Homerton and the PGCE
Homerton has had a long history related to the study of Education, as a world-renowned independent institution for the training of teachers. However, since we became a full College of the University of Cambridge, that job now belongs to the Faculty of Education, which is in charge of admitting and training students on the PGCE courses.
Homerton continues to have close ties to the Faculty that give us some significant advantages as a College home for PGCEs. The Faculty of Education is situated alongside and within the grounds of the College, and several of our Fellows teach on the courses. We are fully aware of the shape of the PGCE year: we know it starts earlier in the new academic year; we know that trainees are in schools for set periods of the year. As a Homerton member you will be allocated a personal Tutor who will be able to help you in case you encounter any pastoral difficulties through the year; this help is offered at times you can make by specialised staff who understand the course as well as the College.
We are proud of our long history of training teachers, and we retain a profound commitment to Education and to helping make sure that Cambridge continues to produce highly-regarded qualified teachers. We hope this will encourage you to choose Homerton as your College 'home'. We are delighted to continue as the home College for those who wish to take up the part-time Master of Education course (MEd), available to those who successfully complete their PGCE training.
Visit us
If you are coming to Cambridge you are welcome to visit the College site, to look around our beautiful buildings and grounds, meet staff and students, and even try out The Griffin bar or the Dining Hall.
Please contact the Postgraduate Tutor, Dr Melanie Keene, or our Tutorial Office, if you would like to look around, to meet someone to talk to about College life, or if you have any other questions.
Homerton also participates in the University’s Postgraduate Open Days.
PGCE Facilities, Events, & Support
There is a strong community of PGCE students at Homerton, and both resident and non-resident members enjoy the many College facilities available, including the buttery and Dining Hall (with weekly Formal Halls on Tuesdays and dedicated Postgraduate Formal Halls on selected Fridays); the Library (24 hour access); and sports, music and drama facilities (including a gym and dance studio). PGCE students are members of both the undergraduate (JCR) and the postgraduate (MCR) student unions, which organise programmes of social events and provide a framework for student representation on College committees.
You will be invited to series of events throughout the course, from a Matriculation dinner in September, where you can get to know fellow members of your cohort, to a celebratory dinner marking the end of the year in June.
We have dedicated PGCE Tutors who provide personalised guidance as part of our friendly and supportive tutorial system, and who meet individually with students at the start of their course, and as needed throughout the year. PGCE students also benefit from the full range of specialist health and wellbeing support available in the College (including a PGCE Counsellor) and the wider University.
PGCE Accommodation
Most PGCE students live in private accommodation outside of the College, and many live near schools where they will be on teaching placements, or with their families. Homerton provides limited on-site accommodation for PGCE students, and can usually only guarantee accommodation for students in priority categories (e.g. for health reasons). A survey will be sent to PGCE offer-holders in April of each year, and will close in late June. We will let incoming students know whether or not they have been allocated a room in early July.
PGCE students living on site are usually housed in flats of 5 en-suite rooms with a shared fully-equipped kitchen in Harrison House, one of the purpose-built postgraduate accommodation blocks at the back of the College site.
PGCE Fees & Funding
The costs of the PGCE course are comprised of your tuition fees and living expenses (maintenance). You should also budget some money to cover travel costs to placement schools. Home students are eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan, but overseas students are not usually eligible for tuition fee support. Home trainees on some of the Secondary PGCE courses are eligible to receive a government bursary.
Full information about fees and funding is available on the Faculty of Education website here.
