School of Education | PGCE Education (Primary)

PGCE Education (Primary) at Durham University

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Are you interested in primary school teaching and making a positive difference in children's lives? Our highly rated PGCE in Primary Education (5 - 11 years) supports you to become a competent and confident Early Career Teacher.

Are you interested in why people learn in different ways? Do you want to find out more about barriers to learning and how learning supports childhood development? Maybe you’d like to know more about the ways in which politics can impact education and education in diverse cultures?

If you are a graduate interested in learning and teaching and want to make a positive difference in the lives of young people, then the PGCE in Primary Education could be the course for you.

The course qualifies you to become a primary teacher for children in the 5 to 11 age range and provides training for Key Stages One & Two. Successful completion of the PGCE leads to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education awarded by Durham University and the recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status. The QTS element is accredited by Newcastle University and awarded by the Department of Education.

We pride ourselves on offering a well-planned blend of research and experience in the classroom to start you on your successful career as an Early Career Teacher. We emphasise your entitlement to the Core Content Framework throughout our PGCE course to fully prepare you for the Early Career Framework, which will support you during your first two years of teaching as an Early Career Teacher.

University sessions are devoted to English, Mathematics, and Science. Your subject knowledge and understanding will be enhanced, as well as improving your subject-specific pedagogy. Subject specialists deliver all three core subjects.

Similarly, you will learn about Primary Foundation Subjects (Art, Computing, Design & Technology, Geography, History, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Physical Education, PSHE or Religious Education) with a specialist lead for each subject area.

The Professional Studies sessions explore your understanding of critical concepts and classroom practice, allowing you to reflect on your teacher identity and progress as a developing teacher.

Please note that the course does not run to standard university terms. It is delivered full-time, starting in early September and continues over 10 months.

The School of Education's students graduate with a broad range of transferable skills which open the door to careers across a wide range of sectors in the education sector and beyond.

Our BA in Primary Education offers the opportunity to gain Qualified Teacher Status with most graduates progressing directly into teaching. Graduates of the BA in Education Studies degrees move into a diverse range of roles including educational research, publishing, education administration, policy making and management as well as roles in the commercial or public sector. Some students choose further study, progressing to doctoral programmes, while others choose a Masters degree or a PGCE in Primary or Secondary Education.

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