Education (Primary with QTS) - PGCE

The Primary PGCE course forms a practical introduction to teaching, providing student teachers with the professional expertise, knowledge and understanding to teach children aged five-11 years. The strong emphasis of the programme is on learning from experience through reflection and enquiry.

The Primary PGCE is built upon a consideration of the relationship between theory, practice and research, with 120 days spent on placements in partnership schools. This provides a firm foundation for the professional journey towards being an outstanding practitioner.

The course consists of school experience, primary professional studies and curriculum studies. The focus on professional studies and curriculum studies will prepare you to deliver the National Curriculum in school. You will cover: art; design and technology; English; geography; history; information and communication technology; mathematics; music; physical education; religious education; and science.

The time spent on placement builds your confidence and competence as a classroom practitioner.

The course benefits from positive and longstanding relationships with a number of partnership schools. This enables a wide range of experiences to be gained across a range of contexts. Course modules are firmly rooted in school and classroom practice.   

The PGCE covers the five–11 age range.

You will undertake a combination of academic and professional study in order to achieve recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status(QTS). This includes successful completion of the Department for Education tests in numeracy and literacy prior to commencing the course. 

During the PGCE you undertake 60 credits of Master's level modules. If you successfully pass all components, you graduate with the PGCE at Master's level and are recommended for QTS.

Students who pass the PGCE with QTS have the option to continue their studies on a part-time basis on the  MEd Practitioner Enquiry. The MEd focuses on teaching and learning in school settings and draws on the experience you acquire through your day-to-day teaching. Students choosing this option benefit from fast-track entry, which enables them to complete the MEd Practitioner Enquiry in two years.

We also offer expertise in historical, philosophical and sociological perspectives on education, including:

• social justice
• the Institute of Diversity and Equality Practitioners award
• training in philosophical enquiry for children validated by SAPERE.

Our graduates are high-quality professionals who meet the standards for Qualified Teacher Status and exercise the professional judgement required to promote the highest quality education in the contexts in which they work. They engage actively with enquiry-based learning, research and theory in order to continuously develop professional knowledge. 

Delivery

The course begins at the start of September and completes in the following July. 

It is delivered by the education section of the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences working in strong partnership with local primary schools. This partnership provides a wealth of experience and opportunities for critical reflection on practice.

The course covers all aspects of the primary school national curriculum and provides experiences of both Key Stages 1 and 2. 

School placements are undertaken in each of the three terms. During these periods you take charge of the whole class for sustained and substantial periods, with support from an experienced teacher. The course is mostly structured around school term dates rather than university semesters.

Placements

You will spend 120 days of the PGCE year in a number of partnership schools. These placements include periods of teaching practice where school and university staff supervise progress towards Qualified Teacher Status. 

Time is also spent learning about Diversity and Equality issues and Special Educational Needs in schools.

The close integration of school based experience and university based sessions is a powerful feature of the course and is achieved through close and collegiate working between staff across the sectors. A number of students each year gain employment in the school where they have trained.

Facilities

As a student in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences you'll have access to facilities and a growing collection of online resources, including:

• a well-stocked Education Resource Centre
• Language Analysis Lab
• a phonetics lab
• an audio-video lab
• a recording studio.

Visit the Education (Primary with QTS) - PGCE page on the Newcastle University website for more details!