Overview
- You will be part of a cohort of trainees all learning to teach Physical Education and working with a dedicated team of PE teaching experts
- The course is active and participatory, placing considerable emphasis on working collaboratively with others and learning together
- Building on your existing sports experience you will learn the theoretical and practical approaches to teaching through Key Stages 3-5 in the varied classroom situations you will encounter
- You will develop your confidence, competence and independence as a teacher with the unique Exeter Model of Initial Teacher Education which progressively increases your school-based teaching over three terms
- You will join a supportive community of trainees and teachers who are passionate about education and research and will support you during your course and beyond
- Achieving the PGCE provides 60 M-level credits alongside your Qualified Teacher Status.
Top 150 in the world for Education
100% of our Education research has internationally excellent impact
Accredited by the DfE to deliver ITE courses from 2024
Diverse placement opportunities across the region
Top 150 in the world for Education
100% of our Education research has internationally excellent impact
Accredited by the DfE to deliver ITE courses from 2024
Diverse placement opportunities across the region
Entry requirements
Secondary PGCE students must have an honours degree and GCSE English and Mathematics at Grade C/4 or equivalent. A satisfactory medical assessment and DBS enhanced check are also requirements for entry to this programme. Selection is based on the information provided on the DfE Apply application and on performance at interview.
Typically, successful applicants have a 2.2 Honours degree or above. Applicants will normally be expected to have a sport-related degree but applicants with an alternative degree and relevant experience will also be considered.
For applicants without the required GCSE pass at grade C/grade 4, we accept a Grade 4 pass in the English and Mathematics equivalency tests offered by A Star Equivalency and equivalencytesting.com (please do contact the PGCE Admissions team for further guidance before signing up for an equivalency test). See full list of accepted English/Maths equivalent qualifications.
Successful applicants are also expected to successfully complete a One-Day Emergency First Aid at Work Certificate (or equivalent) before the commencement of the PGCE year.
We want all potentially excellent teachers to have the opportunity to train. If your qualification profile does not fit that described above, please do contact us.
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
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Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile . Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
Course content
A practical and interactive course, you will learn to teach pupils about fitness and health, including for BTEC, GCSE and A-level courses. You will explore a wide variety of physical activities drawn from the National Curriculum for PE (ie athletics, dance, games, gymnastics, swimming and outdoor and adventurous activities) and learn how to adapt your teaching for diverse learners. Drawing on recent research evidence, you will develop the fundamentals of teaching including behaviour management, assessment, curriculum planning, adaptive and inclusive teaching and working with the school community and parents. We’ll support you to become a reflective and confident teacher who is able to assess your own achievements and professional development requirements.
20 days of the course are dedicated to Intensive Training & Practice, focusing on four themes of teaching and learning which enable you to delve deeply into particular key areas. You will learn about principles underpinning each theme, work with expert practitioners in university and school settings, and use the Exeter Model Framework to reflect on and synthesise your learning.
During your placements, you will have the opportunity to put the skills learned into practice whilst being fully supported by your Mentor who will work as an expert partner and challenge your thinking about teaching in ways that can be used to enhance your performance.
The programme has three fully integrated components:
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
This component introduces you to key educational ideas and principles within a range of educational contexts. The module is followed throughout the year with both University and school-based elements and is concerned with classroom issues, whole school issues and the role of education in the wider society.
Central to the course is the development of your ability to meet the standards of professional competence which trainees must demonstrate in order to meet national standards for the award of QTS. This module enables you to reflect on your professional development and demonstrate via an Individual Development Portfolio (IDP), evidence of your ongoing progression towards Qualified Teacher Status.
The principal aim of the module is to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of the background issues and practice of the current teaching of English in secondary schools. In addition, the module seeks to nurture you as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner, able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and curriculum theory.
Will Katene
Senior Lecturer in Physical Education / Subject Lead Secondary PGCE Physical Education
Will Katene
Senior Lecturer in Physical Education / Subject Lead Secondary PGCE Physical Education
Will has extensive experience in teaching Physical Education (PE) to young people at secondary school level in New Zealand and the UK and lecturing in PE, Sport Sciences and Education to students at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the UK. Will’s research interests are principally in the field of PE Initial Teacher Education, with a particular focus on primary and secondary student teachers’ subject knowledge.
Profile page
Fees
2025/26 entry
- UK: £9,535 full-time
- International: £24,700 full-time
A variety of attractive financial support packages are available. Find out more.
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.
Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.
Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships
Teaching and research
Our unique approach to Initial Teacher Education is praised by Ofsted and provides fantastic opportunities for trainees to achieve through our highly original Exeter Model of Initial Teacher Education. The programme runs over three terms and provides a carefully phased development of trainees’ independence as teachers.
The taught element is made up of timetabled seminars, lectures and self-directed study. You will be asked to work individually and as part of small and larger groups. You will be supported in developing the full range of teaching skills and effective reflection that you will need in your first teaching post as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Learning is primarily face to face during the campus-based teaching, and wholly face to face during school experience placements. The campus-based elements of the course are taught mainly through seminars and workshops with a significant element of directed collaborative group work and self-study. All modules are assessed through course work and there are no final examinations.
More details on the course structure can be found here.
Vibrant community
By learning on campus for most of the first term you have access to the tools needed to rapidly build professional knowledge and confidence ready for your work in school placements. You also benefit from the opportunity to build friendships and become part of a community of trainees and teachers who are passionate about education and will support you during your course and beyond.
Facilities and support
You’ll have access to a range of support, including a personal tutor, materials available through our online learning environment including lecture notes, presentations, film clips and reading materials, and access to the University’s wellbeing and support services. We carry out a detailed skills audit with every trainee so we understand your development needs and can personalise elements of training to strengthen the skills you need to excel as a teacher.
Campus-based modules are taught at the School of Education at the St Luke’s Campus in Exeter, which offers an excellent range of specialist facilities and the UK’s largest Education library.
Research-led teaching
All our tutors have real-world experience as teachers. They also lead and innovate: our tutors have written textbooks for trainee teachers and school pupils, advised government, led subject networks and are active educational researchers.
You will benefit from our active research culture, which promotes the sharing of ideas and knowledge to encourage innovation. Our research centres provide a focus for research and discussion for academic staff, researchers and practitioners and organise seminar series, outside speakers, conferences and other events.
The PGCE PE team’s current research interests lie in the areas of learning how to teach with a particular focus on physical education, student teachers' subject knowledge and the role that collaborative and interdisciplinary learning plays in developing student teachers' subject knowledge.
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Careers
The PGCE provides excellent grounding for a long career within education, whether you aspire to become an outstanding classroom practitioner, school leader, or specialist in a specific area of education, the opportunities are broad.
Career support
Careers support including skills training, internships, jobs vacancies, employment fairs and other events is available through the Career Zone.
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