Trainee teacherTraining

Primary PGCE students are trained to work within Key Stages One and Two through a combination of University based and school based training:

University-based training

Curriculum studies. We are passionate about the quality, breadth and balance of our curriculum studies and ensure that trainees receive training in all of the National Curriculum areas. We strive to give trainees an adequate grounding in each subject and to:

  • provide opportunities for trainees to work at their own level and then to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to the classroom situation
  • help trainees to acquire sufficient competence to plan, organize, manage and assess programmes of work in the light of national curriculum requirements
  • help trainees to recognize and explore the relationship between different areas of the curriculum with particular reference to the dimensions, themes and skills of the whole

Professional Studies. These studies explore diverse, innovative and contemporary aspects of teaching and learning, topics covered are for example:

  • Research Culture and Education
  • Learning Theories
  • Special Educational Needs
  • EAL
  • Thinking Skills
  • Mantle of the Expert
  • Assessment
  • Classroom management
  • Gifted and Talented Pupils
  • Accredited Philosophy for Children

Tutors involved in curriculum and professional studies are university-based members of staff, innovative practitioners, experienced colleagues from our partnership schools and where appropriate we also involve high profile speakers.

We believe that it is imperative that trainees experience a diverse range of methods of delivery to give them a thorough grounding in the subjects and how they can be taught in primary schools. These methods include, for example:

  • lectures
  • demonstrations PE Equipment
  • practical workshops
  • discussions
  • video programmes
  • visits/fieldwork
  • teacher involvement
  • required reading

School-based training

Trainees experience a balance of teaching across both Key Stages (KS) 1 and 2. Placements are organised centrally on the basis of the placements allocated by our partnership schools. The pattern of experience is as follows:

  • Term 1 Trainees in school for approximately 7 weeks.
  • Term 2 Trainees in school for approximately 4 weeks.
  • Term 3 Trainees in school for approximately 8 weeks.

School based training involves:

  • Observation of teaching and learning
  • Teaching individual pupils, small groups of pupils and whole class teaching
  • Specific school-based tasks
  • Weekly mentor meetings with school based tutors
  • Regular observations by tutors.