Primary Education with QTS

Primary education with qualified teacher status (QTS) is one of the most directly impactful degrees you can study. Teachers in the early years and Key Stage 1 work with children at the point where they are forming their identities as learners, developing language and literacy, beginning to understand the world mathematically, and building the social and emotional foundations that shape all subsequent learning. Getting this right matters enormously for children's long-term trajectories, and it requires both deep knowledge of child development and the craft skills of effective teaching.

At the University of Gloucestershire, this three-year full-time programme prepares you to teach children from Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 1, covering ages three to seven. You will study child development, curriculum design, pedagogy, and the subject knowledge needed to teach across the primary curriculum, including literacy, numeracy, and the foundation subjects. Practice is central throughout: students undertake high-quality school experience placements for approximately eight weeks every year in at least one of the university's partnership schools, building the classroom skills and professional confidence that qualify you to teach by the time you graduate.

Entry typically requires around 120 UCAS tariff points.

Graduating with QTS means you are qualified to apply for teaching positions in state-maintained schools from the moment you complete the degree. Many graduates go directly into teaching in primary schools and early years settings, while others continue with a postgraduate year to specialise further in a particular aspect of early childhood education or special educational needs. Teaching in this age range offers significant career development opportunities, including roles in early years leadership and specialist support.