Secondary Education (11-16) with recommendation for QTS - Physics

Television has helped revitalise the public interest in science and, as a secondary school teacher, you can also play your part in bringing physics to life for a new generation. Your teaching, lessons and experiments can help to engage young minds and transform their understanding of the subject. Your inspirational teaching could also help break down barriers and tackle the gender bias in physics.

Developing your teaching ability will be our key aim. You will be encouraged to think creatively in order to spark your pupils' interest in gravity, astronomy and quantum mechanics. You will learn how to teach the story of physics to your students in a way that will fire their interest and shape their understanding of the world, focusing on key figures such as Newton, Einstein and Feynman.

A key part of your training will be learning how to take a constructivist approach to your teaching, whereby active learning is promoted and your pupils are encouraged to learn through problem solving and self-discovery.

You will learn how to maximise the potential of all your pupils by 'scaffolding' their learning and devising lesson plans for different abilities in your classroom.

We have been identified as one of the leading teacher training providers in England. We are one of only 25 universities to have had their initial teacher training allocations confirmed for the next three years, an acknowledgement by the Department for Education of their excellent provision.

You can choose from two different training models.

University-led: You will develop your theoretical knowledge at our Headingley Campus, which offers a superb learning environment, modern facilities and excellent resources. Your learning will be informed by the very latest research and the expertise of our supportive teaching staff. We will organise your extensive school placements so you can apply your knowledge in a classroom setting and your placements will be timetabled to fit with your taught seminars on campus.

School Direct: For the vast majority of your course, you will be based in your provider school or schools, learning on the job while being supported by experienced teachers and mentors. You will attend our Headingley Campus one day a week (usually a Friday) for key module seminars.

School Direct lead school and alliance:

Meadowfield Primary School, Temple Newsam Learning Partnership

Wakefield City Academy

To view our full range of PGCEs, and for more information, please visit our teacher training pages .

We have more than 100 years' experience of teacher training and you'll find an experienced course team ready to nurture your potential as a physics teacher. You will become part of a supportive teaching community, learning from fellow students and sharing ideas on lesson plans, classroom experiences and teaching tips.

Helping you develop your confidence, identity and teaching style through a critically reflective approach to your practice will be a fundamental element of your course.

To prepare you for your course, you will have the opportunity to attend a residential, where you will meet your tutors and fellow trainees, start to build your support networks and discover how the outdoors can be used to inspire your teaching.

You will gain substantial training in a school environment. Many of the partnership schools are located in and around Leeds, so your travelling will be limited and you will have more time to prepare your lessons. You will complete three teaching placements in at least two contrasting environments, receiving intensive support from your school mentor and University tutors.

You will benefit from the practical experience and theoretical knowledge of your lecturers. Many were school teachers and are now active in educational research.

We will provide on-going training for all newly qualified teachers. On successful completion of your course, you will be able to enrol on our Newly Qualified Teacher module, designed to support your development as you start your teaching career.

There's lots of support available to help you fund your teaching training. Depending on your degree class, the subject you want to teach and the training programme you follow, you could be eligible for a bursary, a scholarship or even a salary.

For more information, visit the National College for Teaching & Leadership website.

We understand that full-time study does not suit everyone. That’s why we offer courses which give you the opportunity to decide where, when and how you can get involved in learning. Studying a distance learning course offers the convenience and flexibility to make education work for you. Whether you’d like to fit your studies around childcare, develop your skills while working or, quite simply, want to learn from the comfort of your own home, we can help you gain a qualification at a time and pace that suits your lifestyle.

Like our students on campus, you will have the same excellent teaching and learning resources, however you’ll find these online instead of in a lecture theatre. Not only are all the modules taught online, but you will also have access to an online community and more than 140,000 books and journals in our online library.

Visit our Distance Learning Website