PGCE Early Years and Primary (Postgraduate Certificate of Education)

Overview

Aims of the course
PGCE Early Years and Primary is a one-year, full-time professional course aimed at graduates wishing to specialise either in the Early Years (3-7) or the Primary Years (5-11). It is an intensive programme of 38 weeks, running five days per week from early September to early July. Both age range routes focus on preparing teachers for work in urban, multicultural, multilingual schools and nurseries or Early Years Centres, and address issues of language, diversity and equality across the curriculum. Principles of reflective practice, teamwork and collaborations are fundamental.

All trainees will register in September 2010 for the Professional Graduate Certificate of Education qualification. Trainees may apply to join the Post Graduate Certificate of Education programme during semester one. This includes 60 credits at Masters level alongside the traditional PGCE studies.

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

Applying and entry

PLEASE NOTE There is no official closing date for this course, but you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only consider your application if there are places available on the course.

Tel: 020 7133 4202
Email: admissions@londonmet.ac.uk

Applicants normally need to have a relevant degree, with a degree classification of 2.2 or above. You are expected to have GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent), in Maths, English and Science at the point of application.
You are expected to have at least 10 days experience of working with children in a London state primary school. If your own background is in an urban, multicultural environment or you are bilingual or multilingual in community languages, your application is particularly welcome. Male applicants are also particularly welcomed as they are currently under-represented in this area of teaching.

Course contents

Following government requirements for Primary QTS, all trainees will receive a general introduction to the whole age range of 3-11. Preparation for the Early Years (3-7) route focuses on the role of language in learning, culture and identity, and theories of how children learn through self-initiated and guided activities and play. The course builds on your cultural and linguistic experience, and works with the early learning goals and the Early Years Foundation Stage documentation. The Primary (5-11) route is specially constructed to meet the various requirements for the QTS award for teachers specialising in Key Stages 1 and 2. There is a strong focus on the theories of ways in which children learn in multicultural and multilingual settings.

Both routes cover the core and compulsory subjects in the National Curriculum (English including drama, maths, science, information and communications technology and religious education), and also have a focus on the foundation subjects — art, music, drama, physical education, design and technology, PSHE, history and geography. Some teaching in the foundation subjects models an approach which integrates learning across subject areas, and this is enhanced through dedicated cross-curricular days. The course also focuses on language and learning, linguistic diversity and education in urban schools.

You will spend a minimum of 90 days in school, supported by a University tutor, a school mentor or the class teacher. Upon completion, you will have gained experience of managing and teaching a whole class and collaborating with school colleagues.

Assessment
Your professional competence is assessed summatively through the 'Professional Standards for the award of QTS', which are set out for all Early Years and Primary trainees by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The Training & Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has introduced skills tests in numeracy, English and ICT to confirm future teachers' competence to handle various professional roles. These can be taken during the academic year, and must be passed before August 31 in order to achieve QTS in time to take up your first post as a qualified teacher.

Assessment of the taught course is through written course work, presentations and preparation of resources. There are no exams.

Careers

We have a very successful track record in terms of our graduates' teaching careers. London schools in particular value the preparation to teach children living in urban areas provided by the Department of Education. Most of our Early Years and Primary trainees who gain QTS obtain work within the year, many in the school in which they did their final practice.

Funding
If you are a UK or EU trainee, you may be eligible for a government training salary. For more information, contact the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) on 0845 6000 991 or www.tda.gov.uk

Student profiles

Read a student profile: Fredrick Hall