Secondary Physical Education with QTS (11-18) BA (Hons)
Inspire the next generation to move, achieve, and thrive through physical education.
Our BA (Hons) Secondary Physical Education with Qualified Teacher Status (11-18) is designed for those who aspire to teach, lead, and make a lasting impact on the lives of young people through physical education. We’re rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and this exciting degree, which combines educational and physical education theory with professional teaching placements across all years of study, enables you to gain recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status.
Subject to validation
Overview
| Course length: | 3 years full-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2027 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University |
| Example offers: | BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) |
| Subject(s): | Education and Teaching |
| Faculty: | Education |
| Department: | Secondary and Further Education |
Designed and developed alongside our school partners, this degree combines academic rigour, professional training, and real-world experience to prepare you for an outstanding career in teaching secondary physical education. You’ll use your passion for education, sport and health to enhance the life chances of those you teach.
From day one, you’ll combine theory with real classroom experience, gaining the professional skills and practical insight that schools value most.
You’ll develop an exceptional understanding of Physical Education as a subject alongside the National Curriculum Physical Education at Key Stage 3 and 4 and be recognised for your professionalism, innovation, and commitment to excellence in this discipline. You’ll also be equipped not only to teach, but to champion physical education as a setting for health and wellbeing promotion, achievement, and inclusion of everyone.
Through immersive placements in a diverse range of partnership schools and with professional mentorship from leading specialist educators, you’ll develop the confidence, expertise, and leadership skills to engage and inspire every learner in physical education and beyond. By collaborating with schools, you’ll see first-hand how sport and physical activity can be powerful tools for inclusion, wellbeing, and social change.
If you’re driven by passion, purpose, and a desire to make a difference to the lives of young people, Edge Hill University is where your journey as an exceptional Physical Education teacher, and leader, begins.
Successful completion of the BA (Hons) Secondary Physical Education with QTS (11-18) degree leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
If you have qualified teacher status (QTS), you’ll get a minimum starting salary of £32,916 (or more in London) as a primary or secondary school teacher in England, rising to £51,048 for more experienced teachers.
Ofsted Outstanding Provider
Course features
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Ofsted outstanding provider for Initial Teacher Education
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International students can apply
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Professional accreditation
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Professional practice placements
What you'll study
Your first year is all about building firm foundations; developing the knowledge, confidence, and professional skills you’ll need to become an inspiring and inclusive teacher of Physical Education. You’ll explore how young people learn best, how to design engaging lessons, and how to make PE accessible and enjoyable for every pupil, whatever their ability or background.
Throughout the year, you’ll connect theory with real classroom practice, reflect on your growing professional identity, and gain experience of what it means to teach PE in a supportive, dynamic environment. By the end of Year 1, you’ll have the confidence to plan, deliver and adapt learning that motivates all students to get active and stay active for life.
Across the year, you will study the following modules:
Compulsory
- Introductory Curriculum (60 Credits)
- Teaching PE at KS3 and 4 1 (30 Credits)
- Making Physical Education Accessible and Inclusive for all Learners (30 Credits)
In your second year, you’ll build on the foundations laid in Year 1 and take your teaching to the next level. You’ll develop a deeper understanding of how young people learn, refine your ability to plan and deliver effective PE lessons, and begin to take greater responsibility for your own professional practice.
As your confidence grows, you’ll explore how to adapt your teaching for different contexts, manage whole classes independently, and make purposeful links between physical education and wider areas of the curriculum. You’ll also broaden your subject knowledge by learning how to teach a complementary second subject, preparing you for the realities of a diverse and rewarding teaching career.
By the end of Year 2, you’ll have developed the insight, adaptability, and reflective practice needed to thrive in the classroom and inspire every learner to reach their potential.
Throughout year 2, you will study the following modules:
Compulsory
- Developmental Curriculum (60 Credits)
- Teaching PE at KS3 and 4 2 (30 Credits)
- Teaching a Second Subject (biology, chemistry, psychology or computing) (30 Credits). Please note: for this module, subjects offered will be subject to minimum student numbers.
Your final year is about bringing everything together; consolidating your learning, strengthening your professional confidence, and preparing for a successful transition into your teaching career. You’ll refine your understanding of what it means to be a reflective, inclusive and innovative PE teacher, ready to lead learning and make a real impact in schools and communities.
You’ll explore leadership and assessment in depth, consider how to promote positive wellbeing through physical education, and discover how digital technologies can enhance learning and engagement. Through independent study, professional experience and critical reflection, you’ll graduate with the knowledge, skills and confidence to shape the future of PE.
