Canterbury Campus Open Day
Visit us at our October Open Day where our students and staff are available to show you around campus and answer your questions.
10am - 3pm
Canterbury Campus
Here at Christ Church, we are privileged to work with students to enable them to demonstrate, through all aspects of the course, their commitment to making a difference to children’s lives.
Dr Rebecca Austin, Course Director
How do you want to study?
I would like to start
I would like to study
This course is also available with a Foundation Year.
Primary Education with Foundation Year
Overview
Canterbury Christ Church University was founded as a teaching college 60 years ago. By joining our highly-regarded course in Primary Education you will be supported to achieve Qualified Teacher (QTS) alongside your three-year degree.
Our BA in Primary Education is designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills to become a primary teacher. You will learn about every aspect of teaching including child development and behaviour, the curriculum, planning and assessment. School placements will help you combine theory and practice to ensure that by the time you complete the course, you will be ready for an exciting career in one of the most rewarding professions.
Primary Education (QTS)
We provide a range of learning opportunities for you in schools and in other educational settings. Where possible, this includes optional opportunities to participate in overseas study visits so that you can widen your experience. On completion of the course, our teachers are highly sought after by local head teachers because of the depth of knowledge, creativity and professionalism that they bring to teaching.
You will be taught by experienced tutors, many of whom are highly regarded and published in their fields, gaining additional insight from expert guest lecturers. You will benefit from valuable experience working alongside teachers while on placement, many of whom are ex-students.
Throughout the course there is a strong emphasis on critical reflection. This skill, which you will develop as part of your modules, will help you to apply your understanding of theory and research in education to your professional practice. On successful completion of the course, you'll graduate and be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Train to teach at Christ Church
All about the course
About Year 1 (Level 4)
In year 1 you will have a range of experiences, building relationships with children, teachers, tutors and other professionals including colleagues studying with you. You will be introduced to what it means to be a teacher and how children learn. This will be through a blend of in-school professional practice and academic study.
You will learn about the curriculum & subjects which children engage with while at primary school. We will focus on professionalism and pedagogy (the art of teaching) to help you to become the most effective teacher you can be.
As you begin your transition into teaching and learning in higher education, you will be supported to develop essential study skills.
You will be supported in university study and school-based learning by a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT). You will meet with your PAT regularly throughout the year and they will be able to support you in your personal and professional development.
Currently, students typically spend about 1-2 days a week on placement and 1-2 days a week engaged with academic study. This pattern varies throughout the year and is supported by additional independent study time.
About Year 2 (Level 5)
In year 2 you will build on and expand your learning, beginning to think about the impact that society has on education. You will have opportunity to explore education and learning in a wider context both through theoretical and practical perspectives.
You will have experience in a setting other than mainstream primary, during the Alternative Learning Experience module (ALE). In addition, you will undertake a further placement in school, where you will begin to take increased responsibility for children's learning.
In professional placement, you will have an increased role in the classroom and will be responsible for teaching a variety of whole-class lessons. This will be with the support and guidance of your class teacher and school-based mentor.
You will continue to be supported in your university study and school-based learning by a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT). You will meet with your PAT at regular points throughout the year and they will be able to support you in your personal and professional development.
Currently, students typically spend 3-4 days a week engaged with academic study, which could be a combination of face to face (F2F) seminars or blended learning (online opportunities). Placement in Level 5 is currently a block placement (5 days a week in school), lasting around 7 weeks. The ALE experience is typically 4 weeks. Students are also engaged in further independent study time.
About Year 3 (Level 6)
In year 3 you will be challenged to consider innovative practice through the wider curriculum. You will understand the importance of your deep subject knowledge and how this enables you to plan effectively for children's learning and progress. This will link with your understanding of your professional identity and the role of research in professional development. At CCCU, we want to develop teaching professionals who think for themselves, are prepared to continually develop their own practice and ultimately will enhance the outcomes for children in our society.
