About this course
天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 Chemistry PGCE initial teacher education programme blends continuous hands-on school experience with a thorough understanding of the school science curriculum.
You'll learn all the latest developments in science education and be guided by dedicated and knowledgeable tutors who have extensive experience teaching science. Some of the top science teachers and senior leaders in our area will also contribute to the high-quality training you receive.
Chemistry will be your PGCE specialism but you'll graduate with the skills, knowledge, and experience to teach all 3 sciences at Key Stage 3 and GCSE. You'll also be ready to teach chemistry to post-16 students in schools or colleges.
You'll be awarded a PGCE and QTS once you've completed this subject-specific programme. A specialism in chemistry will enhance your employability throughout a wide range of schools and colleges in the UK.
Chemistry PGCE curriculum
The programme covers all elements of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) set by the Department for Education (DfE) for initial teacher training.
You'll explore:
- the different types of knowledge in school science
- effective sequencing across science topics
- how to make explanations of abstract science concepts clear and engaging
- how to incorporate socio-scientific issues (like climate change, genetic engineering, and evironmental questions) into your teaching
- how to use practical work effectively
- how to make science accessible to all
You'll also have structured opportunities to prepare and conduct fieldwork experiences and get an introduction to post-16 teaching in your chemistry specialism.
We'll also equip you with essential skills and strategies to:
- meet professional expectations
- manage behaviour in the classroom
- monitor and assess pupils
- support children with special educational needs and disabilitie
- keep children safe
Find out more and talk to a tutor at one of our Open Evenings.
Talk to a tutor
Looking for more information? Send your question to one of our PGCE tutors.
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course lead
Your course leader is Matt Perks, Senior Teaching Fellow within 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 Education School. He taught physics, chemistry and biology in secondary schools for many years before joining the University. Read Matt’s staff profile to find out more about his work.
Learn more about this subject area

Both my placement schools are really good schools with fantastic science departments. It’s very collaborative and everyone’s willing to share tips and resources.
Course locations
This course is based at Highfield and in school.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载.
天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 the Course Description Document
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
You’ll need:
- a 2:2 degree (UK honours degree or equivalent) in an appropriate science subject
- GCSEs (minimum grade 4/C) in English language and maths
If you don't have the required GCSEs we'll ask you at the offer stage to take equivalency tests. You'll need to cover the cost of the tests yourself.
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
Classroom experience or evidence of working with young people may strengthen your application.
If your science qualifications don’t meet our requirements, we might ask you to attend a Science Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course as an offer condition.
Before applying, you should read:
- National Curriculum for Science
- the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status
We do not accept IELTS in lieu of the English Language GCSE requirement
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 7.0
- reading
- 6.5
- writing
- 6.5
- speaking
- 6.5
- listening
- 6.5
If you do not meet the English language requirements through a test or qualification, you may be able to meet them by completing one of our pre-sessional English programmes before your course starts.
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Pre-masters
If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with OnCampus. Learn more about the programmes available.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
You'll begin your studies on this PGCE Chemistry course in September and finish in June, with breaks over Christmas and Easter. This course is full-time and you'll spend time at both the university and 2 placement schools.
Throughout the course, you'll cover 4 compulsory modules which are assessed at Masters-level and lead to the award of the PGCE.
The number of days you can typically expect are:
- 120 days training and teaching experience in 2 placement schools
- 20 days intensive training split between the university and key partnership schools
- 20+ days subject-specific training at university
- Additional professional studies training and enrichment opportunities at university
In September, you'll start your main placement and receive individual support from an experienced school-based mentor who will assist with your progression. To help gain an understanding of how different schools operate, you'll train and teach in another contrasting school as well. By the end of your studies on this secondary sciences PGCE course, you'll have developed skills around managing an early-career teacher's timetable.
Placements will take your living location and options of transport into consideration, and they'll be chosen according to your identified training needs.
