Primary Early Years

Through our Primary Early Years PGCE, you’ll explore how to teach a play-based curriculum and get children involved in immersive and interactive experiences. The course also covers aspects of KS1 and KS2, giving you the flexibility to work across primary education for a career.

During your time on campus, you will have core sessions on primary teaching and 10 additional days devoted to the early years specialism. You’ll also gain classroom experience by working for at least 120 days in two local schools, tailoring your placements to reception and Year 1.

You’ll plan engaging lessons, explore behaviour management techniques and discover how children develop and learn. Our highly experienced team – who have all worked as primary school teachers themselves - will also help you to reflect on your teaching and give you one-to-one support.

But you’ll get far more than just a teacher training qualification with us. As part of our Institute of Education, you’ll have access to the latest research on what works in the classroom and other evidence-based approaches.

There will be the opportunity to draw on the wider early years expertise of our staff as well, including specialists at our Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School.

On the PGCE, you’ll look at the primary curriculum subjects and a range of education and professional issues. These will include planning and assessment, along special educational needs and disabilities. There will be a mini-research project too.

You’ll also explore the early years foundation stage, which covers children’s learning up to the age of five. This could involve planning a lesson for both group work and wider supervision, with teaching typically delivered through 10 to 15-minute bursts.

You could be tapping into the inventiveness of role plays and other creative activities to help children develop their language and communication skills.

From getting the most out of your induction to tips on teaching your first lesson, your personal tutor will be there to support you every step of the way. We have also developed a close partnership with school-based mentors for your placements.

The PGCE takes just 36 weeks to complete and, after you pass the course, you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). But the support doesn’t stop there – we’ll even offer you a mock interview to prepare you for job applications.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: PGCE Primary Early Years

Course content

You will be very well supported during your time on the course and will benefit from a designated school based mentor in school who will hold weekly meetings with you, help you teach and review lessons, develop your subject knowledge and set and monitor agreed targets.

In addition, you will have a University academic mentor who will oversee your overall development as a teacher. Improvement Planning sessions in the University will take place to support you throughout the year with your academic mentor.

As a trainee, you will be given a phased introduction to teaching that will reflect your personal needs. You will normally begin by observing the regular class teacher, helping with group work and then moving towards sharing classes with the teacher before eventually taking classes yourself.

As part of your EY specialism you will be placed in EYFS and KS1 for your two placements. As well as teaching, you will be expected to contribute generally to the life of the school.

The blend of practical experience and University study gained during your course will be assessed through the compilation of portfolios of evidence and the production of short written academic papers.

Teaching and assessment

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

• Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)

• Written English (including punctuation, grammar)

• Academic writing (including how to reference)

• Research skills

• Critical thinking

• Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our Student Inclusion Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.