​Primary Course Overview

Primary
QTS and PGCE
Age Range
5 to 11
Course Length
1 year - full time
The difference a primary school teacher can make to a child is profound. Building strong relationships and nurturing children academically, socially and emotionally puts primary teachers in a unique and highly rewarding position. Infusing creativity, energy and enthusiasm into the classroom ensures children develop a passion for each and every subject – building strong foundations for their secondary journeys ahead.

Outstanding primary school teachers really do change lives.
Emma Sivyer  | Deputy Director Primary and Primary Lead Mentor

Flexible Delivery Options

​Click here to see our provisional locations for primary delivery, there are 3 options available.
PLYMOUTH PRIMARY OPTION
Plymouth Primary Option
 
Seminars and Workshops
In-person | 12 days
Online | 13 days
Subject Knowledge Sessions
Subject Knowledge | 24 days
In-person 17
​Online 7
Placements*
In campus areas | 120 days
Intensive Training and Practice School*
In campus area | 4 x 4 weeks | 20 days
PGCE
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 4 days
​Online | 6 days
Graduation Celebration
University of Plymouth | 1day
* Where possible / or reasonable travelling distance
EXETER PRIMARY OPTION
Exeter Primary Option
 
Seminars and Workshops
In-person | 12 days
Online | 13 days
Subject Knowledge Sessions
Subject Knowledge | 24 days
In-person 17
​Online 7
Placements*
In campus area | 120 days
Intensive Training and Practice School*
In campus area | 4 x 4 weeks | 20 days
PGCE
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 4 days
​Online | 6 days
Graduation Celebration
University of Plymouth | 1 day
* Where possible / or reasonable travelling distance
NORTH DEVON PRIMARY OPTION
North Devon Primary
 
Seminars and Workshops
In-person | 12 days
Online | 13 days
Subject Knowledge Sessions
Subject Knowledge | 24 days
In-person 17
​Online 7
Placements*
In campus area | 120 days
Intensive Training and Practice School*
In campus area | 4 x 4 weeks | 20 days
PGCE
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 4 days
​Online | 6 days
Graduation Celebration
University of Plymouth | 1 day
* Where possible / or reasonable travelling distance
Please note these delivery models are for guidance only and may be subject to change. Time allocations are approximate.
A weekly breakdown of our Primary Curriculum can be seen in this document.

The programme comprises of the following fully integrated activities:

Pedagogy Seminars and Workshops
A combination of seminars and workshops  introducing theories, supporting evidence and approaches to teaching and learning.
More than 150 hours
Specialist Subject Knowledge Seminars and Workshops
Exploring teaching and pedagogical approaches through a phase and subject specific lens, covering all of the required core and foundation primary subjects.
More than 150 hours of foundation and  core subject knowledge training.
Professional Studies days in school
Following on from seminars and workshops an opportunity in your placement school to observe, practice and receive feedback on what you’ve learnt.
School Placements
  • Minimum of 24 weeks in school.
  • Two main school-based placements.
  • Short placement – Autumn Term.
  • Long placement – Spring and Summer Terms.
  • You will be in school for the full working day.
Enrichment Days
Opportunity to focus on an area important to you during the summer term.
Mentoring
Using an instructional coaching approach, you will have weekly mentor meetings during school-placements, with an expert teaching colleague.
Four Intensive Training and Practice Weeks
Focussing on areas such as classroom routines; questioning and special  educational needs, four full weeks across the year, of carefully designed activities to extend your knowledge base, deepen your understanding and improve your classroom practice of key areas of teaching.
Graduation celebration
24/25 cohort combined their graduation celebration with a climate change and sustainability conference. We aim to arrange something similar for our 25/26 cohort.

Course Structure

  • We deliver our programme over 39 weeks, to enable you to maximise your training year experience.
  • Our model sequences learning through three phases, covering 6 themes, which align with the autumn, spring and summer term. 
  • These broad themes form the basis of our Provider-led pedagogy sessions where you learn through our evidenced based approach to teaching.
  • This in turn informs the structure of our subject knowledge curriculum for all primary core and foundation subjects, delivering over 150 hours of foundation and core expert subject knowledge teaching.
  • Through these sessions you will explore how evidence-based knowledge and practice is applied through each subject lens.
Phases of Learning 
Subject Knowledge Themes
Phase 1 Autumn​
​The Subject Curriculum
Creating a powerful environment where all pupils can flourish
Effective teaching of Subject
Phase 2 Spring​
Effective teaching of subject including assessment
Phase 3 Summer​
Adapting and enriching the subject - empowering all pupils to succeed
At the start of the Autumn and Spring terms weekly blocks of provider and subject knowledge teaching is integrated with school placement days to allow you to embed theory with practice. These lead into a set number of weeks in school when you will be allocated a timetable of classes usually from Key Stage 1 in your short placement and Key Stage 2 in your long placement.

As a new trainee you will have significant support and scaffolding during the early stages of the programme, observing lessons and teaching small episodes in class or to groups. Through the course your confidence, knowledge and understanding will grow and you will become more independent; moving to planning and  delivering individual lessons and then sequences, increasing in complexity and meeting a range of pupil needs.