PGCE Calendar for 2026-2027
ITT Coordinator Conference 2026-2027 – University-School Partnership Forum TBC.
Please contact Headsec@leicester.ac.uk for information.
Phase A/1 and Phase B/2 Placements 2026-2027
Dates
There are two teaching placements (Phase A will be Phase 1 this academic year and Phase B Phase 2):
- Phase 1 (11 weeks) starts on Monday 5 October (with two Induction Days on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30th September) and will finish on Thursday 17 December 2026
- Phase 2 (19 weeks) begins on Monday 18 January and ends on Thursday 27 June 2027
Placement Subjects
*We are urgently looking for 2 Mathematics placements and 3 Social Science placements for Phase A/1 – please get in touch with Headsec@leicester.ac.uk if you can offer a placement.
We are continually looking for placements in the following subject areas for Phase B/2:
- English
- History
- History with Classics
- Mathematics
- Modern Languages (French, German and Spanish)
- Religious Education
- Science (specialisms in Chemistry, Biology and Physics)
- Social Science (Psychology, Sociology)
We need a range of placements to ensure that student teachers experience a variety of learning contexts and environments and have the opportunity to teach at KS3, KS4 and post-16. As the PGCE course attracts applicants from across the city of Leicester, Leicestershire and neighbouring counties, we’re also seeking schools in diverse locations to enable us to place student teachers within an hour’s travelling time of their home address.
Our most recent (February 2024) Ofsted inspection (report attached) says: School leaders and local partners are highly complimentary of the provider’s outward facing, collaborative approach. As one professional typically explained, ‘We work in genuine partnership with the sole purpose of creating the next tranche of really good teachers.’ Another simply stated, ‘I am proud to be associated with a provider who works tirelessly to meet the needs of local schools and of the pupils in those settings.’
Training Requirements
The DfE have given the same guidance on mentor training grants for September 2026 as they did last academic year. For the academic year (between 1 September 2026 and 31 August 2027), mentors will need to complete ‘sufficient’ training with an accredited training provider. Schools can claim for the actual hours of training undertaken by the mentor to a maximum of 16 hours for initial training and 6 hours for refresher training, per accredited provider. Payments will be made in arrears from September 2027. Schools will be able to submit a claim via a GOV.UK service.
Our mentor training is delivered in a variety of ways including Online mentor training, face to face during schools visits and the asynchronous materials on this website and those that are ‘drip fed’ through weekly focus emails and documentation.
Dates of interview and selection days for 2027-28 intake
DfE apply is open on the 6th October 2026. We will be screening application from the 6th October onwards. Interviews will largely be online and will be arranged by Subject Tutors as soon as they are allocated a candidates successful screening form. More information about recruitment processes will follow.