Course summary

This programme is a full time one-year ‘top-up’ initial teacher education programme. Student teachers study for 120 academic credits and an extended school placement. The placement equates to at least 45 days in school settings. The extended placement is undertaken individually. The placement is complemented and enhanced by a short focus week, where the students may work individually or in small groups. Only one resit opportunity is permitted for school placement modules across the programme and normally only one school placement will take place in an academic year. All academic modules and placements must be completed for the award of BA Honours Prima3y Education (5-11)(with recommendation for QTS). Content: The course is designed to ensure that students develop autonomy and confidence and excellent subject knowledge across all national curriculum subjects and RE and develop an expertise in the Early Years foundation stage. The academic, university-based modules are designed so that students gain a thorough understanding of effective practice in schools including: legislative requirements; the professional strategies used to organise and manage the classroom; the methods used to plan, deliver and evaluate teaching; to develop, monitor, assess and extend children’s learning – including removing barriers to learning, closing attainment and aspiration gaps and meeting the needs of pupils with additional needs - and develop an understanding of their broad professional role in relation to children, colleagues, parents and the community. All students teach in at least two consecutive key stages in partnership schools and settings. Additionally, students use an e-portfolio and an Academic and Professional Tutor system to develop into engaged, reflective, responsive, creative and empowered teachers who can articulate, promote and defend their own ideas and can relate these to their on-going professional development in a realistic and responsive manner. Skills: The programme allows students to develop the graduate skills of:

• being able to construct and sustain reasoned and critical arguments in a coherent manner; being able to employ a range of social and interpersonal skills including communication within a range of contexts and with a range of stakeholders, problem-solving, information processing, reasoning and evaluating;

• being able to undertake independent research which engages them in critical reflection, analysis and evaluation of practice and its impact on learners

• being able to demonstrate confident and innovative early years and key stage 1 practice which includes outstanding teaching and learning, planning and assessment and behaviour management for the benefit of all learners.