Your final professional placement will provide you with the opportunity to take a larger teaching responsibility for children's learning, over a sustained period of time. You will work towards successfully meeting the expectations of the ITE Curriculum and the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
We will support your transition into your role as an Early Career Teacher. This is in combination with continued support for your university study and school-based learning by a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT).
Currently, students typically spend at least 3 days a week engaged with academic study, supported by further independent study time. Academic study could be a combination of face to face (F2F) seminars or blended learning (online opportunities). Placement in Level 6 is currently a placement (5 days a week in school), lasting around 11 weeks - this includes allocated time for research.
This course can also be studied over four years with an initial foundation year (Year 0) for those without the formal entry qualifications. It is designed to provide you with the grounding you need to progress on to this degree
Entry requirements
Qualification type |
Grades |
| A Levels | BBC |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access | 15 Distinctions and 30 Merits |
| International Baccalaureate | 28 Points |
| Combinations | A combination of qualifications totalling 112 UCAS points |
GCSE English language, mathematics and science at grade C / 4 or above. You can still apply while working towards these.
We're interested in your potential as a teacher.
A typical offer would be 112 UCAS points, or equivalent. Each application is considered on a case by case basis, taking into account previous experiences. You will need to be assessed as fit to teach, including an occupational health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
All applicants will be asked to attend an interview.
Please note: If you've taken some time out of studying you may not need to meet our general minimum entrance requirements.
If you're returning to education and are able to demonstrate your commitment to studying a degree we will consider your application and take into consideration experience and any qualifications you may have.
For more information on the IELTS (International English language Testing System) requirements for this course, please click here to visit our dedicated web page.
112
UCAS Points
Module information
Please note that the list of optional modules and their availability may be subject to change. We continually review and where appropriate, revise the range of modules on offer to reflect changes in the subject and ensure the best student experience. Modules will vary when studied in combination with another subject.
Core/optional modules
How you’ll learn
Through each level of study you will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, school placements and self-study. All of these are supported through Blackboard, the university's virtual learning environment.
The use of a range of learning and teaching strategies is central to the design and planning of this course. This is because the learning you experience in the University and in schools needs to model explicitly and implicitly key aspects of subject and phase-specific pedagogy. Therefore, there is an emphasis on:
individual and collaborative learning; critical debate and discussion; micro-teaching; multi-sensory learning; active learning; use of inclusive and diverse resources and content; use of information and communication technologies; technology-enhanced learning and blended learning; independent learning and personal reflection; critical reviews; connections between research, theory and practical application.
All courses are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2022.
In line with government regulations, trainee teachers must demonstrate competence against a set of fundamental mathematics and English skills by the end of their training. It is the responsibility of the trainee teacher to demonstrate these.
At Christ Church we will offer tools for trainees to track their current competence and self-study activities to support trainees in updating any identified gaps in their knowledge. In order to begin to assist trainees in identifying any gaps, short English and mathematics activities will be embedded into our induction processes.
When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions, you will continue learning through self-study. Typically, this involves reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the library, working on projects, and preparing for coursework assignments/examinations, workshops and seminars.
Your module tutor will direct you towards specific readings and/or activities to complete before class.
Normally a 20 credit module carries a study time of 200 hours of which approximately 140-160 hours per module consists of study that is completed in your own time.
Many of the tutors are senior lecturers and have studied at Masters and Doctoral level, and the majority are also experienced classroom practitioners.
Because we work with you throughout your course, together with colleagues in our wider school partnerships, we are able to help you gain in-depth knowledge, skills and confidence in your teaching. You will be able to continue to build on this as you progress into your career as an Early Career Teacher - and beyond!
Hazel KingYear 1 Lead Tutor, BA (Hons) Primary Education
How you’ll be assessed
You will be assessed for the award of your academic qualification through your assignments and through your teaching in school. All modules must be successfully passed in order to progress and complete the course.
You will submit assignments for all of the taught modules. The assessment will include a wide range of tasks including written essays and assignments, multi-media submissions, oral presentations, research tasks and portfolios of evidence of your learning. The assignments are designed to help you investigate in detail particular aspects of pedagogy, educational theory or research which will have relevance to your teaching, and to reflect on how theory has informed, or can inform, your practice.
