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Becoming a primary teacher

As a primary teacher you will work with young children aged 5-11. This creative and incredibly rewarding career gives you the opportunity to shape young minds; helping them to develop socially, emotionally and intellectually.

At the Institute of Education we offer several different routes to qualifying as a primary teacher.

Whether you undertake an undergraduate or postgraduate level course, you will gain the skills and knowledge you need to teach across the different primary age ranges.

All our academics have experience of teaching in the classroom and you will benefit from lots of high quality placement opportunities as we have strong partnerships with over 400 schools.

Don't have an undergraduate degree and want to qualify as a teacher?

If you have A levels or equivalent qualifications, you can train to become a teacher at university and gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status).

We offer four undergraduate courses with QTS as an outcome, each with their own specialism.

Find out more about our undergraduate degrees with QTS as an outcome 

Have an undergraduate degree and want to qualify as a teacher?

If you have already completed an undergraduate degree, you can study a university-led course to gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). This university-led course gives you a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) as well as QTS.

Find out more about studying for a university-led Primary PGCE 

Already teaching primary but need QTS (Qualified Teacher status)?

If you have relevant experience and are already teaching, you may need to obtain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). Our Assessment Only route can help you with that.

Find out more about gaining QTS through the Assessment Only route

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Teacher training events

Come to a Postgraduate Initial Teacher Education event. These events cover all routes into teaching for Early Years, Primary and Secondary Postgraduate programmes.

Sarah Barnard

Read Sarahs story

The mixed format of the course with blocks of university study and school placements, enabled me to immediately put my learning into practice and consolidate my understanding in real life situations.

Sarah Barnard

PGCE Primary

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Education brochure

Our programmes are designed to challenge, inspire and equip you to become an outstanding educational practitioner. Read the brochure to find out more.