Primary Education

Primary education prepares you to teach the full range of subjects to children aged four to eleven, supporting their development across literacy, numeracy, science, the arts, humanities, and physical education while also nurturing the social and emotional capacities that underpin all learning. Teaching in primary schools requires a particular combination of subject knowledge, pedagogical skill, and the human warmth and patience that children need from the adults responsible for their education. It is one of the most demanding and most rewarding careers available, and the quality of primary education has a profound effect on the life chances and capabilities of every child.

At the University of Reading, this three-year full-time programme leads to a degree in primary education with Qualified Teacher Status, which is the professional qualification required to teach in state-maintained primary schools in England and Wales. The programme meets the requirements of the Department for Education and is structured so that academic study and school-based teaching practice develop together throughout the degree. You will spend significant time in schools at different stages of the programme, developing your teaching skills under the supervision of experienced teachers while also building your subject knowledge and your understanding of child development, curriculum, and educational policy.

You will study child development and learning across the primary age range, the national curriculum and its implementation, literacy and numeracy teaching, inclusion and the support of children with additional needs, and the professional and ethical responsibilities of a classroom teacher. Reflective practice is developed throughout, as the ability to evaluate your own teaching and respond to evidence is fundamental to professional growth.

Graduates from this programme are eligible to begin the early career teacher phase in a primary school immediately after graduation. Primary school teaching offers a genuine career with opportunities to specialise as a subject lead, to progress into subject coordination, year group leadership, and eventually headship. Educational leadership, inspection, curriculum development, and initial teacher education are further career directions for those who wish to develop beyond classroom teaching.