Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE: Art and Design
- Education and teaching
- Postgraduate
Want to make a difference to the lives of young people in the classroom? Train to teach in one year with our Secondary Teaching PGCE course in Art and Design, delivered in partnership with Kingston School of Art.
Gain the skills needed to pass on your passion for art and design
Are you passionate about fostering pupils' enthusiasm and creativity in art and design?
Are you a creative graduate passionate about inspiring the next generation of artists and designers? Kingston University's PGCE in Art and Design is your gateway to a rewarding career in secondary education.
Delivered in partnership with the renowned Kingston School of Art, this innovative, future-facing teacher education programme prepares you to teach Art and Design to 11–16-year-olds, with opportunities to extend your practice to post-16 learners.
Our aim is to develop confident, values-driven teachers who are not only skilled practitioners but also reflective educators ready to make a meaningful impact in the classroom. You’ll explore a broad curriculum, developing your ability to teach art and design in secondary schools including drawing, painting, sculpture, digital media, other craft and design techniques and the history and impact of major artists, while developing pedagogical expertise and classroom confidence.
Why choose this course
This PGCE is delivered in collaboration with Kingston School of Art, one of the UK’s leading art and design institutions. You’ll have access to specialist facilities, expert tutors, and a vibrant creative community. This partnership ensures your subject knowledge is enriched by contemporary artistic practice and critical discourse, preparing you to inspire creativity and innovation in your students.
You’ll benefit from a curriculum that fully integrates the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF), sequencing theory and practice to support your development throughout the year.
Modules include:
• Perspectives on Policy, Practice and Professionalism for Teachers – critically examine the role of the teacher and the values that underpin inclusive education.
• Reflexive Teaching – develop as a research-informed, reflective practitioner through school placements and professional inquiry.
You’ll also engage with Intensive Training and Practice elements focused on behaviour management, inclusive practice, and effective questioning strategies.
Ready to shape the future of education? If our vision and values resonate with your goals, start your teaching journey with Kingston University.
An ambitious, future-facing curriculum
Our curriculum fully integrates the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), carefully sequencing university and school-based learning to support your development throughout the year. Built around reflexive practice, it develops the evidence-informed professional judgement needed to make well-informed decisions in the classroom and wider professional practice, including the intentional, critical and ethical use of AI. Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP) in areas such as behaviour management, inclusive practice and questioning enables you to apply theory in real classroom contexts, preparing you for the next stage of your professional development as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Compassionate expert guidance and support
You'll be supported throughout the course by research-engaged subject-specialist university tutors and expert school-based mentors who work together to provide coherent guidance, coaching and feedback. Through critical engagement with educational research, observation of expert practice and regular opportunities for reflexive practice, you'll develop the subject knowledge, pedagogical expertise and professional judgement needed to become an effective teacher.
Our strong school partnerships, high-quality mentor training and compassionate pastoral support create an environment in which you'll be challenged, supported and encouraged to succeed. Alongside our commitment to staff and student wellbeing, this provides a strong foundation for achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and building a rewarding career working with children and young people.
Reflexive, evidence-informed practice
Our PGCE is built around developing reflexive practice: using evidence, feedback and critical reflection to continually strengthen your teaching and professional judgement. By learning to question assumptions, evaluate your practice and respond thoughtfully to new evidence, you'll develop the compassionate professional judgement needed to adapt confidently to the changing demands of teaching throughout your career.
A qualification that takes you further
Alongside Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you'll be awarded a masters level PGCE with 60 credits that can support your continued postgraduate study, including progression to Kingston University's Master of Education (MA).
Education research
Many of our staff are research active. This ensures they are in touch with the latest thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
More than 95% of our graduates enter the teaching profession after they complete their course.
Library and learning resources
Our library (the Nightingale Centre) has every teaching resource you could think of to help you plan your lessons. The range of educational resources available reflect current educational thinking and are used in local schools. They cover material from early learning through to A-level.
The Nightingale Centre has no end of imaginative literature, with children's novels for all ability levels. Also available are the journals ‘Books for Keeps’ and ‘Carousel’, which provide the latest reviews on appropriate resources for children and teenagers.
You'll have access to a range of artefacts, games, posters and kits that can be used in history, religious education, science, maths and music lessons.
Course content
Year 1
Core modules
Careers opportunities
More than 95% of our PGCE graduates enter the teaching profession. With your PGCE and 60 credits towards a Master of Education (MA), you'll be well-positioned to continue your professional development and take on leadership roles in education.
Classroom experience
The course has been designed to allow trainees to spend 120 days in school, ensuring you start your teaching career with confidence. A school-based professional mentor and tutors from the University will support you during your placements.
You will benefit from two contrasting placements with our partnership schools. Whilst on placement, students are expected to carry out the normal school hours and engage in school life. This expectation includes attending early morning/evening meetings, which will vary depending on the school.
Links with schools
We have links with:
- a strong partnership of schools and settings in which you'll train
- special schools
- teaching school alliances
- multi-academy trusts
- schools and settings-centred Initial Teacher Training providers
- local authorities
- teaching unions
- other universities around the country to share good practice
Teaching and assessment
Your taught sessions will be a mix of seminars, lectures, practical workshops, field trips and work with pupils. Peer-led critical support groups will also feature in the programme. Most of your sessions will be taught by University tutors but there may also be guest speakers, such as headteachers or subject leaders.
Fees and funding
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Funding support for PGCE students
Eligible UK and EU students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Please be aware: although this course is at postgraduate level, as it is possible to obtain a tuition fee loan for PGCE courses they are to be treated as undergraduate courses when it comes to tuition fee liability as a result of withdrawal or break in studies.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying Citizenship with Social Science PGCE at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support:
How to apply
Before you apply
Before you submit your application, please read through our entry criteria carefully to ensure you meet our requirements.
How to apply online
You can apply for your course through the UK Department for Education portal.
Please enter the details of institutions and courses clearly and correctly on your form, paying particular attention to the codes.
- The code for Kingston University is K84
- The course code for Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE: Art and Design is U212.
After you apply
Interviews are an important part of the selection process for teacher training courses. The University will make a decision following your interview and will then inform you through the UK Department for Education portal.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
