Course in brief

A teacher plays a vital role in the development of the whole child during their early years: academically, physically, morally, culturally and socially. As a practitioner you will encourage a love of learning and provide developmental support to young learners, so they can reach their full potential.

Brighton is one of the UK’s largest teacher training universities rated 'outstanding' in our last Ofsted inspection. We have partnerships with over 600 schools where you will gain practical experience and support which ensures that you will graduate fully prepared for the teaching profession.

The wide range of modules we offer will provide you with the relevant knowledge, skills and understanding needed on your journey to becoming a qualified teacher. These are delivered by our experienced and passionate tutors.

You will also benefit from having an individual support tutor who will help guide you through your academic and professional development as you progress through the course.

With unique access to our open learning centre which houses 25,000 specialist teaching resources and an opportunity to develop a specialist subject area, we believe you will graduate from this course with everything you need to be an outstanding teacher of the early years.

This course is accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) and leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which will allow you to teach in England and Wales.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer 

UCAS code X100

Full-time 3 years

Accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL)

Before starting this course you will need to have passed the professional skills tests; if you have not already completed these you are advised to take them as soon as possible.

Book your open day place

Applying for 2018: read our guide

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2018. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

A-levels
BBB.

BTEC
DDM.

International Baccalaureate
30 points; specified subjects.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 15 credits at distinction and the rest at merit.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
at least five subjects including English language, mathematics and science.

Professional skills tests
The Department for Education has introduced professional skills tests in English and maths for all applicants to teacher training (QTS) routes. These tests are compulsory and you will not be able to enter training without having successfully completed them.

Candidates can book these tests in advance; the Department for Education strongly advises you to take the tests soon after you have submitted an application.

At the university we recognise that these tests present a real challenge to some candidates; we recommend that you prepare carefully before attempting them, as you are limited to only three attempts per test. For this reason we will not insist that undergraduate applicants have passed the tests before they come to an interview. Although having already passed the tests will give you a clear advantage, we will be prepared to consider your capacity to pass and potentially make you an offer of a place subject to their successful completion. When we make such an offer you will be given a clear deadline, usually within two to three months of your interview, so we advise that you plan ahead and book your tests well in advance so that you can organise your preparation.

Find out more about the tests including how to register and prepare. Further resources to help you prepare for the numeracy test can be found in the Course in detail section below.

Experience
You will need the equivalent of at least two weeks' recent work experience with children, preferably in a primary or nursery setting.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. Ask our enquiries team for more information. Contact them through the Find out more tab below.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.5 overall, at least 6.0 in all four skills.

Other
All offers are subject to an occupational health check and Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced disclosure check.

Applicants from minority ethnic and other groups under-represented in the profession, including men in primary teaching, are particularly welcome. 

Course in detail

Course structure

This course is delivered through workshops, practical sessions and school-based training.

You will spend around a quarter of each year on placement. Ofsted identify our approach to training in schools as a key strength of this course, with an excellent balance between university tuition and school-based training.

There are no written exams on this route. You will be assessed in a variety of ways, from assignments to collaborative group presentations. Your school-based training is assessed in conjunction with our partnership schools.

Areas of study

You will gain a knowledge and understanding of the full primary curriculum, with subject studies to strengthen your specialist knowledge in your chosen area, while you start to develop your leadership and management skills.

Some course details may change as we work to ensure our courses are up to date with new government education policy, initiatives, and changes in the education system.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through our applicant portal.

 

Primary education student at work

Year 1

Modules

  • Education Studies 1: How Children Learn
  • Exploring Learning and Teaching in Language and Literacy
  • Exploring Learning and Teaching in Mathematics
  • Exploring Learning and Teaching in Science
  • Introducing Foundation Subjects
  • Computing with Academic Study Support
  • School Placement 1
Primary Education classroom

Year 2

Modules

  • Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment
  • Enhancing Learning and Teaching in Language and Literacy
  • Enhancing Learning and Teaching in Mathematics
  • Enhancing Learning and Teaching in Science
  • Foundation Subjects: Embedding Knowledge, Enhancing Practice
  • School Placement 2 (Primary)

Options*

  • Themes and Processes in Art and Design
  • Children's Literature
  • Learning and Teaching Languages: Contexts and Opportunities
  • The Historian at Work
  • Web Literacy
  • Developing My Mathematical Thinking
  • Science in Society
  • Developing Expertise in Curriculum Gymnastics and Dance
  • Contexts for Learning: A Sense of Place
  • Language and How We Use It
  • Key Strategies in Learning and Teaching Languages: Enjoyment, Engagement and Enrichment
  • Geography: Enquiry into Practice
  • Physical Computing
  • Developing Children's Mathematical Thinking
  • Thinking and Working Scientifically
  • The Active School

