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Course preparation
Course preparation
Congratulations on securing a place on one of our OBU ITET programmes. We are delighted you have chosen OBU to embark on your journey towards becoming a primary teacher and look forward to welcoming you.
We have designed this page to prepare you to successfully begin the course in September.
Safeguarding - essential training to be completed before joining the programme
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility when working with children and families, and it is taken very seriously at Oxford Brookes. As a requirement of the course, all trainees must complete their Level 2 Generalist Safeguarding training.
It is, therefore, important that all BA1 and PGCE prospective students do the following before starting in September:
Undertake the first part of the 'level 2: Generalist Safeguarding' course by clicking the link entitled 'Level 2 Awareness of child abuse and neglect'. This is an e-learning course. You will be prompted to sign up for the second part of this course which is a live online meeting, but you do not need to do so as we will cover this once you arrive on campus - please just complete the online Level 2 Awareness of child abuse and neglect. This will require you to make an account. Please put Matthew Wimpenny-Smith as your line manager (mwimpenny-smith@brookes.ac.uk).
For the other details you will need to put the following:
First Name: Applicant details
Last Name: Applicant details
Your Role/Job Title: Trainee Teacher
Your Organisation: Oxford Brookes University
What best describes your organisation?
Sector (please select) – Other
Options (please select) – Other
Line manager name – Matt Wimpenny-Smith
Line manager email – mwimpenny-smith@brookes.ac.uk
Phone number: 01865 534771
Billing address: Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 0BP
Correspondence address: Applicant details
There is no charge for this course and you should receive a certificate on completion. You must save this certificate somewhere safe as you will be asked to share it.
Undertake the Awareness Prevent course
Download and save both certificates. These will need to be shared during the first few weeks of the course.
Read part one and annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, or listen to this podcast
Please note - this statutory guidance will be updated in September 2026 for the new academic year and you will be expected to read the new guidance as part of your induction. The September 2026 version will be on this website. However, reading Part 1 of this current version will be valuable.
To find out more information about Safeguarding, follow this link
Pre course reading
Please ensure you have read The Legend of Podkin one Ear, Kieran Larwood, before the course starts and bring your copy to your first English session
Please ensure you have read The Legend of Podkin one Ear, Kieran Larwood, before the course starts and bring your copy to your first English session
Before coming to university, make sure you note down the things that you liked about the story, the moments or things that you did not like and any questions you have.
Core course book
Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers - Derek Haylock
Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers - Derek Haylock
You do not need to read this ahead of the course - but please bring it to your first maths session.
This is a text that will support you throughout your training, into your early years of teaching and beyond. Any edition of the book will be suitable, and older editions are often available at a much lower cost.
Wider reading
This website, our Knowledge Base, outlines further reading. Familiarise yourself with the site and have a read of anything of interest.
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