Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status

Primary education with Qualified Teacher Status is a degree that prepares you to teach children aged five to eleven in primary schools. It is a professional qualification as well as an academic degree, meaning that graduates who meet the required standards are eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status and work as classroom teachers. Primary teaching is one of the most important and demanding of professions, requiring deep knowledge of how children develop and learn, strong subject knowledge across the primary curriculum, and the interpersonal and organisational skills to create a productive and inclusive learning environment.

At the University of Leeds, this three-year full-time programme is delivered in partnership with Red Kite Teacher Training, combining theoretical training with substantial classroom experience in an innovative approach to initial teacher education. You will gain both the academic grounding in education theory, child development, and curriculum studies and the practical experience of teaching real children in real schools that effective teacher preparation requires. The partnership model means that your university study and your school-based learning are closely integrated throughout the programme.

You will develop subject knowledge across the primary curriculum, including mathematics, English, science, and the foundation subjects, alongside the pedagogical skills to teach each effectively at different stages. Reflective practice, assessment, inclusion, and professional standards are threaded through the degree.

Graduates who meet the required standards are eligible for Qualified Teacher Status and can work as primary school teachers. Teaching offers a career with clear professional development pathways, including subject leadership, special educational needs coordination, and school leadership roles. Many teachers continue to postgraduate study in education to deepen their expertise or pursue leadership qualifications.