BA Hons Physical Education Secondary with QTS

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Bedfordshire

Program Overview

The BA (Hons) Physical Education (Secondary) with QTS is designed to develop you into a confident, reflective and inspirational secondary PE teacher. You’ll explore teaching practice, sport science and movement theory while gaining hands-on experience across school placements for ages 11–16, with opportunities to extend to 16–19.

Curriculum structure

Year One

In your first year you’ll build foundational teaching and subject knowledge through modules such as “Teaching, Learning and Inclusion in PE”, where you explore pedagogy, inclusion and classroom practice. You’ll also study “Developing Pedagogical Approaches for Games, Outdoor & Adventurous Activities & Health”, engaging in practical teaching workshops and learning how to deliver games, OAA and health-based activities. Your first school placement introduces you to real classroom environments through observation and early teaching practice.

Year Two

In the second year you deepen your specialist PE knowledge and begin leading lessons with increasing responsibility. Modules such as “Developing Pedagogical Approaches for Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics and Swimming” develop your skills in teaching technique, performance and safe practice across key activity areas. You’ll also explore “Teaching Accredited Courses in Physical Education” and “Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Physical Education”, where you plan, deliver and assess units of work while adapting lessons for different learners. A second school placement allows you to apply your skills across wider year groups and different school contexts.

Final Year

Your final year focuses on mastering your teaching practice through advanced modules such as “Mastering Pedagogical Approaches for Games, Outdoor & Adventurous Activities & Health” and “Mastering Pedagogical Approaches for Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics and Swimming”. You’ll also engage in professional enquiry through “The Physical Education Teacher as Researcher”, completing an action-research or independent study project. Your final school placement gives you the opportunity to take on full-class responsibility and demonstrate the standards required for QTS.

Focus areas

Secondary PE pedagogy; inclusive curriculum design; practical activity areas including games, athletics, dance, gymnastics, OAA and swimming; classroom management; research-informed teaching; professional placements.

Learning outcomes

You will graduate able to deliver high-quality PE lessons, plan and assess learning across Key Stages 3–4 (and 5 as enhancement), adapt teaching for diverse needs including SEND, apply research to improve practice, and demonstrate the professional competencies required for Qualified Teacher Status.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The programme leads directly to a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to teach Physical Education in secondary schools across England.

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Bedfordshire has strong results in student satisfaction and teaching quality, with high ratings for academic support and learning opportunities. Graduates from this programme consistently achieve excellent employment outcomes, with many securing full-time teaching roles shortly after graduation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The University of Bedfordshire’s PE with QTS programme is built around professional training, school-based practice, and extensive hands-on teaching experience. You gradually take on more responsibility in real secondary schools while developing strong subject knowledge across games, athletics, swimming, dance, outdoor learning and inclusive practice. The structure ensures that by graduation, you are confident, classroom-ready and fully prepared to meet the Teacher Standards required for QTS.

Experiential Learning

Students develop practical skills through annual placements, specialist on-campus facilities, simulated teaching environments and strong school partnerships. Here’s how the experiential learning is structured:

Annual secondary school placements in every year of the course, where you progressively take on planning, teaching, assessment and classroom management responsibilities under trained school mentors.
Mock classrooms equipped with video-recording technology, allowing you to practise delivering lessons, record your teaching and analyse your progress.
Extensive on-campus sports facilities, including a sports arena, multi-use games areas, sports pitches, sport science laboratories, and indoor/outdoor performance spaces used for practical PE pedagogy sessions.
Forest School and outdoor learning provision, giving you training in leading outdoor and adventurous activities, an essential component of the PE curriculum.
Strong partnerships with local schools and sports organisations, providing a wide range of placement options and real teaching environments.
Ongoing professional development, including the use of the Cumulative Evidence Record to track your progress toward Qualified Teacher Status.
Practical modules in all major PE activity areas, such as games, athletics, dance, swimming, fitness, outdoor and adventurous activities.
Research-informed practice, where you analyse educational issues, reflect on teaching methods and participate in small-scale classroom research.

Programme Structure & Curriculum

Teaching, Learning and Inclusion in PE: You learn to design inclusive lessons, differentiate activities and support diverse learners.
Developing Pedagogy Across Activity Areas: You gain structured training in games, athletics, dance, swimming, OAA and health/fitness.
Professional Practice & Teacher Standards: You study assessment methods, planning, behaviour management, reflective practice and target-setting aligned to national teaching standards.
Contemporary Issues in Physical Education: You explore current debates, policies, curriculum changes and research relevant to PE and sport in schools.
Action Research or Applied Enquiry: You undertake research related to your teaching during placements.

Why This Programme Is a Strong Choice

Graduates are recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling them to teach PE in UK secondary schools.
The course has received excellent student satisfaction, with recent National Student Survey results showing strong ratings for skill development, teaching quality and professional preparation.
Many students move directly into teaching posts after graduation due to the strong placement network and the high quality of training.
The degree balances subject expertise, practical teaching experience, and reflective professional development, creating confident and capable early-career PE teachers.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this programme are fully prepared to enter the teaching profession with recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), allowing you to teach PE in secondary schools across England. Typical career paths include:

Secondary School Physical Education Teacher (Key Stage 3/4/5)
Head of Department, Head of Year, or pastoral leadership roles after gaining experience
School or community sports development officer
Youth coaching, physical activity coordinator, or outreach programme leader

Why this course works for you:

High student satisfaction and strong academic support: The course receives excellent student feedback, with exceptionally high satisfaction ratings in areas such as teaching quality, academic support, and overall learning experience.
Extensive school-placement network: The University of Bedfordshire partners with more than 500 schools and educational organisations, giving you access to a wide range of placement settings and real-world teaching environments.
Practical placement experience every year: You’ll undertake school placements annually, working alongside trained mentors—many of whom are university alumni—to develop your classroom presence, confidence, and teaching skills in varied school contexts.
Accredited route to QTS: Successful completion leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status, the essential professional qualification for secondary teaching in England.
Strong employment and salary outcomes: Graduate-outcome data indicates that around 90% of graduates are in employment or further study within 15 months, with early-career teacher salaries averaging around £28,000.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BA (Hons) Physical Education Secondary with QTS, you can continue your professional or academic development through:

Master’s degrees in Education, Educational Leadership, Sports Coaching, Educational Research, or Physical Education Pedagogy
Doctoral study routes such as an EdD or PhD focused on education, leadership, or teacher development
Specialist professional qualifications in school leadership, curriculum design, SEND training, or youth development