PGCE Primary (Taught)

98% of our students that completed a QTS course were in employment or further study 15 months after finishing their course - Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025

Become a confident, qualified primary teacher with a PGCE Primary Education with QTS at Canterbury Christ Church University. Designed for those looking to graduate with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), this course will enable you to teach across Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 (ages 3–11), preparing you for a rewarding and impactful career in primary education.

On successful completion with QTS, you'll be able to register with the Teacher Regulations Agency (TRA), which is an essential requirement for teaching in England. You will also have the opportunity to achieve Master’s credits, giving you a springboard into further postgraduate study or future leadership roles.

What you’ll learn

• Become a reflective and evidence-based teacher, underpinned by research-informed pedagogy.

• Enhance your expertise in teaching phonics, literacy, numeracy, and inclusive practice.

• Become a confident communicator who can work collaboratively and professionally with both your students and fellow staff members.

• Promote creativity and innovation in the classroom as you inspire your pupils with a lifelong enjoyment of learning.

• Complete two differentiated placements to gain a variety of teaching experience before graduation.

With strong partnerships across local schools and early years settings, you’ll benefit from high-quality placements where you’ll learn alongside experienced and inspiring teachers. You may choose to focus on the 3–7 or 5–11 age range, and there may also be opportunities to apply for a placement in a special educational needs (SEN) setting.

Throughout the course, you’ll receive expert guidance and one-to-one mentoring from both university tutors and school-based staff, ensuring you build the confidence, subject knowledge, and reflective practice needed to thrive as a teacher.

https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/courses/postgraduate/pgce-primary

You will be assessed in two main ways: via academic assessments and the assessment of your teaching practice during School Experience 1 and 2.

You will submit assignments for each academic module, gaining Level 7 credits as you progress through the course. A range of assessment methods to help you to evidence your knowledge, understanding and skills.

Student teachers are required by the Department for Education to demonstrate competence against a set of fundamental maths and English skills by the end of their training. These will be assessed across the course, with additional support provided as required to enable all student teachers to meet the expectations.

Following formative assessment during each School Experience, you will be assessed at the end of School Experience 2. Successful assessment against the Teachers' Standards will mean that you can be recommended for the award of QTS.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Has qualified teacher status