enables you to meet the national standards for the award of qualified teacher status. Teaching Science at Key Stages 3 requires competence across the entire range of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for Science. Therefore our PGCE Secondary Science with Physics course begins with a stimulating mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics education. We then focus fully on Physics, allowing you to specialise in the teaching of this diverse and engaging subject at Key Stage 4. We have an outstanding range of specialist science and teaching facilities on campus, providing you with a solid foundation on which to develop your skills and experience. During your studies, you will undertake teaching placements in at least two secondary schools and have the chance to acquire skills in the application of new technologies in teaching and learning. Schools are carefully selected to suit each individual and expose them to a variety of imaginative and thought provoking learning strategies. Key experts from our partner schools are on hand to offer invaluable mentoring and support. The PGCE Secondary Science with Physics course will comprise a range of presentations, discussions and practical workshops where exemplar material can be selected from physics contexts. You will have many opportunities both individually and in groups to apply general principles to specific science learning opportunities in science and in physics. There will also be break out sessions where you will be working both in mixed groups and with other physics specialists. Outside specialists are also invited to deliver sessions that cover topics in teaching Physics at KS4. The physics specialism will also be reflected in the required reading for the course. School based training will reflect the pattern of centre based training. Your timetable will be a balance of Key Stages 3 and 4 with teaching across the science curriculum at KS3 but with a focus on Physics at KS4. You will be matched with physics mentors and/or co-mentors for KS4 teaching. Auditing and assessment of Physics subject knowledge related to teaching standards will then be reflected in school reporting procedures.

We are proud to have strong and committed partnerships with hundreds of schools located in London and the surrounding area. This means that during your studies you will take part in work placements at a variety of schools, where you will have an opportunity to apply the skills you have learnt. Many students go on to commence their careers at the school where they completed a placement during the course, with more than 95% of students finding employment soon after graduation. Recent research into teachers' daily experiences by the Department for Education has found that teaching is better at giving you a 'natural high' than many other professions. The starting salary of an newly qualified teacher is at least £21,804 a year (£27,270 if working in inner London) and, on average, teachers’ salaries increase by 30% after the first four years of their career. Teachers can find career progression in both the classroom and the school’s management structure. You might aspire to become the head of a department, age group or curriculum. And through developing your leadership skills and experience, you could progress to a senior management position, such as deputy head or head teacher (earning a salary of between £42,803 and £113,303).