Primary Education (3-7) with Qualified Teacher Status

Primary education for children aged three to seven is a specialism that focuses on the earliest years of formal schooling, where the foundations of literacy, numeracy, and a lifelong love of learning are laid. Teaching young children well is demanding and extraordinarily important work: the quality of early education shapes cognitive development, social skills, emotional resilience, and attitudes to learning in ways that research consistently shows persist throughout life. This three-year full-time degree at Leeds Beckett University leads directly to Qualified Teacher Status, the professional credential needed to teach in maintained schools in England, and includes a year abroad.

You will develop academic expertise in child development, early years pedagogy, curriculum knowledge across the primary subjects, and inclusive education practice, alongside the core teaching skills that effective classroom work demands. The programme places considerable emphasis on practical learning: you will spend significant time in school settings, developing your teaching practice under the guidance of experienced mentors and learning to create an inclusive, stimulating learning environment for young children. The year abroad gives you the opportunity to experience early years and primary education in a different national context, broadening your understanding of how different societies approach children's learning.

A typical entry tariff of 120 UCAS points reflects a competitive but accessible admissions standard for a professionally regulated programme. Completing the degree and QTS qualification allows you to take up a post as a qualified teacher in maintained schools, specialising in the early years of primary education. Many graduates continue to develop as specialist early years practitioners, subject leads, or school leaders, and some pursue postgraduate study in education research or educational leadership.