PGCE Primary (5-11 with Modern Languages)

Course Overview

A teacher who is knowledgeable and skilled can have an amazing impact on a child during their time at school and beyond.

Teaching in the 5-11 age range, you'll play a vital role in motivating children to be engaged and excited about their learning. This will have an additional focus on teaching and learning in Modern Languages.

The delivery of languages is now a statutory part of the primary curriculum. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity, develop their self-confidence, broaden their horizons and encourage positive attitudes.

Developed in close partnership with primary schools throughout East Anglia, our Primary PGCE course is designed to help you become a confident and capable teacher who can motivate children and manage a class effectively.

Upon successful completion of your PGCE, you'll graduate with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and 90 Master’s level credits.

You’ll join this 38-week, full-time course in September and finish the following July. You’ll spend the majority of time in schools – with at least 120 days (24 weeks) in main placements and additional days in schools which allow for opportunities to prepare and rehearse key teaching skills, with up to 60 days in taught sessions. Your placements will be in two different schools, helping you to develop an understanding from contrasting experiences.

Our PGCE is based on the principle that you can only inspire and teach children well if you really understand them. We aim to develop reflective and inspirational teachers, who value and build upon the rich variety of backgrounds and experiences children bring to the classroom.

We’ll prepare you to plan, teach, assess learning and manage children’s behaviour effectively. You'll be well prepared to teach across the primary curriculum, and to work with other professionals in the classroom, with additional expertise and experience in the teaching of Modern Languages.

This course is open to

UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.

Typical International Entry Requirements

Degree classification

UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or above preferred, or it's equivalent*

*Please note: It is at the discretion of the individual Initial Teacher Training provider as to whether an appropriate level has been satisfactorily achieved. We therefore strongly urge candidates with equivalent qualifications to check with us that these are acceptable before making an application.

Degree Subject

All degree subjects considered

Additional Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to have achieved a good honours degree (preferably class 2:2 and above) or its equivalent* by the beginning of the PGCE programme in September. Applicants with a third class degree will be considered on an individual basis.

A Level requirements

We would expect to see a good standard of academic attainment at A Level or its equivalent*. Candidates applying for the Primary Language courses must have achieved an A Level or gained considerable experience working with or using their chosen language. In certain circumstances we may be able to take into account any experience of living/working in a country which speaks the appropriate language.

*Please note: It is at the discretion of the individual Initial Teacher Training provider as to whether an appropriate level has been satisfactorily achieved. We therefore strongly urge candidates with equivalent qualifications to check with us that these are acceptable before making their application.

Pre-Application classroom experience

From February 2018, applicants are not required to have gained any prior experience within a school.

Although not a requirement, time spent in a school could help you to gain valuable insight into the role of a teacher, how teaching and learning takes place within the classroom, and help you to decide whether teaching is the right profession for you. It is recommended, that where possible, you gain some school experience prior to application.

It would be most useful if experience could be gained across your chosen Primary age range.

If you are able to gain classroom experience prior to submitting your application there are a number of ways in which this can be achieved:

Contact Your Local School:

Try contacting local schools where you live to see if you are able to arrange a time to observe some lessons, or register with the DfE School Experience Programme to help book school experience through their online portal.

Knowledge of the National Curriculum, key contacts and useful links

Applications are considered on an individual basis and being able to demonstrate a strong level of knowledge about the National Curriculum and current issues affecting teaching is advantageous. These educational links will provide you with some useful points of contact to help to get you started!

Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS)

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN: Disclosure of Criminal Background for Those with Access to Children
All applicants for the PGCE course will be required to obtain an Enhanced Criminal Records check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The enhanced disclosure will be used to assess suitability for the programme and information provided may be discussed with the external members of the School's Safeguarding Sub-Committees. Candidates are responsible for payment of the DBS fee. General information about this process can be obtained from the Disclosure and Barring Service Website. As part of the DBS process, you will be checked against the Children's Barred List and Prohibition list. If you have lived overseas for a continuous period of 6 months or more during the last five years, a Certificate of Good Conduct will be required. The UEA Student Disclosure Service will contact you prior to the start of the course with more information on completing the DBS check.

Satisfactory Health Check

You will need to demonstrate your fitness to teach by completing an Occupational Health Assessment. This will give us information about any special needs you may have, and enable us to assess whether the University and placement areas will be able to provide support. It is therefore, in your interest to provide full answers to the questions.

English and Mathematics

Before making your application you must have a GCSE pass at Grade 4 (formerly C) or its equivalent* in English Language or English Literature, Mathematics and in a natural Science subject (ie Biology, Chemistry, Physics or a combination of these) regardless of your date of birth.

*Please note: It is at the discretion of the individual Initial Teacher Training provider as to whether an appropriate level has been satisfactorily achieved. We therefore strongly urge candidates with equivalent qualifications to check with us that these are acceptable before making their application.

We are able to consider GCSE equivalency tests taken via equivalencytesting.com only, with grades of A*-C or 4-9.

Qualifications not listed? Contact the PGCE Admissions Office for advice by email: edu.pgce.admiss@uea.ac.uk.

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading): 

• IELTS Academic:  6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)

We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

 If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.

Interviews

Interview required; please be aware that we cannot guarantee that all candidates who apply will be shortlisted for interview. Interviews will usually be conducted in person. Online interviews will be offered to applicants overseas.

Placements

You'll undertake two main school placements and teach in two age bands within your selected primary age range. Placements are usually arranged in contrasting schools, giving you a breadth of school-based experience.

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.

Employability

Alongside your PGCE, you'll gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and 90 Master’s credits.

You'll be supported by your tutor in making an informed choice regarding your first teaching position, as well as throughout the application and interview process.

The support will continue beyond your training year, as we work closely with schools and Early Career Teacher (ECT) induction bodies to provide support in case it is needed.

Within a few years of joining the profession, you could find yourself being promoted into a role with leadership and/or pastoral responsibilities.

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors. 

FIND OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR POTENTIAL. 

Example of careers that you could enter include:

• Teacher
• Curriculum Leader
• Head of Year/Phase
• Deputy headteacher
• Headteacher
• Tutor
• Languages Subject Lead
• UK and overseas teaching opportunities

Discover more on our Careers webpages.