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PGCE Primary (QTS)

Start date
September
Duration
36 weeks
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught

With a PGCE Primary (QTS) qualification, you will become a highly sought-after educator, equipped to inspire, educate, and lead the next generation towards a brighter future

On the PGCE Primary programme you will benefit from our collaboration with a wide range of partner schools and the diverse communities we serve will enrich your experience. Once you have enrolled on the PGCE primary course, you can opt to specialise either in working with 3-7 year olds or 5-11 year olds. Students on the 3-7 specialism will undertake two placements, one in in the Early Years Foundation Stage and one in Key Stage 1. Students on the 5-11 specialism will undertake two placements in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

As part of your Primary ITE programme, you will complete two intensive training and practice modules (ITAPs). ITAPs are an opportunity for you to focus on a particular strand of primary teaching for a week of intensive training, with opportunities for feedback on individual teaching. The focus of the four weeks of ITAPs for all primary routes are: 

  1. Effective instruction
  2. Early reading
  3. Adaptive teaching including for children with EAL and SEND
  4. Assessment and adaptive teaching

On our programme you will be challenged to develop informed and justified decisions about how you approach your teaching, in order to enable you to continue to develop over your career. On successful completion of your PGCE you will be awarded 80 credits towards your Masters and you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete your Masters qualification. 

If you are interested in primary teaching and you have a grade 7/A or above in GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent), you may like to train as a mathematics specialist. Information may be found on our Primary Education in Mathematics course page. Alternatively, if you are interested in working with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities you may wish to join our Primary SEND programme. 

The School of Education at the University of Birmingham in the West Midlands, has a long tradition of delivering teacher training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' three times by Ofsted inspectors which affirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training. 

Equal Opportunities

The School of Education and University of Birmingham is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:

Our lectures were really immersive, practical and fun and I use a lot of the techniques which I learnt then in my teaching practice today.

Francesca Buckland, Alumna

Dubai Campus

Study for a PGCE with iQTS at the University of Birmingham Dubai campus

Our PGCE with iQTS which has been approved by the KHDA, follows teaching standards within the U.A.E

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR COURSES IN DUBAI

Fees

Fees for 2024-2025 are:

£9,250 (UK), £24,120 (International).

When you apply for this course, it is important that you also take into account living costs and should ensure that you will have sufficient funds to finance the full duration of your studies. Our PGCE programmes include a significant amount of time spent on placements in a variety of schools at different locations, and so when budgeting to study you should also allow for travel to and from placements, as well as textbooks, printing, photocopying and stationery that you may need.

Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan

With or without a bursary, you can also access a  Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition fees and a Maintenance Loan for your living costs. The available loans for 2023-2024 are:

  • a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,250 to cover your fees
  • a Maintenance Loan of up to £13,022 to support your living costs

Additional financial support

If you have children or a disability, extra funding is available. For instance, you could get:

Find out more information on the  extra financial support available

For further information contact the School directly visit the Funding, Graduation & Awards Office via online enquiries. 

How To Apply

Apply online through DfE Apply

Course code: Primary: X100

The Interview process 

Selection is rigorous and designed to identify candidates with the strongest aptitude. Candidates selected for interview will be invited to:

  • meet course tutors
  • find out more about the course
  • have a one to one interview
  • show GCSE and Degree certificates (where these are available).

We work closely with partner schools to select candidates and applicants will often have the opportunity to meet senior colleagues from partner schools when they join us for interview day.  

Our Standard Requirements

All applicants to the PGCE Primary (QTS) must hold a degree from a UK Higher Education Institution. Normally, this should be a 2:2 or above (and this will be a condition of any offer where the degree is not already awarded). 

You must also have GCSE Mathematics, English and Science (Grade 4/C or above) or equivalent qualifications which will be a condition of any offer, if not already achieved. Equivalency tests will be accepted but only from equivalency testing .

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact us on ITEadmissions@contacts.bham.ac.uk

You must also:

  • complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before taking up a place.
  • complete relevant checks to ensure you have the health and physical capacity to teach.
  • agree to abide by the University of Birmingham Code of Professional Conduct and Fitness to Practise.

International Requirements


The primary course is designed in conjunction with our school based partnership; we have a full time team of specialist tutors and centre-based training takes place in spacious rooms that provide a learning environment tailored to promoting high quality primary practice. You will also have a personal academic tutor to guide and support you, as well as a dedicated mentor in placement schools.

Our Professional Enquiry course provides breadth and depth of insight across key themes such as learning theories, assessment, equalities, inclusion and teacher health and wellbeing. An additional PSHE award is also available to all students.

The modules will require written assignments. For the final module, University tutors and school-based mentors share the assessment of against the Teachers’ Standards for the award of QTS.

The PGCE Primary (QTS) course works closely with the University careers service to provide you with support for the job application process. Our success rate for student completion of our courses and subsequent employment in schools has remained consistently high. The vast majority of our students gain employment in the local region, many of them choosing to remain in partnership schools.