Primary Education

Primary education is one of the most formative professions in any society. The years between five and eleven are a period of rapid cognitive and social development, and the teachers who guide children through this phase have a lasting influence on how those children relate to learning, to others, and to themselves. Studying primary education means engaging with both the theory of how children learn and the practical realities of classroom teaching across all the core curriculum subjects.

Bangor University's three-year full-time Primary Education degree prepares you for qualified teacher status by combining academic study with substantial time in schools. You will examine child development, educational psychology, and curriculum design, building an understanding of how to plan lessons that are appropriate to different ages, abilities, and backgrounds. You will also study the teaching of specific subjects including English, mathematics, science, and the humanities, developing the subject knowledge and pedagogical skills to teach them effectively.

Time spent on placement in real schools is central to the programme, allowing you to put theory into practice under the guidance of experienced teachers and university tutors.

Bangor's location in Wales means you will also engage with the Welsh National Curriculum and develop an understanding of bilingual and Welsh-medium education, which is an important context for teaching in Wales and a distinctive professional asset. The programme attends to inclusive practice, ensuring that you understand how to support pupils with a wide range of needs.

For most graduates the immediate destination is teaching in primary schools, either in Wales or elsewhere in the UK, with qualified teacher status enabling you to take up a salaried post. Beyond classroom teaching, graduates move into roles in educational leadership, special educational needs coordination, school management, educational consultancy, and community education. Some go on to postgraduate study in education research or specialist teaching areas.