Initial Teacher Education Pre-course Information 2023

Congratulations on receiving an offer from Kingston University!

We are pleased that you have accepted our offer and will be joining us in September to embark on your studies in teacher training.

We have put together some important information to help you prepare for your course. Please read your specific course page and generic sections (DBS, Occupational Health etc) carefully as there are some actions you will need to take now. There is a lot of content so you may find our FAQ sections below helpful.

Course start dates

PGCE Primary (3-7yrs; 5-11yrs), PGCE Secondary and School Direct Physical Education:

  • Monday 4 September 2023

BA Primary:

  • Monday 18 September 2023

EYTS (0-5yrs):

  • Friday 15 September 2023

We look forward to meeting you in September.

Best wishes

The Admissions Team
Department of Education
Kingston University

Follow us on Twitter at @KUEducation

Checklist: things to do

Refer to your individual programmes and the checklist provided for what you need to be doing now to prepare for your studies.

ALL students must complete and return (where appropriate) the following:

  1. Occupational Health check (Health Management Limited)
  2. DBS application (First Advantage Online Disclosures) and sign up to the Update Service
  3. Certificate of Good Conduct if you have lived for more than 3 months overseas in last 5 years
  4. The Update Service Form
  5. Upload a copy of any outstanding certificates to OSIS in order to meet the conditions of your offer.
  6. All other forms – refer to your specific course for a full list.

DBS and Occupational Health information

Please visit the DBS and Occupational Health page to complete your DBS, Update Service and Occupational Health information.

FAQs: General information

When does my course start?

PGCE Primary, PGCE Secondary & School Direct Physical Education:

  • Monday 4 September 2023

BA Primary:

  • Monday 18 September 2023

Please see respective course page for details on your first week and enrolment.

 

When will I receive an unconditional offer in UCAS or DfE (PGCE applications)?

When you have uploaded evidence of the academic requirements stipulated in your offer to OSIS.

Please email education@kingston.ac.uk to notify us when you have uploaded your qualifications so we can verify them as quickly as possible. Once we are satisfied your qualifications meet our requirements, we will change your offer status to unconditional.

Please note your offer will remain conditional until you have received DBS and Occupational Health clearance. You will only be able to begin your school placement once clearances for both checks have been obtained.

When will I receive my course timetable?

You should receive the timetable for the first week shortly before you start the course. Your full first semester timetable will be made available to you following enrolment.

FAQs: PGCE bursary

Am I eligible for the PGCE Bursary?

The PGCE Bursary is only available for secondary students and is dependent on the subject you will be studying (NB: not all secondary subjects attract a bursary). You will need to be classified as a "home" fee-paying student to receive the bursary. Refer to the "Fees and funding" section on the PGCE Secondary page for more details.

I believe I am eligible for the PGCE bursary. What do I do?

There isn't anything you need to do at this stage. We will assess whether you meet the criteria for the bursary and if you do, will email you at the end of September 2023 with confirmation of your award and request your bank details.

How will the bursary award be paid?

If you qualify, you will receive the bursary in 10 equal monthly instalments (October 2023 to July 2024). The first instalment will be paid at the end of October.

FAQs: DBS and Occupational Health

Do I need a DBS if I already have one?

All students will need to undergo an enhanced DBS check in "Child Workforce" with Kingston University. The only exception is if you already have this in place and have subscribed to the Update Service. If this is the case, please complete the Update Service Form, giving us permission to check the current status of your DBS.

I have received an activation email from First Advantage Online Disclosures. What do I do with this?

You need to activate your account with First Advantage and then complete your DBS application. Once you have submitted your application you will need to take your identification documents (originals) and proof of address to the Post Office for verification.

I do not live in the UK and there is no Post Office ID verification service in my country. What do I do?

Don't worry. If you live abroad just organise a Certificate of Good Conduct for the time being from where you are living. However, do let us know when you arrive in the UK so we can give you guidance on what you need to do when applying for a DBS via First Advantage.

Why do I need to complete the Update Service Form?

You should only complete this if you have a valid subscription with the Update Service as we need your permission to verify your current DBS status. Please note you can only subscribe to this service within 19 days of your DBS certificate issue date.

Where do I find the Update Service Form?

You can find the Update Service Form here or on our DBS and Occupational Health page.

What is a Certificate of Good Conduct and why do I need to submit this?

