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PGCE Primary Education

Gain the experience, opportunity and knowledge to work in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in infant, junior and primary schools with the PGCE Primary Education.

Our Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Primary course leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), qualifying you to teach children aged five to 11.

We are ranked 10th in the UK for Education (The Guardian University Guide 2022). Reading's Institute of Education boasts award-wining tutors and consistently high graduate employment rates, and is recognised by Ofsted for "outstanding support and pastoral care".

If you wish to specialise in a particular subject, area or phase, you can apply to one of our four specialist PGCE Primary pathways:

You will be taught by a diverse and incredibly experienced community of academics, benefiting from their expertise and experiences in a wide range of educational settings and learning environments.

On the course you will develop teaching skills and techniques as well as acquire curriculum knowledge and understanding within a broad and relevant theoretical framework.

Your teaching responsibilities increase gradually during the year. You will experience inspirational teaching, individualised support and high-quality phonics preparation, and will benefit from strong links between schools and the University.

Learning takes place through a series of lectures,, practical seminars and workshops, where interactive and discussion-based techniques will encourage you to engage, reflect and challenge. Sessions may include:

  • participating in workshop style sessions with your peers
  • attending presentations by subject experts
  • working on tasks in groups
  • having individual tutorials
  • visits to schools or other education settings
  • visits to theatres, museums, galleries or sites of educational interest
  • writing assignments on aspects of subject teaching and Professional Studies

Alongside the University tutors, you will be taught and guided by a team of committed and experienced University-trained school mentors.

Climate and sustainability education

At the University of Reading we believe that climate and sustainability education is everyone’s responsibility. This is why we have set out our vision that all initial teacher trainees should be able to access training that empowers them to effectively incorporate climate education within their teaching across all levels and subjects as part of our National Climate Education Action Plan. Across all of our ITT programmes at the Institute of Education, you will learn about:
  • what is happening to our climate, how to help children learn about climate and sustainability in an age-appropriate and accessible way, and how to develop your own positioning as a teacher
  • climate justice, the impact of current and future changes to our environment and climate on ourselves and others and implications for teachers
  • how to translate knowledge and theory into change and personal action through building climate and sustainability education into your planning, teaching, and children’s learning.

Visit Partnering for the Planet to find out more about the University of Reading’s world-leading work in climate science.

Placements

Placements enable you to develop the skills and knowledge valued and desired by employers - you will build your confidence in the classroom and gain practical teaching experience. Placements also provide you with the opportunity to connect with potential employers and build your professional network.

You will have plenty of opportunities throughout your PGCE to apply your developing skills to real-life settings. We have strong partnerships with over 300 local schools and are renowned for our relationships with these partner schools.

It is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the regard in which our graduates are held, that most schools in Berkshire employ at least one graduate of the Institute of Education.

Facilities

The Institute of Education is based in our historic London Road campus, which has undergone a £30 million refurbishment of the classical Oxford-cloistered quadrangle to create a dedicated, purpose-built world-class education centre.

We have created dedicated spaces for the teaching of specialist subjects such as music, PE, drama, the sciences, ICT, and art, including:

  • modern laboratories
  • musical studios, including an electronic drum kit room and a recording studio
  • well-equipped art studios and facilities for the practise of work in drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media
  • studios for wet photography and printmaking, including silk-screen.

Alongside these fantastic facilities you will also find places to eat and drink as well as plenty of green space.

The Learning Hub

We have an incredible collection of teaching resources housed in the Learning Hub. A treasure trove for teachers, the Learning Hub contains every type of teaching aid imaginable for loan or for reference, from big books to puppets. A printing and binding facility, and technical equipment library are also available for your use.

Research

The quality of our research was recognised in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2014), the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, which placed the Institute of Education in the top quartile of Education departments in the UK. Over 80% of our research publications were rated as world leading or internationally excellent. The impact of our research on educational policy and practice in first and second language education was judged to be world leading.

For more information, please visit the Institute of Education website. 

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250

New international students: £21,350

Tuition fee information

The fees listed are for full-time study, unless otherwise stated. Fee information will be confirmed in offer letters sent out to successful applicants. You can find further information, including information for part-time study, through our dedicated fees and funding page.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Our students have excellent employment prospects - in fact many of our trainee teachers are employed before they graduate. The majority of our graduates go into schools and have rewarding teaching careers. Other alumni bring their educational skills to the worlds of business, culture, art, healthcare, human resources, adult learning and further varied fields. Studying with us enables you to progress in your career, with many students successfully pursuing promotion following graduation.