Skip to main content

PGCE Secondary – Computer Science

PGCE with QTS

Train to become a qualified computing teacher in a secondary school. You’ll learn to motivate, challenge and inspire pupils while teaching the subject you love.

Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Apply now
Computing Hero

We have an excellent reputation with schools in the region and have been training highly skilled, inspirational secondary teachers for over 75 years.

1st

in the UK for Quality Education

THE University Impact rankings 2024
£28,000

Training bursary available for this subject

Department for Education 2024
Ofsted Outstanding logo
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for primary and secondary teacher training

We’ve been rated as ‘Outstanding’ in training primary and secondary teachers, the highest possible grade a provider can receive.


Overview

Our postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) will prepare you to become an inspirational computing teacher with varied school placements, interactive lesson simulations and tailored tutor support.

At Worcester, you’ll gain experience through placement in two different secondary school environments, teaching a range of secondary year groups, whilst receiving support from a specialist subject mentor and University tutors.

When not on placement, you’ll be taught through a mixture of lectures, workshops and interactive subject sessions. In these interactive sessions, our tutors will model effective teaching and classroom management strategies. You’ll get the opportunity to select one of our enhancement activities, these allow you to pursue a subject that's important to you – from Technology Enhanced Learning to Aspiring Leaders. You can also complete the Key Stage 3 and GCSE Computer Science Certificate to gain national accreditation through the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE).

Beyond the classroom, we’ll enrich your subject knowledge based on the computing curriculum. You'll engage in subject workshops with the expertise of tutors who have completed national and international research. We'll also hold informative events inviting external experts, Headteachers' Question Time or Teenage Brain Day.

When you successfully complete the course, you’ll be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), this means you will be recognised by the Teaching Regulation Agency as a fully qualified teacher.

Virtual Taster Events

Discover more about PGCE Secondary at the University of Worcester.

Tuesday 29th October, 4:30-5:30pm

Thursday 21st November, 4:30-5:30pm

Tuesday 10th December, 4:30-5:30pm

Placements

You’ll complete a minimum of 120 days of placement, teaching computer science in two different schools, so you can experience a wide range of age groups and learning environments. There will also be additional school visit days where you can explore practical strategies for the classroom, with opportunities to practice, rehearse and then implement in school.

We have a strong relationship with over 100 partnership schools, where you will be supported by subject specialist mentors. School mentors are experienced teachers who we work with to make sure you get the highest quality, placement experience.

Regional Hubs

You can apply to study a PGCE directly with the University or with one of our partner Regional Hubs.

These Regional Hubs are networks of schools working together to train teachers. When you apply through a hub you will do a mix of training at their sites and at the University, and the hub will organise your placements within their network of schools.


"Trainees benefit from an exceptional learning experience at the University of Worcester. This experience instils in them a deep-rooted commitment to making a difference to the lives of the children and young adults in the communities they serve."

Ofsted 2023

Course details

School experience is a substantial and integral part of the course, and you will have visit days and block placements in terms 1, 2 and 3.

The full-time course has 36 contact weeks in total. 24 weeks will be spent in partnership schools. In addition, up to 8 days will be spent in schools focusing on specific teaching skills.

Indicative themes explored through the course content are outlined below, although regular updates mean that exact modules may differ.

Mandatory modules


Careers

This course will qualify you to teach in secondary schools across the UK. Most of our students quickly find jobs after graduation, thanks to the confidence they’ve gained on the course, the connections they make on placement and our excellent reputation with schools in the Midlands region.

Many of our graduates go on to work in schools as an computing teacher – but our graduates also pursue leadership roles within schools, as curriculum leaders, special educational needs coordinators, key stage leaders, deputies, or head teachers.

The PGCE is an internationally recognised teaching qualification and can widen your opportunities for a career overseas. You’ll be able to seek work in countries such as America, Australia, and Canada.


Course highlights

A teacher and her class are looking at something out of the image
Outstanding by Ofsted
Our education of future primary and secondary teachers has been given the highest possible grade by Ofsted, with inspectors stating that, along with its partners, the University creates “a learning community that places children at the heart of everyone’s endeavours”.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is a mix of interactive seminars, classroom simulations, and one-to-one tutorials. Alongside this, you’ll be supported by university staff and school mentors when out on placement. Your assessments will prepare you for a career as a teacher, and include creating a learning resource, delivering a presentation, and writing reflective essays.

Teaching and assessment contents

Teaching

The PGCE Secondary programme enables all trainees to become autonomous learners. The course is designed to support trainees of varying experience, needs, and backgrounds, to develop key transferable skills, and to disseminate good practice in learning and teaching. To achieve this, we closely monitor the quality of your experience in university and on placement.

