Primary Education FT

Primary education is concerned with the learning and development of children from the early years through to the end of Key Stage 2, typically up to age eleven. Teaching at this stage is both intellectually demanding and profoundly influential: primary teachers shape children's early encounters with reading, mathematics, science, and the arts, and play a significant role in their social and emotional development during some of the most formative years of their lives.

At Nottingham Trent University this four-year full-time programme leads to Qualified Teacher Status alongside a bachelor's degree in primary education. You will study child development, educational psychology, curriculum theory, and the key subjects of the primary national curriculum, including English, mathematics, science, and the foundation subjects. A substantial proportion of the programme takes place on placement in schools, where you will work under the supervision of experienced teachers and develop your classroom practice in real settings with real children.

These school placements build progressively in length and responsibility over the four years, so that by the time you graduate you are ready to take on a teaching role with confidence.

The programme is structured to develop you both as a reflective practitioner and as someone with a genuine understanding of how children learn and what they need to thrive. You will also develop skills in assessment, planning, and working with parents and colleagues that are central to effective teaching.

Graduates go on to careers as primary school teachers across the state and independent sectors, and many progress to senior leadership roles, subject coordination, and specialist teaching over the course of their careers. Others move into educational research, curriculum development, teacher education, and roles in local authority education services.