Welcome to the Rivers Teaching Alliance. Thank you for considering us for your teacher training.

Since 2016 we have trained over 115 students and over the past two years, 100% of the trainees who completed the course have been offered a job.

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Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and QTS qualification.

The Rivers Teaching Alliance offers a postgraduate initial teacher training program with QTS accredited by the University of Worcester and we are a highly regarded provider within Worcestershire, of the hub-based Teacher Training programme in primary teaching. 

Our hub-based route into teaching primary education gives you the opportunity to train to teach in a school and allows you to gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to prepare you for a successful transition into teaching.

You will be taught by supportive and expert practitioners who will empower you to gain your teacher training qualification.

Our hub-based programme provides school experience from the start together with high-quality subject knowledge and pedagogy training delivered by expert practitioners.

As a postgraduate, training to become a teacher starts in September and placements finish in July.

On completion of the course, you will gain a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) accredited by the University of Worcester

About the course

You will be based in school, attend lectures and training sessions, either at The University of Worcester or here at The Rivers Teaching Alliance. 

Trainees on the hub-based programme undertake three school placements in contrasting schools with two different key stages to enable trainees to experience a broad range of learning environments.

• Placement 1 – September until December (either in EYFS, KS1 or KS2)
• Placement 2 – January until March (alternative key stage to placement 1)
• Placement 3 – April until July (same key stage as placement 1)

 Key features of the course

• The Primary PGCE is an initial teacher training and education course, designed to empower you to become a confident and competent qualified teacher.
• With 60 credits at Master’s level, the Primary PGCE can open doors to further study and other employment opportunities.
• 120 days teaching in schools plus additional days which focus on very specific teaching skills
• You can either follow the Early Years (Ages 3-7) route or Later Years (Ages 5-11) route.
• We have a strong partnership with the university and with our schools. We organise placements for you in supportive environments with access to expert colleagues and mentors to support you in completing your initial teacher training and gaining qualified status through experiential learning.

What will you study and when?

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

The full-time course is 36 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 content may differ.  PGCE Course Overview 

Entry requirements

Academic 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.
• All entrants have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (formerly grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English Language or English Literature, Mathematics and Science (applicants must have these qualifications by the start of the course). Alternatively, we 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.

Qualifications not listed? Contact the Admissions Office for advice by email: AdmissionsB@worc.ac.uk 

Initial teacher training (ITT): criteria and supporting advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Additional requirements

• An Enhanced DBS check. You will be sent details of how to apply for your DBS in the summer term. You will need to pay for this.  You may already be part of the DBS update service. Find out about the update service here. As part of the DBS process, you will be checked against the Children’s Barred List.
• A check against the Prohibition List.
• If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required. Further information and guidance associated with additional costs are available from the Home Office.
• An online occupational health check. All those on a teacher training programme must be certified as meeting national requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach, as set by the Department for Education.
• International students: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent

Costs

You are required to pay the standard tuition fee for full-time UK students enrolling on a PGCE in the academic year 2023/24 will be £9,250 per year.

There will be day-to-day costs for resources and travel costs for placements, depending on the location of the school.

This is a non-salaried route to teaching; however, you might be eligible for funding through student loans, bursaries, or scholarships.

How to apply

Our 1-year  programme starts in September 2024.

You can apply from October 2023 until the end of June 2024.

To apply for our Postgraduate Certificate in education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status (QTS) visit The Department for Education’s website:  Find postgraduate teacher training - GOV.UK (find-postgraduate-teacher-training.service.gov.uk)

School Based Primary (3-7)

Course code: Y584

School Based Primary (5-11)

Course code: 2XMF

Additional useful information is available on the  Get Into Teaching GOV.UK (education.gov.uk)