The university has strong partnerships with schools in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, and the Isle of Wight. We also work closely with schools across 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 and have a long history of working with Salisbury schools to secure excellent placements.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. 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. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules :
Assignment A: Perspectives on Behaviour Management
The outcomes of the module are for the student to make an oral presentation on their investigations into how to manage behaviour for positive classroom learning. This assignment will be introduced following a university and school-based block of Intens...
Assignment B: Subject Pedagogy
The outcomes of the module are for students to submit an essay that includes two elements: a) a literature review of the topic b) a detailed Lesson Plan with commentary This will be a subject-specific module and through lesson plan commentary the st...
Assignment C: Practitioner Inquiry Project
The outcomes of this module are for students to engage in a small-scale practitioner inquiry project within their subject-disciple. There will be two elements: a) An inquiry plan which will outline how the student will place the chosen aspect under scrut...
Assignment D: Becoming a Teacher
This module consists of a Professional Portfolio of Evidence from Teaching across all Placement Schools/Colleges. It is assessed against the Teachers’ Standards and is used to evidence that QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) has been met by the Trainee Teache...
Learning and assessment
Learning
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- workshops and seminars
- tutorials?
- group activities?
- directed study?
- independent study?and research
- conference days
- guest speakers
Assessment
We’ll assess you using:
- written assignments
- a presentation
- a portfolio
Academic Support
We'll assign you a personal academic tutor, and you'll have access to a senior tutor.
A school-based mentor will support you throughout your placements.
Careers and employability
The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.
天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 skills overview

Work experience opportunities
Choosing to do work experience is a great way to enhance your employability, build valuable networks, and evidence your potential. Learn about the different work and industry experience options at 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载.
Careers services and support
We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载 Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV and interview skills and workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.
Your career ideas and graduate job opportunities may change while you're at university. So it is important to take time to regularly reflect on your goals, speak to people in industry and seek advice and up-to-date information from Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise professionals at the University.
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay ?9,535.
- EU and international students pay ?25,400.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams. The fee you pay will remain the same each year from when you start studying this course. This includes if you suspend and return.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Explore:
Funding, bursaries and scholarships for teacher training
There is a variety of government funding available for teacher training, including bursaries, scholarships and other financial support.
Find out more and check your eligibility on the Department for Education website.
Other postgraduate funding options
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
You must apply for this course on GOV.UK. You’ll need to create an account in order to submit your application.
Application deadlines
The deadline to apply for this course is early July 2025.
We advise applying early as applications may close before the deadline if places are filled. We allocate places on a continuous basis from October 2024 until the course is full.
Visit GOV.UK for the latest information on PGCE course availability.
Supporting information
GOV.UK processes applications for this course. When you apply, they’ll give you details of any supporting information or documents you’ll need to supply.
Academic and employment history
We require all applicants to provide a full breakdown of their previous employment and academic study, including career breaks, from age 16 (GCSE) up to the point of their DFE application.
Original documents
You'll need to provide copies of your original academic qualifications, for example GCSE, A Level and degree, during the application process.
If you join the course, you will also need to provide your original documents in person during induction. Please allow enough time to order replacement certificates if you no longer have your originals.
We will only accept certificates or a final official Statement of Results from the awarding body. We do not accept Candidate Statement of Provisional results and we are also unable to accept letters from educational establishments/schools or colleges as confirmation of results. For evidence of undergraduate education, we will accept a certificate and/or official transcript.
What happens after you apply
After applying through GOV.UK you’ll hear from us by email. We have 40 days to respond, but most applicants hear back much sooner.
If you get through to the next stage we’ll invite you to an interview with tutors, where we’ll assess your suitability for training and teaching. We’ll also ask you to give a short presentation and carry out a written task.
We’ll then decide whether to offer you a conditional place. The decision will be uploaded to your GOV.UK application within 5 working days.
All offers are conditional on enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and health checks. You will need to pay for these checks.
If you have spent time outside of the UK, you will also need to obtain criminal record checks from the countries you have lived in.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
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