PGCE

PGCE Primary

Year of entry: 2025

About the course

Our PGCE primary curriculum incorporates the Department for Education's core content framework, training you to teach children across the 5-11 age range in all primary stage National Curriculum subjects.

Our course is a blend of university-based sessions and practical training in partner schools. On completion you will receive a postgraduate qualification and recommendation for qualified teacher status (QTS), enabling you to apply for primary teaching jobs.

At Manchester, you will: • Spend a significant amount of time in schools developing practical teaching skills. • Observe and teach classes under the guidance of an experienced primary teacher • Get support from a mentor in lesson planning and marking and assessment skills.

Your university-based sessions will cover education theories, ideas and concepts, and will enhance your awareness of current educational issues, and your training in schools will teach you the application of these, along with key practical skills.

You will spend a significant amount of time studying the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science, as well as Religious Education, Physical Education, History, Geography, Art, Music, Languages, Computing and Design and Technology.

Course Design

PGCE courses start in September and are ten months in duration which includes both schoolbased and university-based learning. You will spend more than 50% of your time on placement: • eight weeks in the autumn term in either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2; • eleven weeks in the summer term in either Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2; • two-week inclusion placement in either key stage; • two-week placement in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS); • one-day placement in Key Stage 3.

When on placement, you will observe and teach classes under the guidance of an experienced primary teacher. You will also have a mentor to help you plan lessons, deal with assessment, and improve your teaching skills. Your remaining time will be spent at the University, for example in lectures and seminars. You will get time off from attending university and school placements over Christmas and Easter, but you should expect to spend some time in self-directed study during these breaks.

Madhu Jena

PGCE Primary

On course

"The course seemed to have the right balance between classroom sessions at the University and placements. The on-campus sessions not only provided us with fundamental background knowledge but also gave us an opportunity to make friends and learn from each other’s experience. The placements, meanwhile, were very useful to put our learning into practice.

On balancing the PGCE and my caring commitments

"The University was extremely supportive of the fact that I have two children of my own in primary school. They took personal interest to ensure that I was always placed in schools close to home. This made a huge difference."