Throughout Year 3, you’ll study the following modules:
Compulsory
- Consolidation Curriculum (60 Credits)
- Assessment and Leadership in PE (30 Credits)
Optional
- PE, Mental Health and Wellbeing (30 Credits)
- Digital Technologies in the PE Curriculum (30 Credits)
How you'll study
You will learn through your time in university and on placement. The approaches to teaching and learning are varied and include lectures, tutorials, independent study, practical workshops and seminars.
You will spend a significant amount of time on placement. This puts your training into practice as you assist in, and take responsibility for, classes, being trained by, and working alongside, mentors and peers to further your professional development. Your teaching timetable will increase as your training progresses, and you become more confident in the classroom.
During your time on the programme you will work in a range of different school communities and with diverse groups of pupils. This will provide you with excellent experience and ensure you are equipped to teach individuals and groups at a range of levels throughout your teaching career.
How you'll be assessed
You will learn through your time in university and on placement. The approaches to teaching and learning are varied and include lectures, tutorials, independent study, practical workshops and seminars.
You will spend a significant amount of time on placement. This puts your training into practice as you assist in, and take responsibility for, classes, being trained by, and working alongside, mentors and peers to further your professional development. Your teaching timetable will increase as your training progresses, and you become more confident in the classroom.
During your time on the programme you will work in a range of different school communities and with diverse groups of pupils. This will provide you with excellent experience and ensure you are equipped to teach individuals and groups at a range of levels throughout your teaching career.
Who will be teaching you
The Faculty of Education has been at the forefront of teacher education for 140 years and today enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of education, training and research for the teacher workforce.
You’ll be taught by our internationally recognised staff who are leading researchers and teachers in their field, and be supported by school-based mentors.
Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.
Entry criteria
– Normal entry points will be 112 – 120 UCAS points which can be achieved through A Levels, T Levels BTEC, Access Diploma, Irish Leaving certificate or other qualifications recognised by Edge Hill University.
– An A level qualification in the subject to be studied of grade C or above (or equivalent)
– GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Mathematics at Grade 4 or above (or equivalent). Please note level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade 4 in the context of initial teacher training.
– Sufficient levels of digital literacy competence to access course materials e.g. virtual learning environment, email and video conferencing software.
– A commitment to and understanding of secondary education demonstrating the personal attributes, values and motivation required to train to become a teacher.
– Department for Education’s standards for physical and mental capacity to teach and a clearance to work with children and young people.
-Interviews form part of the recruitment and selection process which can be conducted online or face to face.
-If you accept a formal offer from Edge Hill University you will be required to meet the Department for Education’s standards for physical and mental fitness to teach and clearance to work with children. Further information, including a Declaration of Health questionnaire and details of how to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure will be sent to you after you have firmly accepted an offer.
Example offers
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A Level | BBC-BBB. |
| UCAS Tariff points | 112-120 points. |
| BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications) | Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM). |
| T Level | Overall grade of Merit. |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points. |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 45 credits at Level 3, for example 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit or 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations. |
Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.
If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
How to apply
Applications links will be added when available.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Discover our accommodation
Facilities
The Faculty of Education enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of transformative education, training and research for the teaching and education workforce. Housed in a state-of-the-art £9m building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.
Facilities in the lakeside building include a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, and 18 teaching rooms complete with the latest technology.
Our nearby piazza building houses our Research Hub and our Secondary and Further Education department including a lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms.
Where you'll study
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Full-Time
TBC
a year
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships, which celebrate the determination, commitment and achievement of our students. Many of our scholarships are awarded automatically. There are some however, where you will need to be involved in an application or nomination process. To find out more about our scholarships and check your eligibility, please visit our dedicated scholarships pages.
Money Matters
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Tuition fees
UK Full-Time
£9,535
a year
International
£17,000
a year
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Your future career
This degree is accredited by the Department for Education. Successful completion of the course will enable you to gain recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). When you complete your degree, you’ll have an outstanding knowledge of physical education and the creativity and confidence to deliver exciting and impactful lessons to secondary school pupils.
With the recommendation for QTS and your practical experience, you will be able to work in secondary schools, sixth form colleges and a range of other educational settings.
We’ll help you to secure your first teaching post, and provide you with additional opportunities to gain the necessary experience needed to do so.
Our inspirational and enthusiastic graduates work in schools across the UK and the globe. As part of their commitment to bringing excellence into the teaching and learning of physical educational, they regularly engage in development opportunities. You might also want to consider returning to Edge Hill University for postgraduate study or other professional development.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
