Primary Education with QTS (School Based) PGCE

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Train as a teacher in practical school settings. Share your love of learning in primary education. Qualify to teach in any school in England.

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Overview

The PGCE Primary Education (School Based) means if you have a degree, you can choose to train as a teacher at a school supported by the University.

You’ll graduate with a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), specialising in primary level teaching.

Why us?

All qualified teachers will have a starting salary of at least £31,650, and this will be higher for teachers working in London

Graduate with Qualified Teacher Status and be eligible to teach in any state-maintained school in England

Course structure

The training you receive on the PGCE School Based course will take place at both your school and the University. You'll usually spend one day a week at the University during non-assessed weeks, plus induction days, intensive training and practice (ITAP) days, and review days. You'll be taught via lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work, and independent study.

Work-based learning will be based in your school. You'll have a school mentor and a University mentor who support you during placements and assess your progress. As part of the four modules, you'll be assessed via written work and assessment of your teaching practice where you'll collect evidence from school experiences and have this reviewed by your Personal Academic Tutor.

This PGCE School Based degree awards you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which you need to teach in any state-maintained school in England.

Course modules

Emerging Professional Practice in Primary Education (30 credits)

This module will give you the chance to develop purposeful integration between subject knowledge, pedagogical, and theoretical knowledge, taught both in university sessions and in practical experiences in educational settings. You’ll begin to develop an understanding of the role, responsibilities, and requirements of the professional teacher.

Professional Practice in Primary Education (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll continue to develop purposeful integration between subject knowledge, pedagogical, and theoretical knowledge, taught both in university sessions and in practical experiences in educational settings. The module builds on the experiences undertaken in the Emerging Professional Practice module, and you’ll continue to gain an understanding of the role, responsibilities, and requirements of the professional teacher, allowing you to put this into practice.

Learning and Teaching in Primary Education 1 (30 credits)

This module will introduce you to the content of subject areas taught within the Early Years Foundation Stage and the primary national curriculum. You’ll have the opportunity to structure and undertake a piece of independent academic study related to your professional development based around a resource for use in school. This will encourage you to engage in intellectual challenge and dialogue through a process of action research. You’ll develop both general and specific knowledge and skills, which will vary according to your chosen area of study. You’ll also begin to identify and develop an understanding of pedagogical approaches, adaptive teaching, planning, and assessment strategies.

Learning and Teaching in Primary Education 2 (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll continue to develop your understanding of the content of subject areas taught within the Early Years Foundation Stage and the primary national curriculum. You’ll collate a portfolio of evidence to support your development of subject specific knowledge and create an action plan outlining proposed actions to improve this, reflecting on your success. You’ll also continue to identify, refine, and develop an understanding of pedagogical approaches, adaptive teaching, planning, and assessment strategies.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

More about PGCE Primary Education with QTS (School Based) at Sunderland

Why choose primary education?

It’s no secret that a career in education ranks incredibly highly when it comes to job satisfaction – but why become a primary teacher? Explore the top ten reasons to become a primary school teacher below and find out more about this extraordinary career path.

Find out more about primary education

Discover more articles

Please contact us to enquire if your chosen school is currently in partnership with us for the PGCE School Based. We currently have active partnerships with schools in Newbottle, Durham, Darlington, Springwell Village, Washington, and more.

We welcome enquiries from applicants based at any primary school in the region.

Please contact Nicola Welsh for more information:

0191 515 2590
nicola.welsh@sunderland.ac.uk
Primary Education
Map and directions

Facilities

This course will mostly be based in the school that employs you, supported by time spent in a second school to develop your teaching and allow you to experience a diverse range of teaching opportunities. You’ll be supported by Sunderland’s experienced trainers, as well as having a school-based subject and a generic trainer. Your school will be able to give you more information about the specific support that they will provide for you.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

You'll usually need a 2:2 (or above) honours degree from a UK Higher Education institution or an equivalent qualification and be deemed suitable to train to teach by the University of Sunderland.

School Based tuition route:

You must have:

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
A completed medical pro forma (based on DFEE Circular 8/92).

Your numeracy and literacy competency will be assessed continuously throughout the course following the DfE’s removal of the Professional Skills Test.

All successful applicants will be invited to an interview. Interviews start early November, so we recommend that you apply as soon as UCAS opens in October.

You'll be assessed on your potential to learn and not your experience.

Fees and finance

Tuition route:

The fee for this route is:

£9,535 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

This course is not open to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements, and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

This course awards Qualified Teacher Status, which means that when you graduate you’ll be qualified to teach in any state-maintained school in England.

One of the benefits to schools taking part in this initiative is that they can develop their own teaching and leadership talent. As a result, the majority of graduates go on to work at the school they partnered with on the course.

Good teachers area always in high demand. All qualified teachers will have a starting salary of at least £31,650, and this will be higher for teachers working in London. The amount you earn will then increase until you reach the top end of your pay scale, after which you can choose to progress into more senior roles, such as leading practitioner or head teacher.

The teachers’ pension scheme is also one of the most generous public sector pension schemes in the UK, one of the few guaranteed by the Government.

Our partnership schools

The PGCE School Based provides you with the opportunity to work closely with schools in order to gain your teaching qualification.

We work in partnership with approximately 24 schools on our School Based course, across primary settings. Each of these schools is part of a School Based Alliance, which is led by a lead school.

You will apply to a School Based Alliance and following a successful interview, you'll be placed in one of their ‘host schools’.

Meet the students

The course changed my life and I am now in a career I love, working with inspiring people every day.

John Howe
It is a remarkable university which is fully engaged in supporting its students.

Naomi McCreight

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Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Education and Society.

Page last updated: 19 November 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.