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What makes Primary teaching at Worcester special?

This part time course offers an exciting opportunity for you to train to become a primary school teacher. You will be able to top up if you have 120 credits at level 4 and 120 credits at level 5 and are working or volunteering in a school setting or equivalent. Ideally, your foundation degree will be in a teacher and learning related field, however we will accept level 4 and level 5 credits from other degrees should you also have significant experience in an education setting. It is your responsibility to source a "home school" in which to complete the majority of your placement time but the University will support you in acquiring an "alternative school" to complete your additional statutory six week placement.

This course is the quickest and cheapest route to QTS at the University of Worcester starting from a foundation degree and taking you from level 5 to Qualified Teacher Status in just 16 months.

Throughout this course you will have opportunities to build your skills, knowledge, and confidence in teaching through practical placements alongside your academic programme. Training to be a teacher in conjunction with working in your employing school or volunteering setting, offers a rich, varied and immersive learning experience in Primary Teacher training to optimise your abilities. You (and your school) will need to commit to you being at university on Wednesdays, plus approximately 12 additional Intensive Training and Practice days, to work with experts in primary teaching and also for you to utilise self-study materials.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Top up a Foundation Degree and gain recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status.
  • Learn from specialist staff with expertise and experience across all Primary School Subjects.
  • Engage in study and gain a qualification whilst in employment or volunteering (please note that you will need to be released from your work or volunteering context for 1 day a week (Wednesday), plus approximately 8 Intensive Training and Practice days and for the duration of a 6 week, fulltime placement in another school).
  • Placement opportunities and learning to support you in developing your teaching skills, under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
  • Opportunity to engage in an action research project in your own school/education context.
  • Joining a learning community where collaboration and support from peers and from tutors will enable you to flourish.

Accreditation

At the end of your course, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) Teaching in Primary Education. You will also be recommended to the Teaching Regulation Agency for Qualified Teacher Status.

Ofsted Outstanding logo

Ofsted has rated us as "Outstanding" in training Primary and Secondary Teachers 2023.

The University of Worcester’s education of future primary and secondary teachers has been given the highest possible grade with inspectors stating that, along with its partners, the University creates “a learning community that places children at the heart of everyone’s endeavours”.  

Read our full news story

Some of our most recent Ofsted report findings:

"University staff provide trainees with high-quality support with issues such as managing workload and maintaining good mental health. Relationships between staff and trainees are trusting, positive and based on mutual respect."

"Everyone working with trainees takes the time to get to know them exceptionally well. These strong relationships mean that trainees experience high-quality academic and pastoral support that is well matched to their circumstances."

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

  • You will normally have completed a Foundation Degree in an education or teaching related field for example, the University of Worcester's Foundation Degree in Teaching and Learning.

  • All entrants must have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (formerly grade C) in the GCSE examinations in GCSE in English Language or Literature, Maths and Science. (applicants must have these qualifications by the start of the course). Alternatively, we 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.

  • You will need to source a home school in which to complete your placement and your headteacher must agree to support the requirements of the course

Additional requirements

  • An Enhanced DBS check. You will be sent details of how to apply for your DBS in the summer term. You will need to pay for this. You may already be part of the DBS update service. Find out about the update service here. As part of the DBS process, you will be checked against the Children’s Barred List
  • A check against the Prohibition List
  • If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required. Further information and guidance associated with additional costs are available from the Home Office
  • A range of other safeguarding checks is undertaken
  • An online occupational health check. All those on a teacher training programme must be certified as meeting national requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach, as set by the Department for Education
  • International students: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent
  • You will need to be employed in a school setting (or equivalent educational setting) or be volunteering in a school. The Headteacher will need to support your application and commit to the requirements of the programme

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed, with interviews currently taking place online. To help you prepare for your interview, you can expect questions covering the following:

  • the role of being a teacher - both the positives and the challenges
  • your ability to identify the skills and qualities a teacher requires including key English and Maths skills
  • your understanding of current issues in education and the wider role of a teacher
  • your knowledge of professionalism and how teachers demonstrate this
  • how schools and teachers keep children safe

As work-based learning agreements need to be put in place before schools close for the summer, the closing date for this course is Friday 5th July. Any applications received after this date will be deferred until the following academic year.

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A day in the life of a Primary School Teacher

Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. 

The course programme has four interrelated modules which will help you become an effective teacher. You will learn about professional practice and the wider role of the teacher, as well as having subject specific sessions so that you are confident in delivering the full primary National Curriculum and the Early Years curriculum. You will also explore evidence-informed teaching and you will undertake your own research project in school.

