Introduction 

The PGCE Primary part-time programme began in April 1999 and is now a well established route into teaching. The programme runs out of three venues, the David Salomons Centre near Tunbridge Wells, and at the University’s Broadstairs and Medway Campuses. The programme starts in April of each year and students will complete 20 months later in December.

One West Kent headteacher stated “I am very impressed with both the subject knowledge and the understanding of educational issues which these students have acquired on this programme”.

The PGCE part-time programme is intended for those applicants who wish to train as primary teachers but are looking for a part-time route to enable them either to work or look after a young family at the same time as training.

The programme aims to enable student teachers to be confident, competent classroom practitioners who can enable children to learn effectively across the whole curriculum. The programme also develops student teachers’ understanding of the demands of the National Curriculum, the Curriculum for the Foundation Stage and other Government initiatives. Two age phases are available for students to study, 3-7 or 5-11 years olds. These are also opportunities to gain academics credits at Master’s level (see Module outlines).

The programme lasts for five terms with the equivalent of 18 weeks spent in schools, mostly in three blocks. Students attend at their Centre for one day per week and attend at the Canterbury Campus on two or three Saturdays each term. These Saturday sessions allow students to use specialist resources in PE, Art, Design and Technology, etc. They are expected to work at home to fulfil the demands of the supported open learning requirements of the programme. It is essential for students to have access to computer facilities to give access to the University’s extensive websites and other relevant resources. The taught days last from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Time is spent in lectures, seminars and workshops. Students are required to read in preparation for sessions. Block school experience demands full attendance in school during each day, Monday to Friday, with evenings devoted to assessment and preparation. Students need to make arrangements to ensure they can be in school by 8.15am and remain until 4.30pm.

The programme runs in partnership with local primary schools which are fully involved in admissions, course planning and assessment of student teachers. The programme has been planned to meet the criteria set out by the current TDA standards and requirements and has four main modules:

Module One is Professional Placement. School experience takes place mostly in local schools in Kent, Medway, Sussex, Surrey, Essex and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley. Students will be placed as close as possible to their home area but some travelling may be involved. School days are arranged as follows:

Term 1 = 2 week block
Term 2 = 3 serial days and 3 week block
Term 3 = 4 serial days and 4 week block
Term 4 = 2 serial days
Term 5 = 1 serial day and 7 week block

In the course of school experience, students work towards achieving the standards required for the recommendation of the award of Qualified Teachers Status (QTS). They are required to teach in two or more consecutive age ranges depending on their chosen pathway (3-7 or 5-11). The age ranges are 3-5, 5-7, 7-9, 9-11. Student teachers will also be able to demonstrate their growing integration of theoretical and practical knowledge as they develop as effective and analytical teachers.

Module Two is the Professional Studies course, that introduces student teachers to core professional skills and wider issues which concern primary schools. Areas studied include classroom management, promoting behaviour for learning, children’s well-being, planning for children with varying individual education needs, target setting, planning teaching and accessing learning.

Curriculum Studies is Module Three and this ensures that teachers acquire a secure mastery of the core subjects and ICT in order to teach these subjects effectively to all children within a primary school setting. Taster courses are also taught in all foundation subjects of the National Curriculum, Primary Languages, and RE. Student teachers will learn how to plan for, teach and assess in these areas.

Also in Module Three, student teachers will follow a course aimed at the analysis and understanding of more advanced areas of primary pedagogy. This module will take a strong focus on crosscurricular issues and how teaching and learning is applied across the curriculum in a holistic manner.

Module Four is an optional module. This is taught at Master’s level, and offers students the option to take Master Credit in Professional Studies (20 credits) and/or Curriculum Studies (20 credits). These credit bearing courses replace elements of Modules Two and Three.

Assessment for performance on the course comprises the completion of assignments together with a Journal of Professional Development which monitors the student’s movement to achieving the standards required for the recommendation of the award of QTS. Further details about the standards framework which is common to all teacher training courses will be made available to successful applicants. In order to be awarded the Primary PGCE student teachers will be required to reach a satisfactory standard in each assessed element of the course and reach the standards required for the recommendation of the award of QTS.

 Tuition Fees

Part-time PGCE Primary students are liable to pay tuition fees.

Further information about the financial package available for PGCE students can be found on the following link: Tuition Fees

How To Apply

Applicants should normally possess a good honours degree. In some cases an honours degree below a lower second class may be considered if the applicant also has a Master’s qualification.

All candidates must possess GCSEs (grade C or above) in English Language, Mathematics and Science before the PGCE course begins, or equivalents acceptable to the University.

If you are in doubt about your qualifications contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office at the University.

To be selected for interview applicants must have a positive reference (and if relevant a degree prediction). Applicants must also be able to demonstrate recent experience of working with primary age children (preferably in a school setting) and be able to analyse this in the personal statement of the application form. The personal statement is a very important part of the form. You must say why you want to become a primary school teacher and it must be communicated in clear and accurate English. The Department takes referees’ comments into account when selecting people for interview. Applicants who are not predicted to achieve our minimum entry qualifications may not be selected for interview.

In selecting people for interview the University will also look at the applicant’s breadth of education qualifications.

Offers of a place are only made after an interview. Those selected will be advised of the format of the interview beforehand. The decision whether to offer a place is based on whether the applicant meets the following criteria:

• a lively, enthusiastic personality
• able to analyse recent experience of working with young children and to articulate it at interview
• has a good depth of subject knowledge relevant to the primary curriculum
• can communicate clearly and collaborate with peers

Candidates will also be required to successfully undertake two short assessments in numeracy and literacy skills.

You can download an application form to print out and complete. You will need to download the following three forms:

• Application Form (PDF 47KB)
• Principal Reference Form (PDF 28KB)
• Second Reference Form (PDF 28KB)

Copies are also available form the Postgraduate Admissions Office, Canterbury Christ Church University, North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QU. Telephone: 01227 782900.

Download This Page You can download this prospectus page as a PDF suitable for printing. Click here or on the image below.     Get Adobe PDF Reader If you don't already have a PDF Reader installed on your computer you can download one for free from the Adobe website.

> Faculty of Education Website