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Key details

Start date(s)
September 2025
Study Mode
Full-time (1 year)
Location
Main Campus (Horsforth)
School
Education

Some of the key issues faced by our society, i.e., biodiversity issues triggered by anthropogenic actions, pandemics and vaccines, and genetically modified foods are all biology-related. As a result, the need for scientifically minded individuals with a robust appreciation of Biology has never been greater.

In schools, the study of Biology will enable children of all backgrounds to gain an in-depth understanding of the natural world, empowering them to access rewarding careers. Trained to be an expert teacher, with strong subject and pedagogical knowledge, you will be able to help fulfil the potential of many children.

This is your chance to share your passion for your subject and inspire the next generation. We will also develop your confidence in teaching all three sciences, including Chemistry and Physics to GCSE level. Our PGCE Science courses will give you the opportunity to deliver hands-on practical activities and in-depth explorations of the curriculum to best support your own teaching.

Our vision is to develop skilful and resilient teachers who are experts in science pedagogy, and 21st-century skills driven. We focus on subject-specific knowledge, up-to-date teaching practices which are based on the most recent research, and, most importantly, your specific needs as a trainee teacher.

On successful completion of this degree and having met the Teachers’ Standards, you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). All our PGCE Secondary courses lead to the award of a level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

The Student Contract

About this course

Teaching secondary-age children is your chance to share your passion for your subject and inspire the next generation. Teaching children isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Every subject is different, which is why we make sure our support is centred on subject-specific knowledge, up- to-date teaching practices and, most importantly, your specific needs as a trainee teacher.

Our PGCE Secondary Science with Biology programme prepares you to teach in the 11 – 16 age phase. It may be possible to gain experience of teaching post-16 during your PGCE and the qualification does not preclude you from teaching post-16 once employed. There are three stages to your PGCE Science with Biology course.

Stage 1 – Introduction to teaching (September to December)

University-based training

We use an innovative and supportive model of training which means that not only are you getting school experience from the very early weeks of the course, but that support and tuition from University and subject experts continue until you are a highly-confident new teacher. So, in Stage 1, after a short two-week induction programme, you will start a school placement and gradually build up the time you spend in school to four days per week. Every Friday however you’ll return to University for subject knowledge and applied pedagogy (SKAP) sessions (see below) and support from your tutor and fellow trainees on the course.

Professional Education Studies

Professional Education Studies is designed to give you an introduction and overview of important topics and issues which will inform your learning, practice and professional values. These sessions give theoretical insights and practical strategies to tackle issues that you will face in your school placements and in the early years of your professional teaching life.

Subject Knowledge and Applied Pedagogy (SKAP)

In these sessions, our subject tutors will give you a good understanding of what it means to teach your subject. You will study the school curriculum and understand how other expert teachers have taught it successfully. You will also learn how to plan lessons and sequences of learning that address the needs of your pupils so that you can develop your practice and have a positive impact on their learning.

School Experience

While you continue to benefit from one day a week of University tuition you will also start your first school experience, which will last until the end of Stage 1. Our School Partnerships team will source your placements for you, taking into account your passions, preferences and personal circumstances. The team and your subject tutor will work with you to ensure you’re prepared and ready to go into school.  This will give you the chance to put into practice what you’ve learned so far in a collaborative working environment. You’ll work closely with your mentor based in your school. Every Friday you will return to University to benefit from the support and expertise of your subject tutor and your subject peer group.

Stages 2 and 3 – Developing your knowledge and preparing for your new career (January to July)

 

University-based training

Your University-based training will comprise the same elements as Stage 1, but you’ll focus on building on the knowledge you’ve already developed to prepare for your next school experience block. In January, after an initial week at University, you will start your second school experience, returning to University to continue SKAP tuition every second Friday until Easter. These Friday sessions are a great opportunity to find out how different schools approach the issues you are facing in your teaching practice, share your experience with your fellow trainees, and continue to benefit from the expertise of your subject tutor.

