• Introduction
• Course options
• Early Years
• General Primary
• Course structure
• Entry requirements

Introduction

The PGCE Primary programme at The University of Birmingham accepts about 90 trainees each year.

The course is taught at the University's Selly Oak campus, approximately two miles from the Edgbaston campus.

This one-year course qualifies successful students to work in Primary Schools. The course operates in partnership with various local schools and meets all aspects of the Government requirements for Initial Teacher Training.

The PGCE Primary course lasts for thirty-eight weeks, of which the equivalent of eighteen weeks are spent in schools. The taught element of the course is closely linked with the practical teaching side which is designed to help you become an effective and analytical teacher and to achieve the Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Course Options

There are two possible routes of study on the programme, depending on what age range you wish to teach. This means you can choose to specialise in Early Years education or study on the General Primary route.

Route 1 Early Years (3-7 years)

The Early Years route allows you to focus on training to work with children aged three to seven years. All students who follow this course will spend time in the Foundation Stage as well as Key Stage 1.

In common with the five to eleven years programme English, Mathematics, Science and ICT courses follow statutory curricular and the same standards of achievement are required. A Physical Education course will also be followed by all students and courses in the other non-core subjects of the curriculum will be offered.

Students who follow this course will pursue advanced study of early years education. Professional courses will prepare you to plan and teach across this particular age range.

When in school you will have opportunities to teach in the six areas of learning as well as subjects of the National Curriculum in different classes to ensure that you are familiar with a range of abilities and of different ages.

More detailed information on the Early Years course is available here.

Route 2 General Primary (5-11 years)

The General Primary course prepares you to teach the whole of the primary age range of five to eleven years. In order to meet the standards now required for entrants into teaching, all students must follow courses which address statutory curricular for English, Mathematics, Science and Information and Communications Technology.

In addition you will follow courses in the non-core national curriculum subjects to include:

• Physical Education with dance
• Religious Education
• Art
• History
• Music

Professional courses will develop your understanding of how children learn, teach you to plan appropriately and help you to develop your classrooms skills.

Your time spent in schools will give you the opportunity to teach the core subjects and other curriculum areas, across the full primary age and ability range.

You will have a great deal of support provided by university tutors and school-based mentors.

More detailed information on the General Primary course.

Course Structure

The PGCE Primary course is a postgraduate 38 week modular programme, of which the equivalent of 22 weeks will be spent in school.

The school experience includes thee block placements in three different schools as well as ten "serial days" in each of these schools prior to block teaching experience.

Below is the outline of the structure for a typical year.

Autumn Term

• Three days observation in a school in a phase/key stage different to your intended age range.
• Five weeks university-based work which will include work in schools on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• One week of university-based work (school half term)
• Five weeks block placement (school experience 1).
• One week of university-based work.

Spring Term

• Five weeks university-based work which will include work in schools on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• One week of university-based or self-study work
• (school half term)
• Five weeks block placement (school experience 2).
• One or two weeks of university-based work (depending on where Easter falls).

Summer Term

• Five weeks university-based work which will include work in schools on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• One week of university-based or self-study work
• (school half term) - this sometimes splits the final school experience* into one week and four weeks.
• Five weeks block placement* (school experience 3).
• One week in university.

Entry requirements

Candidates need to hold a good honours degree (preferably a 2:1 or above). Some National Curriculum content is desirable but not essential.

Applicants must have GCSE passes (or equivalent) at grade C or above in English, mathematics and science.

Candidates must also have at least five days teaching experience within a mainstream primary school.