A Certificate of Good Conduct is required if you have lived outside the UK for more than three months in the last five years. This is in addition to you having DBS clearance. It usually comes in form of a letter or certificate from an overseas authority confirming your character and that you did not hold a criminal record when you spent time in that country.

Click here for guidance on how to apply for a check.

I have received an activation email from Health Management Limited (HML). What is this?

This is the service we use to assess students' health and suitability for the course. You must activate your account and complete the questionnaire accurately so that if required, we can ensure reasonable adjustments are made for you while you are on course.

FAQs: PDS Week and School placements

What is the PDS Week?

The PDS (Professional Development School) week requirement applies to PGCE Primary (5-11; 3-7 and with Primary with Mathematics) students only and takes place in the second week of your course (11-14 September). You will be allocated into a group and spend 4 days visiting one of our host schools where you will have the opportunity to engage with primary school children and school staff and gain an understanding of the school's culture. This experience will help prepare you for when you begin your main placement in the Autumn term.

Do I organise my main school block placement (e.g. Autumn term) or will the University do this for me?

The Placement Team at the University will organise all your school placements. It is important that you do not approach schools directly yourself. However, it would be helpful for us to know if you have past or present links with local schools. Please add these details to the School Experience Placement Form below for your respective course below.

How far will I be expected to travel to my placement school?

The University does not, and cannot, guarantee maximum journey times and distances to placement schools but does take into consideration trainees' circumstances and requirements.

Students can anticipate being placed in a school, in some cases, that is within a two-hour commute from the University as this is where our partnership schools are located.

When will I find out what school I have been placed in?

The Placement Team usually notifies students of their placement approximately two weeks before their placement start date.

I have a disability or domestic responsibility (i.e. caring responsibility). I will need to be placed in a local school. Is this possible?

Although there are no guarantees, we will do our best to place you in a school as close to your home as possible. We need to be made aware of your circumstances so it is important that you complete the School Experience Placement Form below for your respective course. Please complete the form fully and we will do our best to take your needs into consideration when placing you.

FAQs: Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) (Birth to 5 Years)

When does my course start?

Friday 15 September 2023.

What day of the week does teaching for EYTS take place?

Teaching always takes place on a Friday from 9am until 4pm.

When will I find out about placements and how many days will I have to do?

Students must complete a minimum of 10 days in an Early Years setting. However, this may be extended to 20 days depending on your experience. The course leader will discuss this with you early on in the course.

When will the first employer incentive payment be made to my setting?

We aim to make the first payments in October, however, if this is not possible we will make a double payment in November.

I have received an activation email from Health Management Limited (HML). What is this?

This is the service we use to assess students' health and suitability for the course. You must activate your account and complete the questionnaire accurately so if required, we can ensure that reasonable adjustments are made for you while you are on the course.

Support for students with disabilities or dyslexia

Who to contact for support

If you have a disability or dyslexia and require support while you are at University, you must contact the Disability and Mental Health Support Service.

The contact details are:
Kingston University - Disability and Mental Health Support
020 8417 7314
Email: disability@kingston.ac.uk

Full details of the support services and facilities are also available here.

You are also strongly encouraged to contact us in the Department of Education before you start the programme. We are committed to providing you support during your studies and if we are aware of your specific needs in advance, we can make provisions and have these in place for your course start.

Please email education@kingston.ac.uk with details of your specific requirements.

If you would like to speak with someone in confidence, please contact Nina Sohal, the Admissions Team Leader.

Useful contacts

University departmentContact numberEmail address
School of Education 020 3308 9932
Press Option 4, then 2
and 2 again to get 
through to Education
Admissions.
education@kingston.ac.uk
Main Switchboard 020 8417 9000  
Accommodation services 020 8417 7311 accommodation@kingston.ac.uk
Fees and funding (undergraduate) 020 8417 7312 studentfunding@kingston.ac.uk
Fees and funding (postgraduate) 020 8417 7312 studentfunding@kingston.ac.uk
Student life advisory 020 8417 7312  
Disability and mental health support 020 8417 7314 disability@kingston.ac.uk
Contact details for external organisationsContact number
Kingston Hill  
Student Finance England 0300 100 0607
First Advantage Online Disclosures 0115 969 4600

How to find us

Your course will be taught at the Kingston Hill campus, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 7LB.

View campus information, directions and public transport options on the Kingston Hill webpage.