Primary Education QTS BA Honours

In Year 1, you will develop foundational knowledge of the Primary National Curriculum and a growing understanding of teacher identity. Primary curriculum subject knowledge and skills will be introduced and explored including the use of creativity in primary education. You will complete your first school experience within in a primary school.

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the primary curriculum, alongside observation of and engagement with effective teaching, learning and assessment approaches during a continuous period of school experience. It will enable you to begin to demonstrate your progress in the understanding and skills necessary to operate as an effective primary teacher. 

This module will develop an understanding of what is meant by ‘creativity in the Primary curriculum’. Primary curriculum subject knowledge and skills will be introduced including creative teaching and learning methods. You will consider the role of core and foundation subjects and explore their importance within a broad and balanced curriculum.

This module will develop foundational knowledge of the Primary National Curriculum and your growing understanding of teacher identity and empowering pedagogies. Aspects of inclusion and cultural responsivity will be explored whilst developing your beginner teacher identity. The module will introduce Primary curriculum subject knowledge and skills including exploration of effective methods of teaching and learning. 

The module builds upon the introduction to curriculum subject knowledge and introduces subject pedagogy. This module will develop beginner teacher identity and collaborative working practices. You will begin to apply subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge to plan, teach and assess in the classroom. 

In Year 2, you will build upon the knowledge of primary education you have gained in your first year developing reflective perspectives on teacher identity and pedagogies. Your subject knowledge, skills and understanding of the Primary National Curriculum including the use of inclusive practices to support learning will be strengthened and extended throughout their modules. You will complete a placement within a primary school.

This module will develop your reflective perspectives on teacher identity and empowering pedagogies. It will enable you to develop your knowledge and understanding of how children learn and construct meaning through story, to engage in promoting the rights of children in relation to equity and identity and demonstrate respect for themselves and others. The module will strengthen and extend your subject knowledge, skills and understanding of mathematics (key mathematical concepts), religion and world views and english (spoken language, listening, reading and writing). You will explore the importance of pleasure in relation to story, listening, speaking, reading and writing in an inclusive classroom through the medium of children’s literature. You will develop an understanding of a range of pedagogies to inform their teaching of religion and world views, english and mathematics in the Primary curriculum in order to develop a creative outlook and an adaptable approach to teaching.

This module will develop your reflective perspectives on teacher identity and provide opportunities to analyse aspects of inclusive practices in the classroom. It will develop your knowledge and understanding of pedagogic requirements for inclusive teaching of children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) and the role of physical, health and well-being and relationship education for all children. 

This module will strengthen and extend your subject knowledge, skills and understanding of science and foundation subjects. You will develop an understanding of a range of pedagogies to inform their teaching of Science and Foundation subjects. The module will enable you to explore creative, enquiring and adaptable teaching methods. You will develop an understanding of the importance of investigative teaching and learning approaches through cross curricular planning and pedagogy.

The module will enable you to develop and demonstrate your progress in the understanding and skills necessary to operate as an effective teacher across the primary age range. This includes developing your knowledge and understanding of the full primary curriculum alongside development of effective teaching, learning and assessment approaches. You will develop reflective perspectives on teacher identity and empowering pedagogies in practice. You will explore aspects of inclusive practices in the classroom, encouraging reflection on cultural responsivity.

In Year 3, you will consolidate and build upon you prior knowledge and experience of primary education, and extend your understanding of planning and evaluating dialogic approaches to teaching and learning as well as demonstrating critical engagement with current research. You will investigate the use of interdisciplinary teaching and consolidate your understanding of inclusive practices within primary education. You will complete a final placement within a primary school.

This module will consolidate and build on prior knowledge of inclusive practices in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, physical and mental health, to consider areas of disadvantage for children and communities. This module will develop critical thinking in relation to teacher identity. You will analyse and evaluate the principles of inclusion and apply specialist knowledge to engage with inclusion within and beyond the classroom. The module enables you to apply an in-depth understanding of specialist, ethical and professional values in relation to cultural responsivity and inclusive practices.

This module builds on prior knowledge and experience of Primary curriculum subject disciplines and cross curricular planning. This module extends your understanding of planning by starting with the concept and layering knowledge and skills related to subject disciplines. You will synthesise and apply an in-depth understanding of interdisciplinarity, evaluating relevant and specialist theories and ideas on pedagogical approaches. 

This module will build on prior knowledge and experience of core subjects. It will extend your understanding of planning and evaluating dialogic approaches to teaching and learning. You will critically analyse and evaluate understanding of teacher identity and empowering pedagogies. You will apply in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subjects of the primary core curriculum and how the subjects inter-relate. The module will enable critical engagement with current research on dialogic pedagogies and their use across the core curriculum. You will critically reflect on theory applied to practice and apply diagnostic and creative skills in a range of situations.

The module will enable you to develop your understanding and skills necessary to operate effectively as a primary age teacher. It will demonstrate your progress towards meeting current professional requirements under the Teachers’ Standards. This includes developing your knowledge and understanding of the full Primary curriculum alongside development of effective teaching, learning and assessment approaches. You will develop reflective perspectives on teacher identity and empowering pedagogies in practice. You will explore aspects of inclusive practices in the classroom, encouraging reflection on cultural responsivity 

You will learn through: 
 
•Reading, listening and discussing 
•Practical activities 
•Directed independent activity 
•Collaborative group activity 
•Self-directed scholarly activity 
•Seminars, practical workshops, outdoor activities and key concept videos 
•Tutor support 
•Off-site educational visits, practical workshops and field trips.
 
And gain practical skills through: 
 
•Regular practise in school  
•Scrutiny of school policy and systems 
•Tutor and mentor modelling 
•Visits to art galleries, museums, sites of specific interest and places of worship 
•Guest speakers from partnership school colleagues and local authority specialist teams 
•Key concept videos 
•Focused observation tasks; 
•Self-evaluation of practice 
•Reflective conversations with mentors and tutors 
•Practising priority curriculum areas and deconstructing and analysing this practise with expert colleagues.

You will be studying at our north London campus in Hendon.

Some learning is taken outside the classroom. Opportunities will be offered to you throughout the degree to learn from the many resources that London offers with trips to places of worship, art galleries, museums and the River Thames.

From year 1 you will spend time in your school placement location.

On campus a typical week is made up of three days of tutor-led sessions on primary education focused subjects. Sessions will be a mix of seminars and practical workshops where all aspects of primary education will be covered. Two days a week are set aside for independent study and preparation for future tutor-led sessions.

When on school-based placements you will attend your school five days a week following the usual pattern of a primary class teacher. Regular meetings as well as contact with a university based tutor will happen throughout the placement.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and exams.

Here is an indication of how you will split your time:

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop the skills relevant to your degree from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus, even over the weekend.

Your learning will be assessed regularly by 100% coursework.  Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed by: 

• Attendance and engagement in modules. 
• Self-auditing and self-assessment. 
• Tutor and school mentor scrutiny of online teaching files. 
• Tutor and school mentor observation of your teaching 
• Continual module formative assessment which prepares students for the final summative assessment. 

Your practical skills will be assessed by: 

• Scrutiny of online portfolios  
• Observation of the student’s practice 
• Evaluative discussion with tutors and mentors. 
• Coursework 
• Presentations 
• Collaborative work 
• Attendance and engagement. 

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.