Primary Education BA (Hons) with QTS

School-based (England)
You will be based in schools for the entirety of the course. Teacher training is most effective ‘on the job’ in schools so the knowledge you gain can be instantly applied in real lessons.

Online
The course is delivered to you online through webinars, podcasts, videos, research and tutorials. Our platforms are interactive and engaging, enabling both independent and peer learning. All course content and materials are available online, enabling you to study and revisit them as required.

Be based anywhere in England
As the course is delivered online, you can be in a school anywhere in England, subject to the school meeting the required selection criteria to ensure it can offer you the right support².

Support
Described by Ofsted as “excellent”, Coventry University’s online tutorial approach provides you with teaching and support, both one-to-one with your university tutor and in a tutor group setting. Tutorials deepen your understanding of topics, prompting you to think about what works best for you in your teaching. You will also be guided on a day-to-day basis by your in-school mentor, who will be an experienced teacher in your school.

Multiple start dates
You can choose to start the course in September, January, or April, giving you the flexibility to start when the time is right for you.

Employability
On successful completion, you will gain a degree and Qualified Teaching Status (QTS), which could enhance your employability.

This course is designed to develop your classroom skills while you train in schools under the guidance of expert school-based mentors and experienced university tutors.

As a university course, it provides a high-quality, evidence-informed curriculum grounded in educational theory and designed to complement your day-to-day teaching or placement role. This course is delivered through an engaging blend of webinars, podcasts, video content, research-based activities and tutorials. All materials are accessible online, allowing you to revisit content at your own pace and promote both independent and peer learning.

The course comprises 12 30-credit academic modules studied full-time over three years. Alongside this, you will complete three Practical Placement Modules each year.

You will spend 2.5–4 days per week in school, where you will work through the Practical Placement Modules while supported by an experienced school-based mentor. At the beginning of the course, you can expect to take on a support role in the classroom as directed by the class teacher and learning activities will include observations of experienced staff, teaching small groups or parts of lessons and team-teaching dependent on experience. By your final year, you’ll take responsibility for up to 80% of a qualified teacher’s timetable, in line with QTS requirements. This ensures you are fully prepared for your first years as a qualified teacher.

To broaden your experience, a minimum six-week placement in a contrasting school is completed during your second year. This placement must differ from your main school in a meaningful way (e.g. size, faith, gender intake, or school type) and is a Department for Education (DfE) requirement for QTS.

All applicants must find their own schools willing to support them for the full duration of the course during the application process. NITE do not source placement schools for any undergraduate courses.

One day per week is protected for university study. Each year, you’ll complete four online learning modules, each requiring 50–60 hours made up of approximately 60% live teaching through seminars and tutorials and 40% self-study.  You’ll be supported throughout by a dedicated team of university mentors and subject and phase specialist tutors, receiving personalised feedback and live tutorial support. You will require access to a suitable device, a laptop or PC, throughout the course, and will also be expected to be sufficiently competent with IT to learn and use our online platforms.

This combined approach to training will provide you with teaching from our highly experienced staff while enabling vital peer support and a valuable collaborative learning environment. You will be supported to learn from each other, share experiences and reflect, away from the school environment.

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

• written assignments
• presentations
• oral presentations
• observations.

The practical modules will be assessed on the evidence you collect, collate and upload to an electronic portfolio.

You will be visited by a Visiting Assessor (VA) at least four times during the course. They will observe you teaching and meet with you and your school-based mentor to discuss and oversee the assessment of your overall progress. At the end of the course, a final assessment is made on whether you meet the Teachers’ Standards.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

• Teaching: Primary teaching, including special educational needs (SEN) teaching.
• School management: year leader, subject leader, phase leader, special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), deputy headteacher, headteacher.
• Education Outreach Coordinator: working with communities to promote and support educational initiatives.
• Curriculum Development: creating and improving educational materials and programmes.
• Educational Consultant: providing expertise and guidance to schools, teachers, or parents on various educational matters.

This course is a formal Initial Teacher Training qualification for trainee teachers in England. On completion, you will be recommended for QTS and able to apply for your first teaching role.

To achieve the full QTS award, you will be required to complete the two-year induction as an Early Career Teacher (ECT) in your first post. Once awarded, QTS is valid for life. The qualification accredits the teacher to teach in state-maintained schools in England. Many independent schools now also prefer their teachers to hold this award.

The graduate destinations listed above illustrate potential career paths. You may need to gain additional qualifications or practical experience, pass professional examinations, complete training, cover associated costs and meet specific visa or immigration requirements to secure employment in these fields.

No. Applicants for the Primary Education BA (Hons) with QTS course must have secured the support of a school willing to host you on placement as a student teacher for the duration of the course. If you are already working in a school, your first step is to speak to them about your ambition to study this course.

Yes. You can complete our Primary Education BA (Hons) with QTS course in most SEND settings, Pupil Referral Units or other alternate provisions. However, there are a few additional requirements. The minimum class size is six and the chosen mentor must have QTS. Your second school placement must be in a mainstream school and last one school term (a minimum of 10 weeks). The children you are teaching must be following a recognised primary curriculum, though this does not have to be at an age-expected level.

Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to check all qualifications in advance of applications; however, they will be checked as part of the application process. If for any reason your qualifications aren’t equivalent to 104 UCAS points, there may still be options for you that you can discuss with our admissions team.

Once you have achieved your degree and QTS, you may be interested in further study at master’s level. Successful graduates are offered a 15% discount on fees for our Education MA course.