PGCE Secondary Science with BiologyPGCE

You will be required to have:

• a UK degree, preferably grade 2.2 or equivalent, in Biology or relevant degrees including geology, metallurgy, chemical engineering and forensic science
• literacy and numeracy tests — these are university-based tests, which you will be asked to undertake at your interview
• a valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and Confirmation of Fitness to Teach (eg a London Metropolitan University Health Check) - you will be advised to apply for these after an offer is made
• GCSE English and Mathematics grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or above (or equivalent)*

If you hold a third class degree, you may still be considered, particularly if this qualification is supported by a completed master's degree or relevant work experience.

We do make conditional offers (with strict deadlines) so it is important that you include all pending qualifications in your application.

The University will assess any overseas qualifications for equivalence using a number of resources including our own internal guidelines, the UK ENIC and the Overseas Degree Table.

We highly recommend the one-to-one tailored advice on eligibility and equivalency offered by the Department for Education Get Into Teaching service.

*If you need to take an equivalency test for any of the required GCSEs, please sign up for A Star Equivalency or Equivalency Testing. They offer all three GCSE equivalencies. Please be aware that you may need to undertake study towards the exam, either with the equivalency organisation or independently.
Alternatively, you might want to sign up for a college course in the relevant subject, though this is likely to take longer and you may not have the chance for a re-sit, if required, prior to the start of the PGCE course.

Professional requirements

Before you can be permitted to enrol to this course:

• you must not already hold QTS or be qualified to teach in another EU/EEA country

Prior to the interview for this course, London Met recommends:

• you have a minimum of 10 working days recent experience in a school
• you are prepared for your understanding of current teaching practice and issues in schools to be assessed
• you have an awareness of multiculturalism and other contexts unique to urban schools
• you're aware you may be invited to interview based on information given in your application

Some offers may recommend further school experience if required.

International students and English language requirements

Overseas nationals may be considered for admission who already hold an alternative visa in a suitable category or have been granted permission to remain in the UK indefinitely, but please note that an additional international enhanced police check will be required.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

There are four formal elements:

• school placement A
• school placement B, where your teaching ability is assessed in relation to the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status
• the Educational Research Assignment, which allows you to explore an educational issue
• the Professional Practice Portfolio, which is compiled throughout the year, detailing personal experiences and reflections on your development as a teacher, largely in relation to your practical teaching experience

There are no examinations.

We place great emphasis on feedback from your peers and colleagues on the placement. You’ll complete a weekly reflection and contribute to discussions online in order to further develop your understanding of the role of a secondary teacher.

This course is accredited by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

This intensive PGCE leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which enables you to teach biology to 11 to 16-year-olds.

Our trainees have gone on to secure secondary teacher roles at schools including Ark Academy, Harris Girls Academy and more. You’ll have the same opportunities for employment upon successful completion of the course.

If you've already studied your undergraduate degree with us, as a graduate of London Met, you'll be entitled to a 20% discount on any further study with us.
* exclusions apply

Funding is available for many postgraduate courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Depending on your teaching subject and degree classification, you may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship of up to £20,000 through the teacher training bursary.

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

• Ask somebody you trust to check your personal statement, both for accuracy of writing and for focused, relevant content.
• Ensure that your personal statement addresses your reasons for choosing the exact course, phase or subject specialism. Make sure that all potentially relevant experience is referred to in your statement – if you don’t tell us, we won’t know!
• Don’t wait until you have passed all relevant qualifications before applying (but make sure you tell us about them – otherwise, again, we won’t know).
• If your qualifications are from another country, you will have to get an ENIC statement of equivalence.
• Make sure you have read all the relevant course documentation and requirements before applying.
• If in doubt, ask!