Launch or advance your education career with Edge Hill PGCE study
Whether you are preparing to become a teacher or looking to develop specialist expertise in education and related fields, postgraduate study at Edge Hill University can help you take the next step in your career.
Edge Hill has a proud and renowned reputation as a leading higher education institution for generations of teachers. For over 140 years we’ve created incredible teachers who have gone on to impact societies close to home and across the world. Edge Hill offers PGCE routes for aspiring teachers and Postgraduate Taught programmes for professionals seeking to enhance their expertise and progress their careers.
Alumni Melissa Tindall and Joshua Whelan share their success stories, illustrating where PGCE study can lead. Meanwhile, David Woo’s experience highlights the value of a Postgraduate Taught qualification for professionals seeking specialist knowledge alongside their career development.
Starting your teaching career
Melissa completed postgraduate teacher training at Edge Hill before beginning a career that has taken her from student teacher to headteacher.
Melissa’s PGCE placements gave her experience across different schools and age groups, helping her identify both her strengths and the setting in which she wanted to work. Her final placement proved especially significant. When a role became available at the school, she applied and has remained there throughout her career.
Melissa explained: “Edge Hill University was the first step in my career journey in education and it was the right place to study.
“It was extremely beneficial to experience all the different types of schools and key stages throughout the PGCE. For me, it made me realise what kind of school and key stage I wanted to work in and where my strengths were.”
Since then, Melissa has held roles including class teacher, curriculum lead, subject lead, assistant headteacher and deputy headteacher. Her English specialism gave her early leadership experience, which she believes helped prepare her for later roles.
Now a headteacher, Melissa believes a PGCE at Edge Hill was the foundation of her leadership career.
She continued: “I have worked as a student teacher, class teacher, curriculum lead, wider opportunities lead, subject lead, acting assistant head, deputy headteacher and now I am the headteacher.”
For prospective PGCE students, this school-based experience is supported by Edge Hill’s long-standing teacher-education heritage. The university’s initial teacher education provision has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted across primary, secondary and further education age phases.
Developing an international career
Joshua studied PGCE Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status at Edge Hill. After teaching in the UK and volunteering abroad, he moved to Qatar and is now Assistant Head of Early Years at Doha British School.
In his role, Joshua works across pre-school, reception and primary classes, leads the development and improvement of early-years provision, supports colleagues and parents and helps shape curriculum design and professional-development activity.
He has also built partnerships with local nurseries and schools, supported community engagement initiatives and hosted training events for educators in Qatar.
“You get out of the experience what you put in when studying at Edge Hill,” said Joshua.
“To gain further opportunities internationally and when returning to the UK, you need to constantly develop your skills and curriculum knowledge and work hard for the benefit of the children.”
Building specialist expertise
Meanwhile, David graduated with a BA (Hons) in Education in 2016 before completing an MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing at Edge Hill.
David, who works in child and adolescent mental health, said: “Studying at Edge Hill was like a breath of fresh air. The MSc equipped me with a range of skills that I can apply in my current role.
“Developing a class ethos that encourages children to make mistakes, become resilient, enjoy, and have fun in their learning, could open the door to outstanding teaching and learning.”
David’s experience demonstrates how postgraduate study can help education and related professionals develop focused expertise while retaining a clear connection to practice.
The Edge Hill experience
The wider student experience also provides a strong setting in which to study. Edge Hill was placed in the top two universities in the North West for student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2027 and was named best in the UK for accommodation by Uni Compare.
In the 2026 National Student Survey, Edge Hill ranked first in the North West for learning resources, second for student voice and third for freedom of expression. Nationally, it ranked fourth for learning resources.
Whether you are preparing for a classroom career through a PGCE, looking to deepen your specialist knowledge through a postgraduate taught course or exploring postgraduate research opportunities, Edge Hill can help you take your next step towards a career in the classroom.
October 5, 2026
