What Makes This Course So Special?
• One of the few universities in the area to provide such a course.
• A professional development opportunity which can open doors to new opportunities.
• Opportunity to meet other like minded individuals with a range of different experiences to share.
Course Intro
This course is for you if you are a qualified teacher looking to update your existing teaching qualification and prepare for a return to teaching in a primary school or for a move from secondary to primary school teaching. If you are in regular supply work and looking to obtain a long-term or permanent appointment this course may also be beneficial. This is not a conversion course but is designed to further your professional development.
On the course you will be studying with other qualified teachers and will review, enhance and consolidate your skills, knowledge and understanding of successful practice in primary education. You will benefit from the expertise of the course team and have the opportunity to develop your confidence as a professional practitioner. You will also become familiar with recent developments in education systems, methods and practices.
In addition, you will benefit from professional guidance and support on making job applications, writing curricula vitae and interview techniques.
What you study
The course covers all National Curriculum subjects in the context of the classroom and will include an emphasis on the Foundation Phase in Wales and its seven areas of learning. Issues of assessment, management and resourcing are discussed as an integral part of these studies and the course provides an opportunity to explore recent and relevant changes and innovations. It is structured to provide plenty of practical experience supported by the relevant theory.
You are required to spend ten days in a primary school (or equivalent) either voluntarily or in a paid position. This part of the programme must be arranged by you and may be tailored to suit individual requirements. The classroom experience is undertaken as an opportunity to develop confidence, skills and understanding.
The course runs on one day a week, currently a Wednesday, for fifteen weeks, beginning in February. Each session covers a National Curriculum subject/Area of Learning or other important theme. The days are varied and involve a range of teaching and learning strategies including lectures, discussions, workshops, practical activities, directed and independent learning and where appropriate informal tutorials.
A programme specification for this course is available.
Where Next?
The primary aim of the course is to enable those teachers who have lost contact with current practice to return to the classroom. In addition, many teachers who originally qualified as secondary school teachers have found the course helpful in obtaining work in the primary sector and currently employed supply teachers have been able to secure permanent posts.
Interview Required
No, but references are taken up and a telephone conversation is usually required to ensure the course will meet your needs.
Assessment
Assessment is 100% coursework and includes two assignments:
• Recording a reflective school diary based on the ten days spent in the primary school of your choice in order to obtain maximum advantage from the classroom experience.
• A personal professional development plan.
Student Soundbite
“It was the springboard I needed, I would love to do it all again.”