Alongside these modules, you will also engage in placements in your own school and one placement of 6 weeks plus 2 preparation days in an alternative school setting.

Your modules will run concurrently across the course.

Module 1

Professional Studies

This module includes aspects such as behaviour and classroom organisation, inclusion (SEND, EAL) and diversity, pedagogy, planning and assessment.

Module 2

Teachers as evidence-informed practitioners and researchers

This module will look at theory to practice and will include a small action research project.

Module 3

Teaching and Learning: The Primary Curriculum

This module will include subject specific session across the range of National Curriculum subjects. These sessions will be built upon in the School Experience module where students will develop their practice and reflect upon their development as a practicing teacher.

Module 4

School Experience

This module will involve two school placements, one at your ‘home’ school and one in an alternative school setting. You will be supported by school staff and tutors from the university.

Module 5

Achieving QTS

This module will simply assess your progress against the Teacher Standards. Successful completion will result in the recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status.
Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, placement, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress. You will build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

Your course is taught through a combination of interactive workshops, seminars and lectures. You will be taught by tutors who have specialisms in the subject or curriculum area and all of whom have been primary school practitioners. The interactive sessions will provide you with opportunity to discuss, engage in activities for the primary classroom and to explore evidence and research to inform your own practice. You will also engage in learning on your placement, putting into practice what you have explored in sessions and observed on placement. You will be assigned a school mentor who will model, de-construct practice and support you in reflecting upon practice for improvement. Your university sessions and school placements work together to ensure a fully integrated experience.

You will be supported by specialist tutors and school mentors throughout your course. In addition, you will also be assigned a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) who will be available to help you through your course. These tutors can help with academic writing and provide guidance and support or signpost you to wider services offered at the university. We have a range of services, alongside your academic team, supporting you to be successful, for example our Library Services and Student Services. You will meet with your PAT tutor regularly.

You will also be expected to undertake personal independent study. Aspects such as core subject audits and subject specific sessions will support you in focusing your self-study time.

All of these approaches to teaching and learning will support you in becoming an effective teacher and a successful learner yourself. We are looking forward to supporting you as you develop and flourish as a qualified primary teacher.

Contact time

In a typical week you will have approximately 6 hours contact time (Wednesdays) when you are not on placement. Typically contact time will be in seminar or workshop groups.

Please see indicative course calendar for placements and University sessions

You will undertake placements in your home school throughout the 16 months of the course. You will undertake a 6 week placement (plus observation days across 1 week) in an alternative school setting in the Summer term.

In a typical week, the following commitment is required:

  • Autumn 1 term (home school): 2 days placement plus Wednesday in University
  • Autumn 2 term (home school): 2 days placement plus Wednesday in University
  • Spring 1 term (home school): 2 days placement plus Wednesday in University
  • Spring 2 term (home school): 2 days placement plus Wednesday in University (last week of term the placement days are replaced by 2 observation days in alternative school)
  • Summer 1 term (home school) 2 days placement plus Wednesday in University (last week of term the placement days are replaced by 2 observation days in alternative school)
  • Summer 2 (alternative school): Fulltime 6 week placement
  • Final Autumn Term: (home school): 2 days placement (for 4 weeks) then fulltime placement for 6 weeks

Throughout the course, there will also be an expectation for students to complete approximately 12 days of Intensive Training and Practice that will involve being released from placement to study at either University or in a training school.

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 6-8 hours personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involved reading journal articles, completing tasks such as subject audits and planning for school.

Independent learning is supported by learning facilities such as our library (The Hive), our virtual learning environment (Blackboard) and other resources which your tutors will signpost to you.

Duration and timetables

This is an 16 month course part time and runs from September to the following December.

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Location of teaching

Teaching sessions will be delivered at the University of Worcester. You will also be assigned to an alternative school setting for one of your placements and the other placement experience will be in your home school setting.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team who have specialisms and expertise across the primary curriculum and professional issues. All of your tutors have been primary school teachers themselves and so have the practical application as well as their academic scholarship and research in specific areas. This also means that all of the tutors teaching you have a teaching qualification. 86% of the tutors hold fellowship or senior fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (as at 1st October 2021).

