At the heart of this degree is a vision of the teacher as a skilled professional, ready to enter the profession with confidence and equipped to make a significant contribution to the education of children now and into the future.
Campus
Chester campus
Course
BEd
Length
4 Years Undergraduate degree with QTS Full-time
Start date
September 2010
At the University of Chester, we are committed to developing excellent teachers and the four year Bachelor of Education (BEd) General Primary degree qualifies you fully for this demanding but exciting role.
This degree will enable you to meet the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in both Key Stage 1 and Key stage 2 (school years 1 to 6).
Why study this course:
Our four year, in depth, BEd degree offers you:
Qualified Teacher Status in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
Extensive experience in schools with at least 32 weeks in at least four schools across the two key stages
Full coverage of the subject areas of the primary curriculum to enhance your skills, your confidence and your excellent employment prospects
The opportunity to study a specialist area of personal, professional interest
Guidance and support from a team of highly skilled and dedicated tutors in university and in schools
Features
This programme is defined by the:
Opportunity to gain qualification across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 (school years 1-6)
Professional placements in at least four schools
Full coverage of National Curriculum core and non-core subjects, as well as Religious Education, Citizenship, and Personal, Social and Health Education. This in depth coverage enables you to become a better teacher and makes you more attractive to employers
Opportunity for work experience in a non-school but education related setting
Students with a specialism in Modern Foreign Languages undertake a professional placement overseas
Innovative focus on creativity
Opportunity for research based work related to a specialism
Input from a variety of outside experts and conferences
Each year contains a substantial period of working in schools. Indeed, the responsibility for your training rests on a partnership between us and schools with each having their part to play. From the rich diversity of schools within our partnership we offer you a variety of professional placements across Key Stages 1 and 2.
Professional Development Education (PDE):
PDE is where you study the theory of education and how it relates to your professional role as a teacher. You will learn how to plan lessons, how to report to parents, how to assess children, how to manage behaviour in a positive way, and much more. As befits an honours degree, you will learn to reflect critically on the educational issues of the day and make reasoned and justified decisions
Maths, English, Science and ICT:
These modules will not only cover the teaching of these subjects in schools but will also enable you to build up your own subject knowledge. For students who feel less confident in certain subjects, we have well designed support programmes to help bring you to the required level for qualification.
Non-core subjects, RE, Citizenship, and Personal, Social and Health Education:
In studying these modules, which are spread across the four years of the degree, you will receive the broad training that enhances not only your abilities as a teacher but also enhances your employment prospects.
Specialism:
You are asked to choose a specialist area of study. Currently these specialisms are:
Creative Communication
Global Dimensions
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). This is currently offered in French and is open to students with Grade C GCSE or above in French. In Year 2, students following the MFL Specialism undertake a professional placement in Belgium
In Years 3 and 4 of the degree, your specialist subject forms the basis for an individual research project. Alongside, there is a specialist placement for you to link theory and practice.
Each year of the degree has an overarching theme:
Year 1: Learning to Learn
Year 2: The Learner in Society
Year 3: All Children Matter
Year 4: The Reflective Practitioner
Year 1 (Level 4)
Module Structure - 'Learning to Learn'
Professional Development Education 1.1P: The Power of Learning: Working in the Primary School
PDE1.2: Learning to Learn
PP1: Engaging the Learner
Curriculum English 1P: Introduction to English in the Primary Curriculum
Curriculum Maths 1P: Investigating Mathematics in the Primary Curriculum
Curriculum Science 1P: Learning to Learn in Science Education
Curriculum ICT 1P: Finding Things Out with ICT in the Primary Classroom
Curriculum Studies 1.1P: Teaching and Learning PE in the Primary School
Curriculum Studies 1.P2: Introduction to RE in the Primary School
MFL specialism 1.1: Introduction to MFL
MFL Specialism 1.2: Learning a Foreign Language
GD Specialism 1.1: Heritage and Culture
GD Specialism 1.2: Local Issues/Global Issues
CC Specialism 1.1: Creative Communication
CC Specialism 1.2: Creativity and Creative People
[1] In the module lists, MFL stands for Modern Foreign Languages, GD for Global Dimensions and CC for Creative Communication
[2] This module is your introduction to studying at the level of Higher Education
[3] ‘PP' indicates a period of Professional Placement, i.e. work in schools or an educational setting
Year 2 (Level 5)
Module Structure - 'The Learner in Society'
Professional Development Education 2.1P: The Learner in Society
Professional Development Education 2.2: The Learner in Society 2
PP2.1: Enriching Professional Practice
PP2.2: The Creative Professional
Curriculum English 2P: Creativity in English in the Primary Years
Curriculum Maths 2P: Creativity and Mathematics in the Primary School
Curriculum Science 2P: Creativity in Science Education in the Primary School
Curriculum ICT 2P: Exchanging and Sharing Information with ICT in the Primary Classroom
Curriculum Studies 2.1P: Creative Processes in Music and Drama in the Primary School
Curriculum Studies 2.2P: Creative Design in the Primary School
MFL Specialism 2.1: Teaching Primary MFL
MFL Specialism 2.2: Intercultural Awareness
MFL Specialism 2.3: Professional Practice
GD Specialism 2.1: Education for Sustainable Development
GD Specialism 2.2: Beyond the Classroom
CC Specialism 2.1: Communication and Learning
CC Specialism 2.2: Creativity in the Curriculum
Year 3 (Level 6)
Module Structure - 'All Children Matter'
Professional Development Education 3P: Achieving Potential
PP 3: The Effective Teacher
Curriculum English 3P: English for Inclusion
Curriculum Maths 3P: Effective Mathematics in the Primary School
Curriculum Science 3P: Extending Opportunities in Science Education in the Primary School
Curriculum ICT 3P: Developing Ideas with ICT in the Primary Classroom
Curriculum Studies 3.1P: The Humanities in the Primary Classroom
Curriculum Studies 3.2P: Developing Practice in PE and RE in the Primary Classroom
Specialism 3: Investigating Teaching in the Specialism
Year 4 (Level 6)
Module Structure - 'The Reflective Practitioner'
Issues and Values in Contemporary Education
PP4: Meeting the Standards
Curriculum Studies 4.1P: Professional Values Knowledge and Understanding in the Primary Classroom
Curriculum Studies 4.2P: Creative Processes, Connections and Possibilities in the Primary School
Curriculum Studies 4.2P: Contemporary Issues in the Foundation Subjects and Religious Education
Each module of university or school-based study is assessed.
