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Primary Education (QTS) PGCE

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  • Level of study:
    Masters, Professional
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
  • Start date:
    September 2027
  • Duration:
    One year
  • Attendance:
    Full-time
  • Course delivery:
    On-campus (Clifton Campus)
Teacher in primary school classroom

About this course

Primary education is a fundamental part of any child’s academic and personal development. Primary teachers play a crucial role in developing a child’s essential knowledge and skills. More than that, they spark our young people’s imaginations, encourage their curiosity and nurture a love for learning. They act as role models, inspiring the next generation, and making a positive impact on pupils' lives.

Whether you’re currently completing your degree, have just graduated, or are planning a career change, studying with us will enable you to launch your career as a dynamic and inspirational primary teacher.  At NTU, we understand that the best way to learn how to teach is in the classroom, which is why you’ll spend much of your time on the course in schools. You’ll be taught by former primary school teachers here at the university and be mentored by teachers in schools, who will support you in building your expertise, critical thinking and creativity.

You’ll cover the curriculum in detail, bringing it to life for pupils, and developing who you are as a teacher. You’ll be equipped with the subject knowledge and professional skills to teach across the whole curriculum to meet the developing requirements demanded of primary school teachers. You’ll help to shape the minds, lives and futures of all our young people.

  • 98%

    of PGCE Primary Education students are satisfied with the quality of their course (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2026).

  • Placement opportunities

    in a variety of primary settings are embedded throughout the course.

  • Gain 60 credits towards a Masters degree

    by studying three 60-credit Level 7 modules.

  • Be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status

    with the Department for Education, allowing you to take a post as an Early Career Teacher upon course completion.   

A distinctive feature of this postgraduate primary teaching qualification is that the modules offered integrate the study of learning and teaching across the whole primary curriculum. You’ll learn to teach children from three to 11 years of age, with the opportunity to express a preference to focus on either the 3-7 or the 7-11 age ranges on placement. Sessions led by subject experts develop your understanding of the requirements of both the early years and primary frameworks. As part of the course, you’ll benefit from university and school-based training. The course is built around modules which are closely mapped to the school-based training during the year.

Course accreditations

We are accredited by the UK Government's  Department for Education as a provider of initial teacher training courses. Successful completion of the course leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to commence a career in teaching as an Early Career Teacher (ECT) and then to complete your induction period.

  • DfE logo

Module information

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the course:

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

Student experience

  • Tim Dawson

    “The course has been superlative. The opportunities within the year to deepen my understanding of subject knowledge and the best practice methods of imparting that to a classroom full of students are incredible and hands-on.”

    Read Tim's profile

  • Anna Steiger

    “The combination of regional credibility, strong school partnerships, and practical support made NTU the right choice for me.”

    Read Anna's profile

  • Erica Pallett

    “In September, I am going to have my own class in Year 3 so I will be a full-time class teacher. I’m really looking forward to this and I feel that I have been prepared well for it.”

    Read Erica's profile

Video Library

 

How you're taught

University-Based Training

The University-based part of the course comprises a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. It explores learning and teaching in all the primary curriculum subjects and is designed to complement placement in schools across the primary age range. You’ll be taught by former primary and early years teachers who have a wealth of experience and a passion for teaching. Our lecturers are highly respected researchers within their fields of education.

Placements

Approximately two-thirds of your time on the course will be spent in primary schools. School-based activity is as follows:

  • four-week period of intensive training and practice during the autumn term, focused on foundational aspects of teaching
  • seven-week block placement in the autumn term
  • six-week block placement during the spring term in a second school
  • 11-week block placement in the summer term back in the first school
  • three weeks of additional enhancement placements, which will broaden your experience of different contexts and support your ability to meet a range of children’s needs.

We are in partnership with a large number of schools across the East Midlands and beyond. Over the course of the year, you should therefore experience schools in a range of locations, whether city centre, suburban or semi-rural, and serving the needs of different and diverse communities. This variety provides opportunities for a wide range of teaching experiences and lays a good foundation for your future professional development.

Qualifications

The award of PGCE is offered at two levels:

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Education (where 60 Masters-level credits can be gained).
  • Professional Graduate Certificate in Education.

Both of these are recognised teaching qualifications. You have the opportunity to achieve masters level credits which may be accepted towards an MA qualification that you might choose to seek in the future.

Successful completion of the course will lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), whichever of these two qualifications you achieve.

How you're assessed

You’ll engage in assessments that draw together academic and professional practice.

Assessment methods include:

  • Pre-recorded presentation
  • Academic poster
  • Written assignment

School-based training is assessed continually, with an overall assessment completed during the final period of placement.

Following successful completion of the course year, you’ll achieve a qualification and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status.

Contact hours

During your studies your time at university will vary. You will generally attend university one day a week, with the rest of your time spent at your placement school, however the exact split may vary from time to time and for a small number of weeks, you will attend university every day.  Your exact timetable will be confirmed to you upon enrolment.

Who will teach you?

  • cat-lazenby

    Cat Lazenby

    Senior Lecturer

    Cat Lazenby is a Lecturer in Primary Education and Admissions Lead for PGCE Primary Education at the Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth, Nottingham Trent University,

    Visit Cat Lazenby's staff profile

  • Steve McNichol

    Senior Lecturer

    Dr Steve McNichol is a Senior Lecturer in Primary Education and is the course leader for the primary-phase Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

    Visit Steve McNichol's staff profile
  • Paul Waring-Thomas

    Paul Waring-Thomas

    Principal Lecturer

    Paul Waring-Thomas is a Principal Lecturer in the Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth in the School of Social Sciences.

