PGCE - Primary

Entry requirements

Honours degree normally (2:2) or higher from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification. Applicants with a 3rd class degree will be considered on an individual basis.

GCSE grade C/4 in English Language or English Literature, Mathematics and Science, or equivalent qualifications. We do offer an equivalency test if you don’t have the required GCSE grade to apply for our courses.

Trainees who begin courses before providing evidence of the required GCSE standard (or equivalent) will not be eligible for financial incentives, such as bursaries or grants until they achieve the required standard.

Please see the University website for full details.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Originally founded as an emergency teacher training college after World War II, we've been training highly skilled, inspirational primary teachers for over 75 years.

Our PGCE will fully equip you to make a real difference in children’s lives through varied school placements, interactive subject sessions, and tailored tutor support.

We’ve been rated as ‘Outstanding’ in training primary and secondary teachers, the highest possible grade a provider can receive.

Overview

Our Ofsted Outstanding course offers you the opportunity to gain a postgraduate qualification alongside Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). With 60 credits at Masters level, the PGCE Primary can open doors to further study and other employment opportunities.

At Worcester, you’ll gain experience through multiple placements in a variety of school environments throughout the year, which will prepare you for a successful transition into teaching.

When not on placement, you’ll be taught through a mixture of lectures, workshops and interactive subject sessions covering the full spectrum of National Curriculum subjects. In these interactive sessions, our tutors will model effective teaching and classroom management strategies. Specialist facilities, such as our DT room, gymnasium, music room and art studio, are designed to replicate the school environments you’ll be teaching in, allowing you to learn in authentic settings.

There are no exams on this course. Instead, you’ll be assessed through two written assignments and a digital portfolio that you’ll complete during your school experience placements. This portfolio contains several tasks linked to the Department for Education’s Teachers’ Standards, which you must meet to qualify as a teacher.

Choose your pathway

The pathway you choose will determine the focus of your learning, on campus and on placement. You’ll choose from:

• Early Years (ages 3 to 7) – you’ll cover the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 (KS1), with school experience taking place in EYFS and KS1 settings.
• Later Years (ages 5 to 11) – you’ll cover the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2, with school experience taking place in KS1 and KS2 settings.

No matter which pathway you choose, you’ll be qualified to teach across all primary stages, giving you flexibility in your future career.

Placements

School placements are a key element of the course. You’ll spend 120 days in at least two different schools, ensuring you experience a range of key stages and environments. For example, you may be placed with a mixed-age class in a small village school and then move onto a large, culturally diverse school with multiple classes per year group.

We work hard to maintain strong relationships with over 260 schools across 25 local authorities and will organise placements for you in supportive environments. While on placement you’ll be supported by your class teacher and lead mentor, in addition to your university tutors. They will regularly observe you teach and give live feedback, so you can continually reflect on and improve your classroom practice.

Careers

This course will qualify you to teach in primary schools in the UK. Most of our students quickly find jobs after graduation, thanks to the confidence they’ve gained on the course, the connections they make on placement and our excellent reputation with schools in the region.

Many of our graduates pursue leadership roles within schools, as curriculum leaders, special educational needs coordinators, key stage leaders, deputies, or head teachers.

The PGCE is an internationally recognised teaching qualification and can widen your opportunities for a career overseas. You’ll be able to seek work in countries such as America, Australia, and Canada.

The 60 credits you gain at Masters level mean our course is also an ideal springboard for those seeking further postgraduate study. These credits can be put towards a full Masters qualification, such as our multiple pathway Education MA.