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to assess understanding and learning formatively and summatively across the programme. Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessment which is graded and counts towards the overall module grade. A typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

Year 1:
  • 1 x 4000 word written assignment
  • 1 x 5000 word research project plus
  • 1000 word poster
  • 1 x 3000 word written assignment plus 10 minute presentation
Year 2 (term 1)
  • Reflective Portfolio (equivalent to 4000 words)Assessment against Teachers’ Standards for recommendation for Qualified Teacher status(QTS)

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Kaytie Holdstock

Kaytie Holdstock

Kaytie is the course leader for the BA (Hons) Teaching in Primary Education (QTS) Top Up course, supporting school colleagues both working and volunteering in Primary Schools to achieve Qualified Teacher Status. She has 18 years experience working as a primary school teacher and has a passion for promoting creativity in the classroom.

Throughout her career, she has worked with children across the primary age range and held many in-school roles including Deputy Head teacher. Kaytie was awarded Advanced Skills Teacher status which gave her the opportunity to support other schools in developing engaging, creative and inspiring content for their own pupils. She later became a Teacher advisor for Worcestershire Local Authority specialising in The Arts.

Rosemarie Hill

After completing her degree in English and History at the University of the West of England, Rosemarie completed her PGCE at the University of Central England (now Birmingham City University).

Rosemarie went on to teach for 15 years across the primary age range in schools in Staffordshire and Worcestershire. During her primary teaching career, Rosemarie was responsible for leading History and Creative Curriculum across the school.

Having joined the University of Worcester in 2021, Rosemarie is really looking forward to lecturing in History and English on the undergraduate and post-graduate courses.

Joy Carroll 2020

Dr Joy Carroll

Joy works in the Centre for Primary Initial Teacher Education where she holds the posts of Module Leader for Y3 Dissertation Module and teaches on the UG programme. Joy also works within the Primary Partnership Team.

Joy trained as a Primary School teacher and started her teaching career in the London Borough of Brent. She has taught in America, Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Joy held a range of leadership roles including Key Stage 1 Manager, Assistant Headteacher, Lead Teacher for Literacy and Key Stage One Moderator for a Local Authority and school coordinator for Geography, History and Special Educational Needs.

Following her experience in schools Joy worked as an advisor in Worcestershire Local Authority in the area of School Workforce, providing guidance and support to school leaders on professional development and deployment of support staff. This was an interesting role as she was in post at the time when workforce remodelling was introduced. Joy led the TDA Induction training for Teaching Assistants and managed a programme of training which supported TAs to gain qualifications, this included working with Higher level Teaching Assistants on preparation for assessment.

Her research interests include school-university partnerships and how policy informs practice in ITT. Joy studied for a Doctorate in Education at University College London, researching the impact of how schools and universities work collaboratively to support Initial Teacher Education within the different routes into teaching.

Kate Howen

Kate is the PGCE cohort leader for the Part Time pathway, teaching across the modules and supporting trainees during their school experience.

Learning to love our fellow human beings and understanding different perspectives is a vital component to any teacher, in any context, and underpins Kate’s whole teaching philosophy.

Kate joined the university in 2017 and teaches on the Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching courses. She has a focus on Inclusion, Diversity and Global Citizenship and specialisms in teaching Music, History and English.

Careers

Careers

Employability

This course enables you to gain Qualified Teacher Status and pursue a career in teaching. Your academic and professional qualifications will support you in a career in education. The University of Worcester has an extensive partnership of schools and this will provide you with opportunity on your alternative placement to find out about practices at other schools. You may wish to continue in study and there are opportunities to engage with postgraduate courses.

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Careers and Employability

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

Find out how we can support you to achieve your potential
Costs

Fees and funding

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the academic year 2024/25 are £1,156 per 15-credit module, £1,542 per 20-credit module, £2,312 per 30-credit module, £3,083 per 40-credit module, £3,469 per 45-credit module and £4,625 per 60 credit module.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs

There may be some costs to you in engaging with this course linked to purchasing your own stationery and ensuring you have appropriate clothing for your school placement. You will also need to make sure that you are able to travel to your placement school and the university for sessions. We do have a transport policy for placement and there may be some subsidy available if criteria in the policy is met.

Sources of financial support

Most financial support is available from Student Finance England. The University’s Money Advice Service can provide information about student money; this can be accessed through Firstpoint. 
How to apply

How to apply

Make your application

For all part-time courses please apply directly to University of Worcester.

Read our How to apply pages for more information on applying and to find out what happens to your application

As work-based learning agreements need to be put in place before schools close for the summer, the closing date for this course is Friday 5th July. Any applications received after this date will be deferred until the following academic year.

Apply now - Early Years (3-7) Apply now - Later Years (5-11)

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Admissions office

admissions@worc.ac.uk
01905 855111

Kaytie Holdstock

Course leader
k.holdstock@worc.ac.uk

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