Your professional learning in school or other educational settings will be underpinned, informed and assessed through evidence of your impact on children's learning and progress, and through evidence of your engagement with your own personal and professional development. You will receive formative feedback during your placement experiences about your progress. How you meet the professional standards for teaching in England will be assessed at the end of the final placement in Level 6.
Your future career
We provide a significant proportion of the teachers in the South East of England, particularly in Kent and Medway. Upon graduating, you will be joining this wider alumni network of teachers. Our graduates also go on to work in a wide range of education settings and schools across the country and the wider world.
Recent graduates have gone on to work in schools in the UK and abroad. A number of our students continue to develop their academic progress through postgraduate study such as an MA in Education.
Fees
The 2022/23 annual tuition fees for this course are:
| UK** | Overseas*** | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time - Foundation Year 0 | £9,250 | £14,500 |
| Full-time - years 1-3 * | £9,250 | £14,500 |
Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated.
* The tuition fees of £9,250 / £14,500 relate to 2022/23 only. Please read the 2022/23 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding 2022/23 tuition fees and year on year fee increases.
**Home (UK) Fees
The fees above are for the 2022/23 academic year but may be subject to change following any announcements by the UK Government (approved by Parliament) regarding maximum Undergraduate tuition fee caps for 2022/23.
In addition, the University reserves the right to increase all full-time and part-time Undergraduate tuition fees mid-course, in line with any further inflationary increase in the Government tuition fee cap which is approved by Parliament. The University will publish information about any changes to tuition fees on its website.
***Overseas Fees (including EU fees):
Undergraduate Overseas tuition fees for International students are not subject to the Government’s regulations on maximum tuition fees.
Students with an Overseas fee status will be eligible for an International student Scholarship fee discount of £1,500, which will be applied to all Full-time Undergraduate courses with a tuition fee of £14,500.
Students with an EU fee status will be eligible for the EEA Transition Scholarship. Further details can be found here: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/fees-and-funding/international-student-fees-and-funding
- Read advice about funding your degree
- See information about the financial support available for undergraduate studies
- 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
Diamond Jubilee Scholarships and Bursaries
To celebrate 60 years of transforming lives through education new cash bursary and scholarship opportunities are available for students starting a degree in September 2022. See full details.
Professional Accreditation
You will need to pass all academic and placement modules in order to successfully complete your degree and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status*. Should you not pass a module, this may potentially delay progress between levels. It is important to be aware that this might have an impact on how long it would then take you to complete the course.
*Teaching Standards (published by the Department for Education).
As part of the Undergraduate Initial Teacher Education Scheme, this course has special regulations.
The Code of Student Professional Conduct is relevant to you as you are pursuing a course that leads to a professional qualification.
You will be expected at all times to demonstrate that you understand and uphold the Teacher’s Standards and professional behaviours, as published by the Department for Education.
Travel Costs
Students on this part-time course generally organise their own placements, but if your placement is organised by the university you should be prepared to fund and travel up to 1hr 30 minutes both to and from your professional placement setting. You are strongly advised not to purchase season tickets for bus/rail until your placement settings are confirmed through the course.
Industry links
Professional Placements are provided by partnership schools in and around Kent and Medway, and further afield in East Sussex, Essex and South East London.
A number of our tutors are key members of professional subject associations and professional subject bodies, such as the Association of Science Educators, United Kingdom Literacy Association and National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
Our regular guest speakers include local head teachers and published children's authors including Anthony Browne, Abi Elphinstone, Joe Coehlo, and Anne Booth.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The Office for Students (OfS) regulates Canterbury Christ Church University. The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. It aims to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. Further details about its work are available on the OfS website.
Apply now
Any questions?
Email us
courses@canterbury.ac.uk
Phone us
+44 (0)1227 928000
Find out more
Sign up to hear the latest from the University, including upcoming events, useful updates, student life and more!