Selection event for PGCE: Secondary Education with Qualified Teacher Status

What is a selection event?

The selection event is an opportunity for us to get to know you and assess your suitability for the course. It gives you the chance to showcase your subject knowledge, demonstrate your enthusiasm for teaching, and explore your potential for a rewarding career in education.

An invitation to attend a selection event is an important step in the application process, but it does not guarantee a place on the course. The selection event is designed to help make a mutual decision. We will be considering whether to offer you a place, while you will have the opportunity to find out more about the course, meet course tutors in the team, and decide whether this course and the University is the right fit for you.

Further details about what to expect on the day can be found in the subject-specific information below. Please note that the timings provided are approximate, so we recommend keeping your schedule flexible.

When and where is my selection event?

Interviews are conducted in person at our campus. This gives you the opportunity to meet colleagues and explore our university facilities.
If you're invited to a selection event, you'll receive an email telling you when it is. We also provide information via DfE Apply.

It's important to be punctual, if for any reason you cannot attend or you have difficulties finding the selection event, please contact the person who invited you for interview.

What happens on a selection event?

Selection event process

The PGCE Secondary programme selection event includes:

1. A pre-event task.
2. An interview to explore:

Your motivation to teach – why you want to become a teacher and your commitment to working with children and young people,
Your subject knowledge and communication skills – your understanding of your chosen subject and your ability to explain ideas clearly and effectively.
Your understanding of teaching and learning – your awareness of the role of a teacher, current educational issues, and what makes learning successful.
Your personal qualities and potential – your professionalism, resilience, reflective skills, and capacity to develop into an effective teacher.

3. Written tasks: You will be asked to respond to a subject specific written task and to respond to a current educational article. These activities are designed to assess your written communication skills, your ability to engage critically with educational ideas and your subject knowledge in relation to teaching your chosen subject.

The selection event will last approximately 2.5 – 3 hours

Do I need to prepare anything in advance?

You will be asked to complete a pre-interview task. Further details will be provided when you are invited for interview.

To help you make the most of your interview, we recommend that you:

Reflect on your motivation for teaching and be prepared to discuss why you want to become a teacher and what has inspired you to pursue a career in teaching.
Refresh your subject knowledge, particularly key concepts and areas relevant to the age phase and subject you wish to teach.
Keep up to date with education issues and developments, including topics that may affect schools, teachers, and pupils.
Draw on any experience of working with children or young people, considering what you have learned and how it has influenced your understanding of teaching and learning. However, having experience of working with children or young people is not a requirement to be invited for interview.
Review your application and personal statement so that you can confidently discuss your experiences, achievements, and suitability for the course.
Prepare questions about the course and the University, as the interview is also an opportunity for you to find out whether the programme is the right fit for you.

The interview is designed to help us understand your potential as a future teacher, while giving you the opportunity to learn more about our course, our partnership schools, and the support available throughout your teacher training journey.

What do I need to bring with me?

For the interview you should bring photo identification.

You must bring one form of photographic identification. If possible, please bring a passport or photo driving license (full or provisional). If you do not own either of these, other forms of photographic identification will be sufficient for the selection event, but should you be offered a place on the course you will be required to present further official identification documentation to complete the professional requirements referred to above. Full details of the ID evidence you will require can be found here.

What are we looking for?

During the selection process, we will be looking for evidence of:

Strong communication skills, including the ability to express ideas clearly and effectively in both spoken and written forms.
Knowledge and understanding of your chosen subject you are applying to teach.
A genuine enthusiasm for teaching and a clear commitment to developing a career in the profession.
The potential to work successfully with children and young people, demonstrating the personal qualities needed to support learning and development in an educational setting.

Who is on the selection event panel?

You will be assessed by a range of staff from across the secondary Initial Teacher Education Partnership.

What should I wear?

Smart-casual clothing is perfectly appropriate and will help you feel comfortable, confident, and able to perform at your best.

Disability support

If you have a disability, health condition, or specific learning difficulty, such as a sensory or physical disability, dyslexia, a mental health condition, or a medical condition, and require support during the selection event, please let the recruiting tutor know as soon as you receive your invitation to attend a selection event. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments where possible. Early notification will help us ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to support you throughout the selection process.

Disability advice whilst studying at the University

You may or may not have indicated that you have a disability on your application form. In either case, the Disabled Student Support Team is keen to hear from you. If you would like to meet or talk to an advisor to discuss, in confidence, possible support whilst studying, please ring +44 (0)114 225 3813 or email disability-support@shu.ac.uk

Please note that any offer of a place is subject to acceptance by you of the University's terms and conditions. If you require a printed version, please contact Admissions on 0114 225 5555. You must read these terms and conditions before accepting any offer.

What happens after my selection event?

We are unable to provide a decision on the day of the selection event. Following the event, the outcome of your application will be communicated to you by our admissions team who will update your DfE Apply application on the application portal.

You will receive one of the following decisions.

Conditional offer for your chosen course: You will need to meet several conditions before you can be fully accepted onto the course. These typically include meeting the required qualification criteria, providing two satisfactory references, and successfully completing Occupational Health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Once all conditions have been met, your offer will be confirmed as unconditional.

Declined application: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a place on the course at this time. Following careful consideration, we do not feel that your current skills, knowledge, or experience sufficiently demonstrate your readiness to begin an ITT course. However, we encourage you to view this as a developmental opportunity. Should you gain further relevant experience or undertake additional study, you may be eligible to apply again in the future.

Important accommodation information for Initial Teacher Education Students

As you have applied for an Initial Teacher Education course, your programme will begin earlier than the University's standard term dates. As a result, some University accommodation options may not be available for your required start date.

When considering your accommodation options, please refer to the Accommodation Services website for the most up-to-date information on availability and contract start dates. Once you have accepted your offer, you will be able to submit an online accommodation application directly through Accommodation Services.

What can I choose?

To help you find suitable accommodation, use the filter options on the Accommodation Services website to view halls that are available for early arrivals. When completing your accommodation application, please indicate in the notes section that you require an early start date to ensure your needs can be considered.

The first few weeks

We recognise that courses begin at different times of the year and are aware of which programmes have earlier start dates. As a result, your accommodation may not be at full occupancy when you first arrive. However, we will work closely with Accommodation Services to ensure that you are part of a welcoming student community as soon as possible, helping you to settle in quickly, feel safe, and make connections with other students.