PGCE Primary Education with QTS

Course content

What will you study on the PGCE Primary Education with QTS?

This is an intensive five-day-a-week course, during which you may also have directed work to carry out during the Christmas and Easter holiday periods. You should expect a teacher's normal working day during your school placement.

The school-based component is focused on two placements in different schools. One placement will be in Key Stage 1 and the other in Key Stage 2. Initially, you will assist the class teachers before taking responsibility for the classes for a substantial period in the spring and summer terms. You will be placed in our partnership schools where teachers have been trained to act as mentors to support and assess you. You should expect to spend a total of 120 days in school over the two placements.

During the University-based component of the course you study the subjects of the National Curriculum for the primary age range, with their appropriate pedagogy. You are introduced to the practical aspects of classroom management and explore some wider issues concerning early years and primary education. The course content will reflect current initiatives and developments in education.

This module will enable you to develop your knowledge and understanding of how children learn and progression in learning, and will develop the pedagogic knowledge, understanding and skills needed to teach Key Stages One and Two of the primary school. Through this module, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, Religious Education (RE), Physical Education (PE) and Modern Foreign Languages within the primary school curriculum. The focus for the written assignment for this module is the role of talk in learning and teaching.

The purpose of this module is to prepare you for School Based Training 1 and to provide the basis for planning and teaching during your first placement. During School Based Training 1 you are placed in a partnership school in either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2. Initially, you will observe good practice and work alongside class teachers, and as the placement progresses you are supported to take on increasing responsibility for whole class teaching.

This module will enable you to develop a secure knowledge of the contribution of the foundation subjects to the primary curriculum. You will develop knowledge and understanding of Art, Music, Design Technology, History and Geography within the primary school curriculum, and explore a range of interdisciplinary pedagogies in order to develop a creative outlook and an inspirational, enquiring, adaptable approach to teaching and learning. The focus for the written assignment is the value of creativity and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning through the foundation subjects.

The purpose of this module is to enable you to prepare for School Based Training 2 and to provide the basis for planning and teaching during your final placement. During School Based Training 2 you are placed in a partnership school in a contrasting setting and in a different Key Stage you experienced in School Based Training 1. During School Based Training 2 you will be expected to take on substantial responsibility for whole class teaching.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are not offered on every course. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.