Gain the knowledge, qualifications and practical teaching experience to become an early years and primary teacher, where you will promote equality to improve the life chances of learners aged 3-7.
Learn from expert colleagues in local and regional primary schools and early years settings.
Develop subject expertise through both university and placement-based training.
Study teaching and learning in both the early years and primary phases.
Apply theory, research and evidence to meet the Teachers’ Standards and develop as a critically reflective practitioner.
Explore an area of individual specialism to enhance your expertise and practice.
Join our dynamic community of students, researchers and academics at the Sheffield Institute of Education. On our BA Early Years and Primary course, you’ll learn about the key aspects of a teacher’s role – including theories of learning, pedagogy, assessment and behaviour management. You’ll also study inclusive practices that promote positive outcomes for all learners.

Work placements

You will undertake placements in all three years of the course. In your final year you will plan a research project to investigate an aspect of your chosen specialism.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

The course aims to integrate the practical and theoretical aspects of teaching. There are placement experiences from the first year onwards. You conduct research in your specialist area, and will be taught to critically analyse key learning principles.

You learn through:

• lectures and seminars from expert tutors
• regular school-based placements and research
• one-to-one support from a personal academic tutor
• research into a specialist area such as maths, science, PE or languages
• range of e-learning materials

 

The majority of students completing the course go directly into employment as qualified teachers. A number of key transferrable skills are also developed throughout the course, allowing for alternative progression or career routes. Some of these include:

• local authority/voluntary sector worker or researcher
• non-government organisation (NGO) administrative and research posts
• enrichment work with young people
• more general graduate careers including, for example, retail management and the civil service
• academic career as researcher via Masters level study and PhD

 

UCAS points

• 120

This must include at least two A levels including at least 40 points in each, one of which would normally be a primary national curriculum subject though this is not essential, or DDM from equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:

• BBB at A Level.
• DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
• A combination of qualifications, which may include AS Levels, EPQ and general studies.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

• English Language at grade C or 4, or equivalent
• Mathematics at grade C or 4, or equivalent
• Science at grade C or 4, or equivalent

Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English literature only we will look for further evidence of a breadth of achievement in English.

• Access - QAA recognised diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3, including 20 credits at merit or above. Ideally, but not essentially, at least 18 credits at level 3 should be in a primary national curriculum subject, or sociology, or psychology. You can take GCSE equivalents for English, mathematics and science on Access courses (12 level two credits in each).

• Grade B from CACHE Diploma in Child Care and Education

Candidates who are successful will demonstrate a sound understanding of teaching and how children learn, where possible within a school setting. We encourage all candidates to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings. Demonstrating an ability to make links between experience and knowledge, and their proposed career would be desirable.

If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements

We welcome applications from people seeking a career change into primary teaching. We actively encourage applications from those groups under-represented in teacher education to ensure the teaching profession represents the diverse nature of present-day UK society.

If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.

Course enrolment - professional requirements
Before enrolling you must complete all the professional checks that are required as part of entry for the course:

Suitability Declaration
You must fully declare the following information on the pre-admission suitability declaration form provided during the admissions process:
• unfiltered criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on unfiltered offences please see the Disclosure and Barring Service website.
• involvement in disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or education establishments
• involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations
• if you have ever been removed from a teacher training programme as a result of your behaviour, or would have been removed if you had not left the programme
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Criminal Record Check
• you will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check prior to or during the enrolment week of your course. This will be provided by the University free of charge.
• you will need to present valid identity documents (PDF) as part of the DBS application process
• if you have lived outside of the UK for more than six consecutive months in the last five years you must provide an overseas criminal record check. Further information on obtaining an overseas criminal record check.
• where your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate contains any recorded information you must present this to the Academic Administration Team within ten working days of receipt of the certificate.
• In addition to this all those who are made an offer of a place will be checked against the DfE children’s barred list.

Occupational Health Screening
You will need to undertake occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course. This will be provided by the University free of charge. As part of this assessment you are expected to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate information to ensure a safe environment for yourself and service users.

Other background checks
All applicants that have accepted an offer will also be checked against the prohibition list to ensure you are not:
• subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State
• prohibited to teach in another country of the European Economic Area (EEA)

If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements, from when you apply to the end of your course, please notify the Academic Administration team immediately by emailing tedss@shu.ac.uk.

Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 or over at the point of enrolment.

Important notice:

The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
An Introduction To Teaching And Learning	40	Coursework
How Children Learn: 3-7	20	Coursework
Introduction To Curriculum And Pedagogy: 3-7	40	Coursework
Subject Focus: Early Reading And Early Maths	20	Coursework

 

Year 2 Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Designing Learning Sequences: 3-7	40	Coursework
Developing A Specialism	20	Coursework
Inclusive Environments For Behaviour And Learning: 3-7	40	Coursework
Placement 2		Practical
The Teaching, Learning And Assessment Cycle: 3-7	20	Coursework

 

Year 3 Optional modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Placement Year

 

Final Year Compulsory modules
Module	Credits	Assessment
Adaptive Teaching Across The Curriculum: 3-7	40	Coursework
Debates In Education: 3-7	20	Coursework
Educational Enquiry	40	Coursework
Placement 3		Practical
Reflecting On Professional Practice And Development	20	Coursework