Primary Education

Primary education prepares you for the rewarding and complex work of teaching children from the ages of five to eleven. Primary teachers shape children's earliest formal learning experiences, their relationship with knowledge, and the habits of mind and character that will influence their entire education. It is a profession that demands deep subject knowledge, pedagogical skill, the ability to manage diverse classrooms, and genuine commitment to the wellbeing and development of every child in your care.

At Durham, this three-year programme leads to Qualified Teacher Status and prepares you for primary school teaching across the full range of curriculum subjects. The programme includes a foundation year element, a sandwich year with substantial school placement, and a year abroad, making it a rich and varied preparation for the profession. You will study the theory and practice of primary education, curriculum content across core and foundation subjects, child development, assessment, special educational needs and inclusion, and the legal and professional framework within which teachers work.

School placements run throughout the programme, giving you increasing levels of responsibility in real classroom settings, supported by university-based mentoring and teaching. Work placements and professional experience are embedded throughout. The typical entry tariff is 152 UCAS points.

Graduates who achieve Qualified Teacher Status are eligible to teach in primary schools in England. The profession offers clear progression routes into subject leadership, year group coordination, special educational needs coordination, and senior leadership. Some graduates continue to postgraduate work in education, pursuing research, educational psychology, further specialist training or leadership qualifications.

Teaching is a demanding but deeply purposeful career, and Durham graduates enter the profession with strong practical foundations and a reflective approach to their own development.