... a lively mix of PGCE students, from different backgrounds, cultures and parts of the country, who are committed to providing excellence within the UK state maintained school sector.
Entry Criteria
The UK government sets entry criteria for all applicants to initial teacher education courses. Equivalence of any overseas qualifications is assessed by the European Network of National Information Centres (ENIC).
GCSE English and Mathematics
When considering your application, we have to:
• ensure that you have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 in the GCSE examinations in English and mathematics; and
• ensure that applicants to the primary PGCE course additionally have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 in the GCSE examination in a science subject.
Unlike some providers, we do not accept or offer equivalence tests, or level 2 functional skills qualifications. If you do not hold a qualification which is considered by ENIC to be equivalent to GCSE English, you will need to pass the IELTS with 7 in every component. For further information see https://ielts.org/.
Degree
When considering your application, we have to:
• ensure that all entrants hold a first degree from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification (this must be an Honours degree for admission to Cambridge).
Please see Admissions Criteria for additional requirements of the degree qualification.
Suitability checks
We are responsible for ensuring that only applicants with the health and physical capacity to train to teach (with reasonable adjustments) can be admitted to the PGCE course. You will be asked to complete a fitness questionnaire from our Occupational Health department, and possibly attend a consultation with a health care professional.
We undertake additional suitability checks including those listed in relevant parts of Keeping Children Safe in Education, in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Admission to the PGCE is dependent on securing a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure (DBS) with Children’s Barred List information; satisfactory references; satisfactory checks against lists of those prohibited from the profession, those who have failed induction or probation, or those sanctioned by the General Teaching Council for England; absence of disqualification under the Childcare Act (2006) (primary applicants). If you have lived overseas for more than 3 months in the 5 years prior to receipt of your application, you will also need to provide a satisfactory criminal records check from the relevant country or countries.
Admissions Criteria
In addition to the entry criteria above, the University of Cambridge applies admissions criteria when judging whether to admit you to the PGCE. We use your application form and interview (including any tasks before or during the interview) to make judgements against the admissions criteria. These differ slightly between the primary and secondary courses, but are summarized below:
Please be aware that because competition is strong for places on the PGCE courses, meeting our admissions criteria does not guarantee selection for interview, or admission to the course.
• Candidates should have positive personal qualities that are relevant to teaching.
o The course requires you to have energy, emotional resilience and perseverance, to learn independently and collaboratively with others, to act upon advice, and to show flexibility and humour.
o We expect you to be committed to the education of all children, whatever their backgrounds, and to be committed to the safeguarding of children and young people.
• Candidates should have good communication skills, being able to express themselves orally and in writing, and should possess basic numerical skills.
o Please see your application form and interview as an opportunity to demonstrate that you meet this criterion. We may set you additional oral, written or numerical tasks prior to, or during, your interview.
• Candidates should have sound and appropriate subject knowledge at degree level, that will equip them to teach across the relevant subject / age phase.
o For secondary PGCE applicants, your degree subject should be directly relevant to the PGCE subject course applied for, with at least 50% of your degree modules in the relevant subject.
o For primary PGCE applicants, we accept any degree subject.
• Candidates should have strong academic qualifications and intellectual qualities, including the ability to reflect critically on their own educational experiences.
o We expect you to have a minimum academic qualification of an upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent). We may interview applicants with lower second-class honours degrees, providing they also have a higher degree (in these circumstances, please contact pgce-enquiries@educ.ac.uk for guidance prior to application).
o We expect you to hold three A levels (or equivalent qualification) at an average of at least grade B.
• Candidates should express commitment to, enthusiasm for, and enjoyment of working with children and young people in the relevant age range.
o We recommend that you spend some time in school, if possible, prior to applying, to help you decide if teaching is right for you.
o You should consider how you might demonstrate your commitment and enthusiasm in your personal statement and be ready to discuss it during your interview.
• Candidates should have an articulate rationale for their choice of a teaching career and for choosing the PGCE course, and flexibility of ideas about teaching.
o Think about why you want to be a teacher prior to completing the application form, and engage with, for example, the Times Educational Supplement (www.tes.co.uk) or Guardian Education Supplement to ensure you have an up to date understanding of the nature of the job.