PGCE in Primary Education (5-11 years) with recommendation for QTS

The PGCE is an intensive programme, which combines an exploration of principles and methods of teaching and learning with practical school-based teaching placements. It lasts for 36 weeks from early September to late June.

The Primary programme prepares you to work with pupils aged 5-11. At the heart of our programmes is a vision that our student teachers’ teaching will impact positively on pupil progress over time in schools and that our Partnership activities with schools will contribute to school improvement. We aspire for all our students to be outstanding teachers.

The PGCE Primary course is structured around three modules, which share a generic General Professional Education (GPE) component. The GPE programme involves an enquiry based learning approach, which combines taught sessions with independent professional learning activities (PLAs). These PLAs require independent research, which is either school-related or school-based.

The three PGCE modules are:

This module covers the following GPE themes:

• Professionalism, values and reflective practice;
• Safeguarding, child protection and e-safety;
• Understanding curriculum and the National Curriculum;
• Supporting learners, learning and effective behaviour management;
• Inclusive education, with a specific focus on supporting pupils with SEND and SEBD;
• Effective planning and teaching to promote pupil progress;
• Assessment and its role in promoting effective learning.
• Applying for your first post;
• Understanding data analysis to support effective teaching and learning;
• Behaviour for learning and the wider professional responsibilities of the subject teacher;
• Inclusive education, with a specific focus on supporting pupils with English as an Additional Language, pupils receiving the Pupil Premium and able pupils;
• Safeguarding with a focus on the Prevent and Channel national strategy and bullying and homophobic bullying.

This module aims to develop understanding of the learning, teaching and assessment of the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 & 2, in the Core (English, Mathematics and Science) and Foundation subjects (Computing, Physical Education, History, Geography, Religious Education, Art and Music).

The primary focus will be on developing approaches to maximise the impact you can make on pupil progress (TS2). This module focuses on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and ways to meet the differentiated needs of a range of pupils in relation to theoretical perspectives and real-life classroom applications and strategies are addressed.

Examples of Curriculum Enhancements that have previously been on offer have been in relation to: Bilingualism, Culture and Identities (BCI), Mathematics, Mathematical Thinking, Physical Education, Talk, Science, Computing.

This unique module aims to develop curriculum expertise in the chosen area, whereby student teachers can:

• research and develop innovative skills and projects within the context of their curriculum enhancement study and school setting;
• apply the skills and principles of highly effective planning, teaching and assessment principles of National Curriculum focus areas, using a broad range of learning, teaching and assessment resources and approaches;
• explore and develop skills in ‘specialised’ cross-curricula approaches.

School-based professional learning is a compulsory element of all programmes leading to a recommendation for QTS. The course involves the statutory requirement of at least 120 days of school experience in the form of block school placements undertaken in at least two different contexts.

Our current partnership schools are mainly located in the West London area and adjoining Home Counties. We have developed close links with a number of very good schools over a number of years, and offer placements within carefully chosen schools that provide an appropriate professional learning experience. The ethnic and cultural diversity of the schools we work with is a distinctive aspect of our provision and we are equally proud of the diversity of our student teacher cohort, who reflect the communities in which many of them go on to work as teachers.

We also offer student teachers the opportunity to experience placements in alternative settings, which include special schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). This further demonstrates our commitment to preparing teachers to work with young people in a diverse range of educational contexts.

You will be allocated a school-based mentor, selected for their experience and expertise, who will be there to help you develop and learn while you are on placement. The importance of this person should not be underestimated. Teaching is a very challenging profession and with the help of your school-based mentor and your University tutor we aim to make sure that you have support every step of the way, encouraging reflection and development.

Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel and what you will learn on the course.