PGCE Primary (5-11) - PGCE

Why study this course?

By choosing to train as a teacher of five to 11-year-olds with London Metropolitan University, you’ll be joining a powerful partnership of diverse teachers and schools. In this Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)-accredited course, the emphasis is on urban multicultural environments, ideal if you want to teach in a city setting. You’ll undertake school placements of 11 and 13 weeks, giving you hands-on practical experience.

Our trainees attain highly, with 95% achieving an Ofsted good or outstanding grade by the end of the course, and 96% obtaining employment, many in their placement schools.

More about this course

This exciting Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)-accredited PGCE course leads to Qualified Teacher Status and prepares you to teach five to 11-year-olds (Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2). You'll also be able to work in an Early Years setting.

Our course has two modules designed to help you develop an understanding of your future role as a primary school teacher. This structure gives you room to develop your classroom practice as well as examine the underlying principles and values around educational issues.

The Curriculum Studies module introduces you to the challenges of teaching within urban, multicultural and multilingual schools. You’ll also learn how to teach core subjects including English, Mathematics and Science.

The Professionalism and Inclusive Practice (PIP) module includes your two extended school placements of 11 and 13 weeks. There are clear links to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), giving you a responsible framework for meeting the needs of all the children you’ll teach.

Throughout your school placements, our school-based mentors and university-linked tutors will support you in in the classroom. The latter will also teach your university sessions, ensuring there is continuity of support throughout your training. By working in both environments, you have the chance to reflect on the links between your own teaching theory and practice.

Assessment

Your assessment will consist of four elements:

School placement A
School placement B, where your teaching ability will be assessed in relation to the standard for Qualified Teacher Status
a Professional Practice Portfolio which is compiled across the year, detailing personal experiences and reflections on your development as a teacher, largely in relation to your practical teaching experience
the Educational Research Assignment, which allows you to explore an educational issue

There are no examinations.

Professional accreditation

This PGCE course is accredited by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

Where this course can take you

This intensive PGCE leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which enables you to teach five to 11-year-olds. Our trainees have gone on to secure primary teacher roles at schools including Epsom Primary School, Dartford Bridge Primary, Mission Grove Primary School and more.

You will be required to have: a UK degree, preferably grade 2.2 or equivalent; literacy and numeracy tests — these are university-based tests, which you will be asked to undertake at your interview; a valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and Confirmation of Fitness to Teach (eg a London Metropolitan University Health Check) which you will be advised to apply for after an offer is made; GCSE English, Mathematics and Science grade C/4 or above (or equivalent, see Equivalency Testing or A Star Teachers). We do make conditional offers (with strict deadlines) so it is important that you include all pending qualifications in your UCAS application. Before you can be permitted to enrol to this course: you must not already hold QTS or be qualified to teach in another EU/EEA country.