The course includes:

  • School experience in a range of settings
  • Professional Studies sessions in school and at university
  • University-led workshops, lectures, seminars, fieldwork and guest lectures
  • Study of key texts and supplementary reading
  • Participation in high-level professional discussions, peer presentations and debate
  • Directed studies, case studies and problem-solving tasks, which develop practice-based competence and skills of critical reflection through guided individual mentoring during placements
  • One-to-one academic and personal tutorial support, including access to our excellent Library services and first-class Firstpoint services

Training enables you to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to teach within the subject specialism and age phase for which you are training. All successful trainees will meet the Department for Education Teachers' Standards (2013). These postgraduate programmes with QTS are designed to meet specific requirements laid down by the DfE and against which judgements by OFSTED inspections are made. It is also informed by and reflects the most recent legislation concerning the well-being of children and young people expressed in government legislation regarding Special Educational Needs and Disability and equality and diversity.

All trainees must spend 120 days in at least two different schools or colleges. We find these placements for you and your subject tutor will visit you whilst on placement and deliver taught sessions in university.

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

David Hunt

David is the PGCE secondary subject lead for computer science. He spent 22 years in a range of teaching and management roles in UK and international secondary schools before moving into higher education. He established the computer science PGCE in 2013. He leads the Technology Enhanced Learning enhancement activity and has research interests in the use of AI in Education.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

David Hunt

David is the PGCE secondary subject lead for computer science. He spent 22 years in a range of teaching and management roles in UK and international secondary schools before moving into higher education. He established the computer science PGCE in 2013. He leads the Technology Enhanced Learning enhancement activity and has research interests in the use of AI in Education.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

David Hunt

David is the PGCE secondary subject lead for computer science. He spent 22 years in a range of teaching and management roles in UK and international secondary schools before moving into higher education. He established the computer science PGCE in 2013. He leads the Technology Enhanced Learning enhancement activity and has research interests in the use of AI in Education.


Entry requirements

Honours degree normally 2:2 or higher from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification. Applicants with a 3rd class degree will be considered on an individual basis.

GCSE grade C/4 in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics, or equivalent qualifications. We do offer an equivalency test if you don’t have the required GCSE grade to apply for our courses.

Trainees who begin courses before providing evidence of the required GCSE standard (or equivalent) will not be eligible for financial incentives, such as bursaries or grants until they achieve the required standard.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.


More to explore

Open Days

Visiting us is the best way to get a feel for student life at the University of Worcester.

A group of Open Day attendees on a campus tour

The City of Worcester

Worcester is a welcoming university city with great transport links and plenty of student parking.

city-aerial-shot-worcester-banner

Accommodation

Benefit from our accommodation guarantee. We have rooms on campus to suit every budget including en-suite options.

Student in their bedroom in halls

Fees

Fees contents

UK

The standard tuition fee for full-time UK students enrolling on a PGCE in the academic year 2025/26 will be £9,250 per year* (subject to changes in the government tuition fee cap).

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International and EU students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international and EU students enrolling on a PGCE in the academic year 2025/26 will be £17,900 per year*.

*Please note that for EU students who are not in receipt of a UK government bursary/scholarship package, the fee is £9,250 per year (subject to changes in the government tuition fee cap).

For more details, please visit our course fees page.


How to apply

How to apply contents

Applications for PGCE courses, both Primary and Secondary, should be made online through the government's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training website. The course code for Computer Science is IX99.

Visit the Get Into Teaching website for detailed information on how to apply for a PGCE.

Start your application

Apply PGCE Computer Science

You can also apply to study a University of Worcester PGCE with one of our partner Regional Hubs.


University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Stefan - Teacher of Computing

A challenging couple of years started me thinking that there had to be more to life than I was experiencing. I'd always loved learning and creating things and had a feeling that I might be able to inspire that in others too, so when the opportunity for redundancy came I took it and applied to Worcester for teacher training.

It is fair to say that I lacked a lot of confidence at the time, but the folk at Worcester were able to see around that and with their help and that of some excellent placement mentors I graduated as an NQT and went straight into my first post in 2015. Three years on, I am still in the same school, still enjoying it and the thank-you cards and "that's really cool" moments really show that you can make a difference.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Stefan - Teacher of Computing

A challenging couple of years started me thinking that there had to be more to life than I was experiencing. I'd always loved learning and creating things and had a feeling that I might be able to inspire that in others too, so when the opportunity for redundancy came I took it and applied to Worcester for teacher training.

It is fair to say that I lacked a lot of confidence at the time, but the folk at Worcester were able to see around that and with their help and that of some excellent placement mentors I graduated as an NQT and went straight into my first post in 2015. Three years on, I am still in the same school, still enjoying it and the thank-you cards and "that's really cool" moments really show that you can make a difference.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Stefan - Teacher of Computing

A challenging couple of years started me thinking that there had to be more to life than I was experiencing. I'd always loved learning and creating things and had a feeling that I might be able to inspire that in others too, so when the opportunity for redundancy came I took it and applied to Worcester for teacher training.

It is fair to say that I lacked a lot of confidence at the time, but the folk at Worcester were able to see around that and with their help and that of some excellent placement mentors I graduated as an NQT and went straight into my first post in 2015. Three years on, I am still in the same school, still enjoying it and the thank-you cards and "that's really cool" moments really show that you can make a difference.


Contact

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

David Hunt

Senior Lecturer in Secondary Education : Computer Science

No alt text provided

Secondary PGCE Office

Admissions Office

01905 855111