PGCE Primary

I have learned so much as a student-teacher during my time so far with Canterbury Christ Church University, so much so that I plan to continue my education with the university with a Master's degree in teaching.
Philip

How do you want to study?

I would like to start

I would like to study

Duration:

1 year

UCAS code:

2VBH PGCE Primary

Location(s):

Canterbury

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Overview

The course is aimed at graduates who have a real passion, enthusiasm and commitment to joining the teaching profession as a primary teacher, and who seek to become the very best ‘leader of learning’ they can.

Through our PGCE we will help you build on this passion for teaching children in early years up to year six. On successfully completing your PGCE, as well as pursuing your teaching career and moving into completing your NQT induction, there is also potential for you to engage in further study for a full Master's and on to a Doctorate in Education.

This course is designed to support you in gaining a PGCE Primary and achieving the standards to be a Qualified Teacher. It also provides you with an opportunity to gain 60 Masters level credits.

The course will focus on learning and teaching across the primary phase of education.

Entry requirements

A good honours degree (2:2 or above). English, maths and science at GCSE (Grade C or Grade 4 above, or equivalent). Successful completion of the Occupational Health Clearance and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. You will also need to demonstrate your interest, enthusiasm and commitment to becoming the best teacher you can be.

If English is not your first language you require an IELTS overall score of 6.0 with no element below 5.5 for most standard undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There are some exceptions and if the IELTS requirement differs it will be specified on the course page.

2:2

Hons Degree

All about the course

This course aims to enable you to meet, and exceed, the Teachers’ Standards criteria as set out by the Department for Education and the Teacher Regulations Agency for teaching across the primary phase of education.

The course will not restrict you to a limited age-range for your career. It will support you in meeting the requirement to teach across two consecutive age-phases, and within two different school settings.

You will be able to request whether to be based with 3-7, 5-11 or 7-11 age-phase for some professional placements. Similarly, there will be opportunity within the course to apply for a professional placement in a special educational needs school. Please note that all such requests cannot be guaranteed, but they will be taken into consideration when allocating students to placement offers received from schools.

You will study the following modules:

Curriculum and Pedagogy
Contemporary Issues in Education
Researching Teaching and Learning.

All learning on the course is designed to complement your work in the classroom and academic study will be informed by and will inform your teaching.

The Faculty of Education enjoys a strong partnership with local primary schools and early years’ settings. They are fully involved in all aspects of the course, including recruitment and selection, course planning and development, leading support for your progress against the Teachers’ Standards when you are on placement, and grading you against the Teachers’ Standards.

How you’ll learn

You will be taught and supported by a range of academic tutors and professional colleagues from our school partnership. Academic tutors on this course have also held QTS and have had experience in the classroom.

This full-time PGCE course will comprise a variety of lectures, seminars, workshops tutorials and self-study, balanced with your periods of professional practice. You can expect to be busy, and it is a full time commitment.

You can exit the PGCE courses with one of two awards. The Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) is awarded to students who pass all modules (professional and academic) and who gain 40 or 60 Level 7 credits. The Professional Graduate Certificate of Education (ProfGCE) is awarded to students who pass all modules (professional and academic) on the programme and with less than 40 Level 7 credits. All students completing a PGCE will also be recommended for QTS.

The strong and supportive community within the internationally recognised Primary PGCE brings together aspiring teachers from a range of backgrounds. We believe in critically engaging with educational theory, research and policy to inform teaching. Through empowering our students, we are proud of the innovative teachers they become and the impact they have on children’s learning.
Claire HarrisProgramme Director

How you’ll be assessed

You will be assessed in two main ways, via your three academic assignments and the assessment of your teaching across professional placements.

You will submit three academic assignments for Level 6 or Level 7 credits in each of the three academic modules. A range of different methods of assessment are included to help you to show your knowledge, understanding and skills. These currently comprise a written critical essay-based assignment, a presentation and a digital assignment.

Professional practice will be formally assessed at the end of each professional placement, of which there are three. Each must be successfully passed in order to progress through the course. At the end of your final placement you will be awarded your final grading against each of the Teachers' Standards.

Your future career

Following successful completion of this course, the usual next step is to seek employment as a Newly Qualified Teacher and to successfully pass that part of your induction into the teaching profession. From there, your teaching career can take you on to a very rewarding and exciting professional journey involving learning and teaching, leadership and management, research and advisory roles. There is also potential for you to engage in further study for a full Masters' Degree and on to a Doctorate in Education.

The staff guided me through the minefields of the educational system and had the patience with me to adjust from the very male environments I had been used to, to working in an educational environment.
PhilipClass Teacher

Fees

2021/22 tuition fees for this course

	UK	Overseas
Full-time	£9,250	£13,000
Part-time	N/A	N/A

Important Information on Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated. The tuition fee of £9,250 relates to 2021/22 only. Please read the 2021/22 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding year on year fee increases. Students studying FULL PGCE courses may be eligible to apply to Student Finance for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. You can find out more on our fees and funding web pages.

Students may self-fund their course or a sponsor may fund or part-fund. Bursaries, scholarships and fee discounts may also be available.

Further information

If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact accounts.receivable@canterbury.ac.uk
For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk

Loans and other funding

With or without a bursary or scholarship, you could receive a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to help fund your teacher training year. Alternatively, you could earn a salary while you train.

Visit GOV.UK and use the student finance calculator to estimate student loans and extra funding that may be available, e.g. if you’re disabled or have children.

Apply now