BEd (Hons) Primary Education - Early Years

at Plymouth Marjon University

BEd (Hons) Primary Education - Early Years with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is the ideal preparation for a successful and rewarding career in primary or early years teaching. QTS enables you to embark on your teaching career straight after finishing your studies.

Building on long established partnerships with a diverse range of schools all students have ample opportunities to learn with experienced primary and early years practitioners. From the start of the course students work in a range of schools gradually building up confidence and expertise.

This comprehensive course allows students to explore their love of teaching with a specific focus on the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One, with an overall primary coverage. It is carefully structured to provide you with the skills and subject knowledge required to teach all the National Curriculum subjects as well as providing specific opportunities to teach in nursery and reception classes.

This breadth of experience will enable you to specialise with the age groups you particularly enjoy working with whilst ensuring you have theskills required by all primary schools. Through working with experienced and passionate tutors in interactive and practical teaching sessions you’ll develop a thorough grounding in all the major skills and issues of education including special educational needs and disabilities, behaviour management, planning and assessment, managing the teaching and learning of a classroom team, child development and learning through play. In years two and three you will focus more specifically on early years practice. You will also select an early years focus for your final-year research dissertation.

Student feedback about the course is consistently positive and the course scored 100% satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2022. 

By combining academic study and practical experience in a range of placement settings in the South West and East London, you are fully prepared to progress to your New Qualified Teacher (NQT) year. Our extensive network offers opportunities such as working in special schools, outdoor centres and other educational settings or leading specific projects with children and young people.

All BEd students can join the Primary Science Enhancement Award scheme (PSEA). The PSEA, developed by the Primary Science Teaching Trust, gives student teachers the opportunity to increase their understanding and experience of teaching and learning in primary science. In the recent pilot it was found that students reported increased confidence to teach science, and a greater awareness of where to find support for this.