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability

Primary PE lesson

Final year

Modules

  • Education Studies 3: Leading Children’s Learning
  • Final School Placement (Primary)
  • Deepening Subject and Pedagogic Knowledge to Impact on Children’s Mathematics Understanding
  • Consolidating Teaching, Learning and Assessing English
  • Individual Professional Project

Options*

  • Processes and Practice: Developing a Rationale for Art, Craft and Design in the Primary Classroom
  • Language, Thought and Learning
  • Ensuring Progress and Defining Progression in Primary Languages
  • Creative Curriculum Design in History and Geography
  • Creative Computing
  • The Nature and Learning of Mathematics: Developing a Personal View
  • Science Beyond the Classroom
  • OAA, and Swimming and Water Safety

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability

Primary classroom

 School-based training

School-based training in a partnership placement school forms an important element of each year of study, developing your knowledge and understanding of being a teacher in a school setting. 

Ofsted identify our approach to training in schools as a key strength of this course, with an excellent balance between university tuition and school-based training.

Organising your school-based training
Our Partnership Office will organise your school-based training for you. Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students with over 600 partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities. We work hard to ensure that your school based training will provide you with learning opportunities and valuable experience with the age group you are qualifying to teach.

How it works
You will be asked to complete a school-based training information form when you start your course and we will use this information to match you to a suitable placement. We will consider your previous experience, travelling distance, the age phases you wish to teach, and your current needs.

Once you have been matched to a placement, the team in the Partnership Office will confirm the placement as quickly as possible with the school, then contact you with the details. Almost all of our placements will be with partner schools in south-east England, most of them in East and West Sussex.  

I have really loved all four of my teaching placements, which have been incredibly varied, from a small village school with mixed year groups to a large urban primary school with a diverse intake.

 Jennifer Lamb, Primary Education with QTS (3-7 years)      BA(Hons)

 Study here 

Why choose teaching at the University of Brighton?

  • We are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for initial teacher training
  • Our graduates benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average
  • We have 600 partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities to our students
  • We work closely with local authorities, schools, colleges and educational organisations ensuring that our students are kept up to date with the changing world of education
  • Our tutors are experts in their area of research and have published numerous academic publications
  • We offer several routes into teaching with the opportunity to engage in professional development after graduating
  • Enjoy outstanding facilities including dedicated studios, laboratories, the latest classroom technologies and more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers
  • We have a dedicated team to help you after you qualify, through our NQT support programme
  • We’re one of the UKs largest teacher training universities, educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years

UoB-SchofEd-046-JH

Skills test 

Support for the numeracy test

If you have not yet passed the professional skills test for numeracy, you may find the following list of support material useful. You are urged to take the tests as soon as possible but you do need to make sure that you are fully prepared. 

Department for Education Practice Materials – You will find a range of support materials on this official site, including online tests.

Passing the Numeracy Skills Test – Book by Mark Patmore, including one practice test (RRP: £9.99). Published February 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1446275160

TES Top 10 tips for the Numeracy Skills Test – Article on ways to maximise your score on the test. Published April 2013

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

University of Brighton trainees are highly sought after by our partnership schools and have a superb reputation across the country. They are known for their creative and innovative approaches to teaching making them very successful in securing jobs.

After a NQT year many of our graduates take mentoring and leadership roles, or focus on specialist roles such as special education needs.

If you are considering whether a career in teaching is for you, and you are a UK resident, the Department for Education’s School Experience Programme offers 1 to 10 days’ classroom experience in a secondary school. Find out more.

Primary school lesson

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 13,920 GBP

Transport costs associated with travel to and from your placement will be reimbursed.

 

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.
 
The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront  What to expect enriching experiences 

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Surrounded by the South Downs National Park and just five miles from the centre of Brighton, our Falmer campus has benefited from over £60million of investment over the past 10 years. 7,000 students are based here, studying subjects including English, education, social science, nursing and medicine.

Recent developments include the Falmer Sports Centre – with its fitness suites and sports hall – and the innovative Checkland Building, which has natural ventilation systems and an insulating green roof.

Falmer has also recently installed more than 600 solar panels, which reduce the campus’s carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. The renovation has made us one of the top universities in the UK for on-site renewable energy production.

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance. 
  • Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus. 
  • Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence. 
  • Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field. 
    Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. 

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Brighton accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place


  

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Falmer campus and Brighton and Sussex Medical School map

 

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