School Experience

For your second school experience you will be placed in a different school setting. This will give you the chance to deepen your knowledge of how pupils learn and extend your practice in supporting that learning, in a new context. You will continue to be supported by your University subject tutor, a new school mentor and a lead mentor who liaises frequently between school and University. You will stay in this school from January until July, giving you the chance to develop your practice in a school, and with pupils that you will get to know really well. This gives you a very good opportunity to make a positive impact on progress in that school over a sustained period.

Over Stages 2 and 3, you will be teaching more lessons and ensuring that you’re teaching classes from across the full age phase for which you are training. At this point, you’ll become more of an independent practitioner.

 

Qualified Teacher Status

During each stage of your school experience you will be formatively assessed, and your progress mapped against core competencies. A summary judgement will be made at the end of each stage. This summary will provide you with further information about your areas of strength and targets to develop moving forwards. By the end of your training in school (Stage 3) you will be expected to have met the Teachers’ Standards and a Summative Assessment will be made using the standards as a benchmark. When you meet the Teachers’ Standards you are then recommended for QTS.

Modules

We believe that the most effective path to becoming an outstanding teacher is a gradual one, filled with plenty of support and opportunities to put what you’ve learnt into practice in two stages. Our PGCE Secondary courses have been designed specifically to provide supported development of your teaching skills and a gradual introduction to your new profession.

Each stage consists of a University-based training block and a school experience block.

Stage Structure

1 - September to December

Introduction to teaching

 

You'll complete three months of integrated training, in which you’ll build up to spending four days a week in your Stage 1 school. The other days will be spent learning with your peers, in order to support you in becoming a skilful teacher who is an expert in Science with Biology pedagogy. 

2 – January to March

Developing your knowledge, understanding and practice

 

You’ll start a second placement in a different school for Stage 2. Ongoing support from, and fortnightly training days at University will continue until the end of Stage 2. This stage includes targeted support and training to help you secure your first teaching job, alongside the development of your teaching skills.

In this placement, you will continue to be supported by your University subject tutor, your school mentor and a lead mentor who liaises frequently between school and University.

3 - May to July

Embedding your skills and preparing you for your new career

In Stage 3 you will continue to teach in the same school as for Stage 2. At this point in the programme, you begin to take much more ownership of your classes. Embedding the skills you have learned in the first two stages you will begin to take on more teaching and only have a small amount of taught University training days.

For the final six weeks of Stage 3 you will have built your timetable up to the equivalent of 80% of a qualified teacher’s timetable.  Gaining evidence to show that you have got what it takes to meet the Teachers’ Standards by the end of the programme.

 



Learning and teaching

At the end of each placement your school mentor, who will have supported you throughout your time in school, will assess your practice, using evidence from the whole of your time in school, including observations, lesson plans and marked work.

You’ll complete a progress portfolio to collate evidence of your teaching practice. At the end of the course, we will use this evidence to show that you have met the Teachers’ Standards.

You’ll also complete two level 7 Master’s assignments to test your ability to be critically reflective and research-led in your approach to teaching.

Learning and teaching

At Leeds Trinity we aim to provide an excellent student experience and provide you with the tools and support to help you achieve your academic, personal and professional potential.

Our Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy delivers excellence by providing the framework for:

  • high quality teaching
  • an engaging and inclusive approach to learning, assessment and achievement
  • a clear structure through which you progress in your academic studies, your personal development and towards professional-level employment or further study.

We have a strong reputation for developing student employability, supporting your development towards graduate employment, with relevant skills embedded throughout your programme of study.

We endeavour to develop curiosity, confidence, courage, ambition and aspiration in all students through the key themes in our Learning and Teaching Strategy:

  • Student Involvement and Engagement
  • Inclusion
  • Integrated Programme and Assessment Experience
  • Digital Literacy and Skills
  • Employability and Enterprise

To help you achieve your potential we emphasise learning as a collaborative process, with a range of student-led and real-world activities. This approach ensures that you fully engage in shaping your own learning, developing your critical thinking and reflective skills so that you can identify your own strengths and weaknesses, and use the extensive learning support system we offer to shape your own development.

