Primary Education 5-11 years

Primary education with a specialism in teaching five to eleven year olds is a professionally focused degree that prepares you directly for work in primary classrooms. Teaching at primary level requires a combination of deep subject knowledge, understanding of child development, pedagogical skill and the emotional intelligence to support children through the crucial years of early and middle childhood. The degree develops all of these, building the theoretical understanding of how children learn alongside the practical classroom competence that qualified teacher status demands.

At York St John University you will study for three years full-time, with a foundation year available for those who need additional academic preparation. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, giving you an international perspective on primary education and teaching practice in a different cultural and pedagogical context. York St John has a long and proud history of teacher training, and the programme reflects the institution's commitment to preparing graduates who will genuinely inspire young learners across all primary years, with a particular focus on five to eleven year olds.

Completion of the degree, subject to meeting the requirements for qualified teacher status, qualifies you to teach in primary schools in England and Wales. Primary teachers work in state-maintained and independent schools, in special educational needs settings and in a range of other educational contexts. Many graduates build specialist expertise over time in areas such as special educational needs, English as an additional language, assessment and early years practice, often continuing their professional development through further study.

The demand for well-qualified primary teachers remains consistent, and graduates from York St John enter a profession with clear career progression from newly qualified teacher through to subject lead, assistant headteacher and beyond.