    Visit Paul Waring-Thomas's staff profile

  • Augusta Steele

    Senior Lecturer

    Augusta Steele is Course Leader for PGCE Primary Education at the Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth, Nottingham Trent University.

    Visit Augusta Steele's staff profile

  • Gemma Heathcote

    Senior Lecturer

    Gemma Heathcote is a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. Gemma teaches on the MA Education and PGCE Primary ITT program.

    Visit Gemma Heathcote's staff profile
  • Richard Muge

    Richard Muge

    Senior Lecturer

    Rich Muge is a Senior Lecturer in primary Education at the Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth, School of Social Sciences

    Visit Richard Muge's staff profile

  • Shona Tyers

    Senior Lecturer

    Shona Tyers is a Senior Lecturer for Primary Education within the Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth, Nottingham Trent University.

    Visit Shona Tyers's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

  • A 2:2 UK honours degree (or equivalent), or a third class UK honours degree (or equivalent) with significant professional experience.
  • GCSE English, Mathematics and Science at minimum grade C /4 or equivalent. We accept the GCSE equivalency taken via equivalencytesting.com or astarequivalency.co.uk.  Applicants with pending qualifications will be considered.

International students

Academic entry requirements: A 2:2 UK honours degree (or equivalent), or a third class UK honours degree (or equivalent) with significant professional experience.

We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international qualifications on our international entry requirements page.

Other requirements: GCSE English, Mathematics and Science at minimum grade C /4 or equivalent. We accept the GCSE equivalency taken via equivalencytesting.com or astarequivalency.co.uk.  Applicants with pending qualifications will be considered.

If you hold an international High School qualification in English, Maths and Science, contact us to find out whether it would be accepted to meet the GCSE requirement.

English language requirements: International Students who need a Visa may be required to provide an additional English Language qualification for visa purposes. See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.
Fees for the 2027/28 academic year are yet to be agreed but, as a guide, the fees for 2026/27 are below:


£9,790 per year

Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including scholarships, discounts and loans.

Please note that despite this being a Masters-level course, postgraduate students may be eligible for funding via the undergraduate student finance system.

Scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies. See which courses are eligible for scholarships.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Postgraduate loans

There is a government postgraduate loan scheme for Masters degrees. The loan contributes towards costs of study, and students can put it towards tuition fees, maintenance costs or other costs at their discretion. Find out more about postgraduate loans.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

Fees for the 2027/8 academic year are yet to be agreed but, as a guide, the fees for 2026/27 are below:

£17,950

Scholarships

You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies. See which courses are eligible for scholarships.

Alumni discount

We’re happy to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money, the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Careers and employability

What skills will I develop?

Through your degree, you’ll develop a set of skills that are valuable in primary education, as well as being transferrable to a range of careers. These include:

  • knowledge of teaching and learning processes
  • thinking critically and creatively
  • initiating and challenging ideas
  • planning and organisation
  • patience and flexibility
  • knowledge of child development
  • interpretive and analytical thinking
  • problem solving skills
  • oral and written communication.

Your future career

The vocational nature of the PGCE Primary Education qualification and the fact that successful completion of the course leads to a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) means that graduates are ideally placed to pursue a career as a primary teacher.

Graduates may also find employment in government departments, educational publishing, social service agencies, and research fields.

98% of PGCE Primary Education students feel the course has better prepared them for their future career (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2026).

If you’d like to know more about NTU’s groundbreaking Employability Promise, and the support you’ll receive both during and after your course, visit our Careers and Employability page.

  • Employability Promise

    Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

  • Graduate employers

    Graduates from this course have successful careers in organisations such as:

    • Multi-academy trusts
    • Nottingham City Council
    • Nottinghamshire County Council
    • Private education providers
    • Recruitment firms

  • Our graduates are…

    Graduates from this course now work in a wide range of roles such as:

    • Primary school teachers
    • Early years practitioners
    • Children's residential support worker
    • Special educational needs coordinators
    • Disability support assistants
    • Educational recruitment consultant

  • NTU Enterprise

    If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Where your course could take you

Discover how our students and alumni used their qualification to further their careers. Take a look at our other profiles and explore the possibilities awaiting you.

  • Andrew Lowery

    Andrew’s journey to co‑founding a global learning platform

    Andrew turned years of international teaching experience into Rollama — a grammar‑learning platform now used in hundreds of schools worldwide.

    View Andrew Lowery's profile

Campus and facilities

As a Primary Education student you’ll mainly be studying in the Ada Byron King building, home to Nottingham Institute of Education, Children and Youth. You will benefit from our specially designed teaching rooms simulating primary classrooms for design and technology, music, art and science. These purpose-built classrooms will help prepare you for a future in teaching, giving you the chance to gain hands-on experience in a realistic environment.

Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep our students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your coursemates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!

You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Applying

UK students

Applications to this course are made through the Department for Education. Click Apply Now to be redirected.

This course has a limited number of places available to ensure that you receive a good quality placement experience. Places may fill quickly, so we encourage you to apply as early as possible.

Interviews

All suitable candidates for this course will be required to attend an online interview.

Apply now

International students

Apply online through the Department for Education website.

This course has a limited number of places available to ensure that you receive a good quality placement experience. Places may fill quickly, so we encourage you to apply as early as possible.

Interviews

All suitable candidates for this course will be required to attend an online interview.

Further information about applying

If you already have a teaching qualification from outside the UK, you may be able to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England. To learn more and check if you meet the eligibility criteria, please visit the Department for Education website.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

We advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as Student visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Personal statement guidance

When you apply to NTU, we’ll ask you to submit a personal statement – here are our tips on what to include and how to structure your personal statement.

Application support

If you have any questions about applying, get in touch through our online form or call us on 44 (0)115 848 4200.

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