Program Overview
This PGCE program prepares students to teach ages 3-7 in primary schools, awarding Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) upon completion. It emphasizes early years teaching, offers placements in early years and primary settings, and focuses on evidence-informed teaching, self-evaluation, and creative thinking. Graduates have high employment rates in early years and primary education.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Develop as a creative, innovative, and reflective teacher specializing in working with the youngest children in primary schools (aged 3-7) on a course that meets the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status. This course offers all the benefits of our Primary Education PGCE but with a focus on the 3-7 age range. Through specialist placements in Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, you develop a secure understanding of early years teaching and learning supported by experienced early years and primary teachers. You attend subject-specific sessions, lectures, and seminars designed to develop awareness and understanding of general professional issues; the content of the National Curriculum; and practical guidance on aspects of teaching such as lesson planning and assessment. When you successfully complete the course, you achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) enabling you to work as an early years or primary teacher. Throughout the course, therefore, you will continually be encouraged to explore what is known about teaching and learning and to demonstrate independence and creativity in evaluating the relevance of that knowledge in your own context. Sound subject knowledge is a fundamental quality of an effective teacher, and you will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to on-going development of that knowledge throughout the course. In addition, key to the course is a focus on the development of evidence-informed teaching culminating in an extended systematic study of your own practice. By embracing the professional requirements for Qualified Teacher Status within the academic requirements of a Post Graduate Certificate, the course supports you in developing the qualities that define the University of Bedfordshire graduate teacher: an independent, reflective, creative, innovative, collaborative, and resilient professional who is committed to on-going personal and professional development. The assessment for this course seeks to support you in developing your understanding of the interplay between theoretical perspectives and practice-based experience. You will be developing your skills of reviewing and evaluation of evidence, critical thinking, creativity, and independence. By building your work around these themes, you will generate rich evidence that can contribute to the assessment of your professional performance: the Profile Review Points. Hence the assessment items are intrinsically connected and in combination allow you to demonstrate your achievement of all learning outcomes. The Teacher Standard descriptors are included in the School Experience unit assessment information. Formative use of assessment is embedded throughout the course and is a principle that we would expect you to adopt in your own teaching. The passing of all four units will mean the course will recommend you to the Teaching Regulatory Agency (TRA) for QTS. In exceptional circumstances approved by the head of school, it may be possible for recommendation for QTS to be made without completion of the four units.
Careers:
On graduating, you can apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) enabling you to work as a teacher in an early years or primary education setting. Many of our graduates go on to rewarding employment in local schools.
Other:
Why choose this course?
- Hone your skills of critical self-evaluation and gain confidence in analyzing your own practical experience during your school placements.
- Engage with relevant research literature and develop the skills of a reflective practitioner.
- Develop your creativity and team-working skills, preparing you to influence and lead in educational settings while enhancing your own sense of independence.
95% of our Education and Teaching graduates are in employment or further studies 15 months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes, 2023)
All teaching-training staff have QTS and were previously employed as teachers and/or head teachers; we also have teaching staff who are school governors or active members of their national subject associations
The PGCE tuition fee for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £9,250.