We believe the secret to great learning and teaching is simple: it is about creating an inclusive learning experience that allows all students to thrive through:

  • Personalised support
  • Expert lecturers
  • Strong connections with employers
  • An international outlook
  • Understanding how to use tools and technology to support learning and development

Entry requirements

Leeds Trinity University is committed to recruiting students with talent and potential and who we feel will benefit greatly from their academic and non-academic experiences here. We treat every application on its own merits; we value highly the experience you illustrate in your personal statement.

The following information is designed to give you a general overview of the qualifications we accept. If you are taking qualifications that are not included below, please contact our Admissions Office who will be happy to advise you.

  • A good honours degree (usually a 2:2 or above) with a significant proportion in Biology. Please note that applicants with third-class honours degrees will be considered on an individual basis, and normally only if applicants have additional qualifications and/or significant relevant professional experience.
  • GCSE Grade 4 (or C or accepted equivalent) in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics. If you do not already have the appropriate GCSEs, or if you are unable to provide proof of your grades, please refer to the GCSE Equivalency information below.
  • The ability to read effectively and communicate clearly and accurately in spoken and written standard English.
  • Suitable personal and intellectual qualities required for teaching in secondary schools.
  • Applicants also need to demonstrate the commitment, attitudes and values appropriate to those of a secondary teacher and the potential to train as a teacher. Strong applicants often have experience in secondary schools, but this is not a requirement.

Applicants who require sponsorship for a student visa will also need to meet the English language requirements.

  • Minimum English Language entry requirements: IELTS Academic 6.0 (with no less than 5.5 in any component) or equivalent

You do not need to provide evidence of your English Language if any of the following conditions apply:

  • You're a UK national
  • You're a national from a majority English-speaking country as specified by the UKVI. For more information, visit the Student Visa Knowledge of English page on the UK government website. 
  • You've completed a degree either in the UK or in a majority English-speaking country as specified by the UKVI.

If your qualification isn't in English, we will require a translation.

For more information on meeting English language requirements and academic requirements by country, visit our International Applicants page.

Additional entry requirements

In addition to the above essential entry requirements, successful applicants also tend to have:

  • Advanced level qualifications (or equivalent) in Biology.
  • Experience of observing the teaching in a secondary school in this country.

You will also need to meet additional entry requirements set by the Department for Education (DfE) for selection. This includes the completion of a health check and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For further information, please visit our Initial Teacher Training additional requirements page.

Interview information

If your initial application is successful, we will invite you to the next available Interview Day. For more information on the interview process, visit our PGCE Secondary Education Interviews page.

GCSE Equivalency

If you do not already have the appropriate GCSEs, or if you are unable to provide proof of your grades, we can accept GCSE equivalency tests taken with A Star Equivalency, equivalencytesting.com or Birmingham City University (BCU) Further details are emailed to applicants who accept offers with us.

Please get in touch for further advice on 0113 283 7123 or [email protected].

How to apply

Get in touch

Apply through the Department for Education (Apply for teacher training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))

You will need to create an account to apply and when you apply you can make four choices and you should complete all sections of the application in full.

You can search for the course you want to apply for by searching by location or course provider and then by subject. Find postgraduate teacher training courses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There's no set deadline, but when the course is full it will show as having no vacancies on the  DfE Apply site.

Applicants who require a Student Route Visa

If you require a Student Route Visa in order to study in the UK, then you must apply to us before March 2025. You must also meet all the conditions of your offer and present all supporting documentation required for the visa application no later than the date on your offer letter.

What happens next?

Updates on your application will be provided through your DfE application.

If you receive an offer 

You will receive information about the offer conditions and deadlines from our Admissions team.

Fees and finance

Funding

For information about our tuition fees please visit our Student Fees and Finance pages. 

Leeds Trinity University does not offer scholarships for teacher training courses for international students. International applicants will need to ensure that they have sufficient funds to self-fund their study in the UK.

 

Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS)

Achieve an additional qualification alongside your PGCE with the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies. 

Although the CCRS isn't compulsory, it is recognised across the Catholic school sector as a desirable qualification that can expand on both your expertise and your vocational focus. The course aims to ensure you have the basic knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and principles of the Catholic Faith while providing a basis for further study. 

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