PGCE Primary (5-11) - PGCE

Why study this course?

By choosing to train as a teacher of five to 11-year-olds at London Met, you’ll be joining a powerful partnership of diverse teachers and schools. We place emphasis on learning to teach in an urban multicultural environment that's ideal for working in a city setting. You’ll undertake school placements of at least 24 weeks, giving you very strong hands-on practical experience, combined with the benefit of university teaching and support.

Our trainees attain high results with almost 100% passing the course, and very high rates of employment. Many of our trainees gain employment in their placement schools.

Interested in finding out more? Sign up for one of our information events – online or in person – a chance to meet the tutors and get your questions answered. See below.

Read more about this course 

This highly-regarded course lead to both Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and to the master's level Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). It prepares you to teach children from five to eleven years old (Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2). You will also be able to work in an Early Years setting. Our course is made up of 4 modules:

Two 'School Experience' modules give you a minimum of 24 weeks (120 days) in school. This time is made up of two school placements, during which you will develop your skills and confidence - from observing lessons and leading small learning episodes, through to being a fully fledged teacher.

There are also two academic modules:

Curriculum Studies introduces you to the key knowledge you need to teach classes of primary school age, including the ability to plan and teach lessons for classes of all levels of attainment. You will learn to teach and assess progress in the core subjects of Maths, Science and English (reading and writing) and in all of the foundation subjects.

The Professional Inclusive Practice (PIP) module is underpinned by the university's Education for Social Justice agenda, and based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), giving you a clear framework for meeting the needs of all the children you'll be teaching.

This module, which draws upon our wider team of industry-leading experts, introduces you to everything you need to know to fulfil the wider professional requirements of being a teacher; including the crucial topics of Safeguarding and Child Protection. You will develop the skills and knowledge you need to work with pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and English as an Additional Language (EAL), which you will practice during your school placements. It also allows you to develop the habits of a 'critically reflective practitioner', which will sustain you through a career of often rapid change.

Throughout your school placements, our school-based mentors and university link-tutors will support you in in the classroom, ensuring that you are able to learn every aspect of the Core Content Framework for teacher training.

Your personal university link-tutor will support you in all aspects of your training programme; as part of the Primary Tutor Team they will teach your university sessions, ensuring there is continuity of support throughout your training. By working in both environments, you have the chance to reflect on the links between your own teaching theory and practice.