University of Exeter teacher training rated as among the best courses in the country

The Graduate School of Education has been named in third place in a new league table of university providers of initial teacher training in the Good Teacher Training Guide 2017.

This is the latest accolade for the city’s PGCE courses, which train the brightest people in the country to teach in primary and secondary schools. Courses are graded as outstanding by Ofsted, the education inspectorate, and approximately 90 per cent of those achieving qualified teacher status each year secure a teaching post within six months of graduating. Approximately 60 per cent of graduates remain in the South West for their first teaching post. 

The Good Teacher Training Guide has been published every year since 1998 by the University of Buckingham and assesses courses run by universities and School Centred Initial Teacher Training providers (SCITTs) to train new teachers using Government data about employment rates, qualification entry requirements for courses and Ofsted ratings.

The PGCE courses at Exeter are taught by world-leading researchers whose work influences national education policy. Many tutors have been teachers, senior managers or OFSTED inspectors and as well as leading research they write textbooks, help develop new curricula and advise the government.

Alongside its generalist teaching and learning pathway, the University of Exeter is one of the few higher education institutions in the country to run specialised primary PGCE courses, where students can opt to follow pathways in English, humanities, maths, science, modern languages and art. These unique courses help promote high quality teaching in these subjects in primary schools and prepare teachers to be future school leaders.

The University of Exeter is one of the ten biggest providers of new teachers in the country, with around 450 people qualifying to teach each year. PGCE students train in around 250 schools in the region.

As well as PGCE courses, where students spend much of their time working in schools in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, the University of Exeter also works in partnership with schools in the region to deliver School Direct teacher training.

Dinah Warren, Head of Initial Teacher Education at the University of Exeter, said: “We are very pleased that the excellence of our courses has been recognised again by the Good Teacher Training Guide. We have an outstanding track record and reputation but we are never complacent and are always looking at ways to innovate and improve. Working in close partnership with local schools, we are able to play a key role in ensuring there are outstanding teachers entering the profession. We are particularly pleased that so many choose to stay and work in the South West.’’