Our approach is one of continuous assessment which includes essays, reflections, folios of work, presentations and observations of your teaching. Thorough feedback is provided on all assessments to enable you to better your performance.
The subject knowledge you require for primary teaching is audited regularly and you would be guided and supported towards further development at your own level.
Work in schools is assessed against the government's requirements for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This assessment is undertaken by university and school based mentors working in partnership. You will receive regular, detailed feedback on your work with children and will be provided with targets to guide you towards meeting the required standards.
We will normally invite to interview only those applicants who have already gained these qualifications at the time of application. However, we waive this time requirement for applicants:
Applying via Access Courses
Where mitigating or other exceptional circumstances apply
All successful candidates who receive an offer of a place for this course and choose the University of Chester as their Firm choice will be required to apply for a Disclosure and to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. The Disclosure process provides institutions with information about the suitability of those seeking to work/train in positions of trust.
Successful completion of the degree allows the University to recommend you for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
As this is a vocational degree, the vast majority of our graduates enter directly into primary teaching.
However, the degree of BEd carries the same status as any other honours degree and may therefore be used as an entry qualification to other careers requiring this level of certification. These careers are not necessarily limited to those relating directly to education.
A minimum of 240 UCAS points, of which 200 points must be obtained from GCE A Levels, including a grade C in one subject. The remaining points may be achieved from GCE AS Levels, or Level 3 Key Skills
GCE A Level:
BTEC:
BTEC National Diploma/Certificate: merit/distinction profile
Irish/Scottish:
B in 4 subjects
International Baccalaureate:
24 points
QAA:
QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma, Open College Units or Open University Credits
Extra Information:
Please note: A BTEC National Award, OCR National Certificate, GC E A Level General Studies, or the Welsh Baccalaureate (core) will be recognised in our tariff offer
OCR National Extended Diploma/Diploma: merit/distinction profile
The Advanced Diploma: acceptable on its own
All candidates must have GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in English Language, Maths and Science.
We will normally invite to interview only those applicants who have already gained these qualifications at the time of application. However, we waive this time requirement for applicants:
Applying via Access Courses (providing the required GCSE equivalences of being completed within the Access HE Diploma)
Where mitigating or other exceptional circumstances apply
All successful candidates who receive an offer of a place for this course and choose the University of Chester as their Firm choice will be required to apply for a Disclosure and to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. The Disclosure process provides institutions with information about the suitability of those seeking to work/train in positions of trust.
What we are looking for in your UCAS application for the BEd General Primary degree
Applications for the BEd General Primary degree are carefully screened by a team of experienced Admissions Tutors. After this process, selected applicants are invited to interview.
In order to begin study on the General Primary degree, you must meet the basic entry qualifications for entry to Initial Teacher Training (GCSEs, UCAS points and so on. Please see guidance above and our on-line Prospectus for details). Given that these fundamental entry requirements are met, Admissions Tutors will make a judgement about your overall profile for entry into primary teaching. In essence, in making the decision to invite you to interview, they will look for evidence of:
The potential security of your overall knowledge base for teaching across the range of subjects taught in primary schools. (Please note that we have support mechanisms in place for students who we judge would make excellent teachers but who need a ‘top-up' in their subject knowledge.)
Your academic and personal capacity for degree level study.
Clear and correct communication in written English. (Spoken English would be explored at interview.)
A Personal Statement that demonstrates commitment to Primary Education and an enthusiasm for it.
Relatively recent experience in a mainstream, state-maintained primary school. Ideally, this would be a school that delivers the English National Curriculum and, as a guide, we would expect your experience to be10 working days minimum. Of course, you are not expected to have worked in a full teaching role but rather to have gained some direct classroom experience, helping the teacher in whatever capacity was available and gaining some knowledge of teaching and learning. Undertaking this experience both allows you to check out whether teaching is the career for you and us to check out your basic appreciation of the fundamentals of your potential professional role.
Please note, if you have no direct experience of working in primary schools but can offer other experience of working with children, be it from ‘baby sitting' to ‘Brownies' or taking a dance class, and can link this to the teaching and learning of primary children, your application would be welcome. If you are in this position, we would probably make some experience in primary schools a condition of offering a place.
Please make the dates and type of your experience clear
Your reflection on your direct experience in schools of teaching and learning with primary children or a reflection (linked directly to the issues of teaching and learning in primary schools) arising from other experience with children
A supportive reference that ideally comments on your academic aptitude for degree level study, your work ethic and your experience with children. (We recognise that your referee might not be able to comment in detail on the quality of your work experience with children.)
In addition, Admissions Tutors will also take into consideration other ‘desirable' characteristics:
All other experiences of working with children
Any paid or voluntary work you have undertaken
Your personal experiences and personal interests, especially those that could directly contribute to your role as a teacher
Please remember that at the University of Chester we are committed to developing you into an excellent teacher. Do make sure that your commitment and enthusiasm to become an excellent teacher are clear in your application.
