Early Years & Primary Structure
Both programmes last 38-weeks with equal time spent in school placements and at the University. The University modules are designed to give you experience of all the subjects you will be expected to teach for your specified age range and in addition a specialist focus in Early Years or one of our 7 Primary subjects.
Early Years: Ages 3-8
(Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1)- Primary: Ages 5-11
(Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2) - Upper Primary: Ages 7-11
(Key Stage 2)
Applicants for the Primary and Upper Primary (Key Stage 1/Key Stage 2 & Key Stage 2 only) courses will need to specify a specialist subject: Art (Upper Primary), English (Primary), Humanities (Primary), Mathematics (Primary), MFL (Upper Primary), Music (Primary) or Science (Primary). Students on our Foundation and Key Stage 1 course are enrolled on the Early Years programme.
Secondary Modern Foreign Language and Physical Education also offer a Primary option. Please see our Secondary programme for details.
The taught element is made up of timetabled seminars, lectures and self-directed study. You will be asked to work individually and as part of small and larger groups. University lecturers, practising teachers and your peers will all be contributing to your learning. The programmes run over 3 terms with each term providing progressively more school-based work training.
Term Dates 2009/10
Autumn Term
Preliminary Experience: 14-18 September 2009
University course starts: 21 September 2009
Autumn Term SBW (School Based Work): 9-20 November 2009
University course ends: 11 December 2009
Spring Term
SBW: 4 January - 4 February 2010
University course starts: 5 February 2010
Seminar Days: 5 February 2010
Summer Term
SBW: 19 April - 8 July 2010
Seminar Days: Friday 28 May 2010, Thursday 8 July 2010
External Examination: 5-7 July (Examiner's meal 6 July)
Exam Board: 11am 7 July 2010
Consequence Board: 9am 12 July 2010
The PGCE qualification with QTS is dependent upon successful completion of both the assessments (based on course work and school-based work) and the TDA skills tests.