Overview
If you have the ambition to enthuse and inspire young children who are just beginning their learning journey, this accredited Primary PGCE is perfect for you.
You'll learn to be an amazing teacher, who can engage your pupils, work productively with your colleagues, and keep improving your teaching practice throughout your career.
You'll be studying with expert practitioners and academic researchers in your university sessions, and with school-based mentors in your school placements. We'll offer you school placements in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and give you a taste of teaching and learning outside mainstream primary education to broaden your knowledge of the sector.
When you graduate, you'll be eligible for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which qualifies you to teach in UK schools. You'll also be well placed for moving into school management roles, other training careers or any role that calls for creative communication and problem-solving skills. If you're interested in further study, you can earn level 7 credits on the course, which you can put towards a Master's degree in the future.
What you'll experience:
- Follow three interconnected streams – Curriculum Studies, Professional Studies and School Experience
- Develop skills and knowledge in all three streams as you practise your lesson planning and delivery
- Grown your teaching skills through practical activity and the study of theories and contemporary issues in education
- Share your experience and learn from other students through lectures and seminars
- Learn key teaching skills, including lesson planning, classroom management, and special needs and inclusion
- Get work experience in a teaching placement, where you'll work closely with mentors and other school staff
- Have the opportunity of a placement in an alternative educational setting, such as Pupil Referral Units, secondary or SEND schools, Early Years settings. Hospital schools or the educational departments in a museum, zoo or theme park.
- Study topics including pedagogy and practice-based research, behaviour management, assessment and special education needs and inclusion
- Have access to free student membership of the Chartered College of Teaching, where you'll find career guides, online resources and new teacher events.
Work Experience and Career Planning:
You'll get at least 120 days placement in a school or educational setting.
As well as gaining experience in different Primary settings, you'll have the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks placed outside this to gain a broader view of education, and develop skills that will improve your practice.
We can also help you to identify placements, voluntary roles and opportunities that will complement your studies.
When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your teaching skills to work.
After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
What you'll study:
Core Modules include:
- Curriculum design in a specialist area
- Planning, assessing and evaluating teaching and learning programmes
- Professional practice in the lifelong learning sector
- Theories and principles for planning and enabling learning in a specialist subject
There are no optional modules in this course.
Programme Assessment:
The assessments that you'll complete on this course are designed to ensure that you meet the Standards for Qualifying to Teach set out by the Department for Education.
You'll be assessed through:
- observation of the development of your teaching skills
- formal assignments (including an oral presentation and a group poster project)
- a reflective journal
- an interview in which you'll demonstrate the evidence collected towards the standards including your subject knowledge
You'll also produce a digital portfolio of evidence based on schoolwork, observations of teaching, tasks and assignments.
Teaching methods on this course include:
- work-based learning
- supervised teaching practice
- lectures
- group participation
- guided reading
You can access all teaching resources on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, from anywhere with a Web connection.
Careers and Oppurtunities:
Once you graduate, you'll be ready to start your teaching career. Over 90% of Portsmouth PGCE graduates go into full-time teaching.
Once you're an established teaching professional, you'll have opportunities for further career progression in roles including year head and subject leader.
Our PGCE degree course is a recognised qualification and once you graduate, you'll be eligible for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Optional Pathway:
PGCE Primary with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
