Lead from the front
At Bath Spa University, we both respond to, reflect upon and help shape this fast-moving field. This is a space where students, teachers, governors, researchers and support staff can get together to share experience and expertise to promote excellence and encourage innovation.
Wherever you are in your teaching journey, Bath Spa University School of Education will be on hand to support you.
Partnerships
We work with over 670 school partners, as well as colleges, early years settings and more. What’s more, we know learning has no limits, and we let it take us anywhere – from Bath to New York City, Australia to Zambia.
Community
We are all committed to building creative, connected education communities and, through this, bringing theory and research to quality education practice.
Research
There is an active research agenda within the School of Education. Our wide range of evidence-based and education-focused research projects are aimed at providing practical solutions that have a real impact on the lives of all children, young people and educators alike.
Technology
Our courses make use of the latest technology and online tools, helping our students to develop confidence in delivering lessons.
Who do you want to teach?
Teaching is a fantastic career. It’s rewarding and challenging in equal measure – but it also takes a huge amount of commitment.
That’s why it’s important you choose the training programme and subject that reflects your abilities and your passion. You owe it to yourself – and to the children in your future classroom.
Your options are:
Primary
Teach children aged 3 to 11 across the curriculum, with the chance to specialise in one subject and age phase (3-7, 5-11, 7-11).
Secondary
Become a subject specialist and teach children and young people aged 11 to 16, with opportunities to teach up to age 18.
How do I qualify?
Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of being a teacher. Maybe you’ve already got teaching experience and need a qualification for the next stage of your career. Or maybe teaching is a new career choice.
Whatever your starting point, Bath Spa will have a course to suit you.
We offer the following programmes:
Undergraduate routes
These specialist undergraduate degrees will prepare you for progression onto the PGCE programmes. You can choose to combine Education with a second undergraduate subject to enable you to progress on to a Secondary PGCE programme.
Postgraduate route
Offered through our Teacher Education Partnership, you will spend a substantial part of your training based in schools.
Please see the Pathways section below for more information about these route.
Salaried routes
Get paid a salary while you train.
- PGCE with Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) Early Years Initial Teacher Training
- Teach First: PGDE with Qualified Teacher Status
Please see the Pathways section below for more information about these routes.
Pathways
This is a one-year, full-time Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Run through our Teacher Education Partnership, we ensure that you spend as much time as possible in the classroom developing your skills and teaching practice. Alongside your school training, you will undertake academic assignments relating to your professional practice on different aspects of children and young people’s development, learning and progress. Your university training will include seminars, workshops and lectures to inform and enhance your professional practice.
We offer PGCE programmes in:
This pathway is run through our partnership with Teach First (South West). Teach First is an educational charity that focuses on preparing trainees to become outstanding teachers and leaders in schools in low income areas. If you choose to follow the Teach First pathway, you’ll train in schools facing the greatest challenges in the region’s socioeconomically deprived areas. Your training will also be employment based, so you’ll get paid a salary by your school.
This is a two-year teacher training and leadership programme. During the first year, you’ll work towards being recommended for QTS. In year two you’ll focus on completing your NQT year. Throughout both years, you’ll have the chance to gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) with QTS. This holds 120 Master's credits.
Bath Spa is the leading university provider for primary and secondary Teach First programmes in the South West.
Teacher training courses
Learn more about our teacher training courses.
- BA (Hons) Education: Primary and Early Years
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and Biology
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and Creative Computing
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and Drama
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and English Literature
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and Geography
- BA (Hons) Education: Secondary and History
- PGCE Primary and Early Years
- PGCE Secondary Art and Design
- PGCE Secondary Business Studies
- PGCE Secondary Computing
- PGCE Secondary Design and Technology
- PGCE Secondary Drama
- PGCE Secondary English
- PGCE Secondary History
- PGCE Secondary Geography
- PGCE Secondary Mathematics
- PGCE Secondary Modern Languages
- PGCE Secondary Music
- PGCE Secondary Physical Education
- PGCE Secondary Religious Education
- PGCE Secondary Science
"Bath Spa offered flexibility and exciting opportunities for me to follow my passion.”
– Andrea Fieldhouse-James, BA (Hons) Early Years Education
University tour and facilities
High-quality teacher training goes hand in hand with high quality facilities. At Bath Spa, we’ll ensure you have the right spaces, technology and equipment to get the most out of your studies and prepare you to enter the world of education.
Each campus has a well-equipped library boasting a wealth of books and digital resources. As a BST, you will have access to your own specialist materials as well as 350,000 e-books and more than 30,000 e-journals. There are lots of different working spaces, too. Silent study areas for those important assignments. Buzzing communal spaces when you need to collaborate. Our professionally-trained librarians are available to help at every stage of your studies. You’ll have access to sessions that’ll teach you how to get the most out of the library, as well as one-to-one tutorials, an electronic enquiry service and advice when you need it.
Newton Park’s striking Commons building is a real hub of activity. Open 24/7 to suit every type of student, from early birds to night owls, it has 400 study seats, bookable group working rooms and a café to keep you fuelled up.
Staying connected is an essential part of study. With several hundred networked PCs and Macs available across our campuses, and with wireless connectivity for your laptop, you’ll always be able to log on – in the morning, in the evening or at the weekend.
As well as giving you high quality face-to-face teaching, you’ll have access to our online virtual learning environment, Minerva. This allows your lecturers to share course materials and reading lists, lets you submit assignments electronically, and includes discussion boards so you can share ideas and questions with fellow students.
Our team of professional advisors are on hand to help you with every part of your study journey. Whether you’re stuck on an academic assignment, not sure where to start with research or even want to develop your digital literacy, simply pop in or book an appointment for valuable expert advice.
Teaching is all about inspiration. And, when you’re studying, sometimes you just need a change of scene. With its beautiful surroundings and stunning view across the lake, our amphitheatre is the perfect place to study or relax. It’s also used for performances and events, an added bonus of studying at such a creative university.
We know that time in the classroom is crucial to your training. That’s why you’ll spend a majority of your year on two school placements. With a huge variety of partnership schools across the South West and beyond, from city comprehensives to special schools, we’ll make sure you experience diverse and exciting environments. And by balancing your placement with university sessions, you’ll get the theoretical grounding you need to complement your practical learning.
Teacher Education events
Our open days will help you learn all about our teacher training courses and what it's like to study with us.
Thinking of applying?
Ready to take the next step? You'll find everything you need to know about how to apply on our website.
The information on these pages is as accurate as possible at the time it is provided. Please note that although we do not anticipate that there will be major changes to the information provided, the University may make limited changes to courses and their modules to ensure they remain current and up-to-date, to respond to external developments and for a number of practical reasons. Before making an application, please check the relevant course page on our website (www.bathspa.ac.uk) to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.