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Key details

Start date(s)
September 2026
Study Mode
Full-time (1 year)
Location
Main Campus (Horsforth)
School
Education and Childhood

Being part of the growth and development of young children is one of the most rewarding aspects of being an early years teacher. By choosing to specialise in this critical age phase, you will have the unique privilege of shaping the minds and hearts of our youngest learners.

At Leeds Trinity, training to teach in the Early Years will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to encourage children to become independent learners. You will learn how to create an environment where children can explore their surroundings, sparking their natural curiosity and fostering a lifelong love of learning.

Upon successful completion of all aspects of the programme and meeting the Teachers' Standards during your experiences in school, you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

The Student Contract

About this course

Programme Structure

The Primary 3-7 programme will support you to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding of teaching and learning necessary to work effectively in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

It is comprised of four strands:

Subject Knowledge and Applied Pedagogy

This will support you in developing your personal subject knowledge, your knowledge of the curriculum and your knowledge of how to support young learners to engage with the content of the school curriculum. 

Professional Studies

This provides you with an introduction to the generic skills of the teacher and will focus on aspects such as safeguarding, behaviour management, planning and assessment.

Research Literacy

All PGCE Primary courses culminate in the award of a Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Throughout the programme you will be supported to think critically about teaching and learning, drawing on your lived experiences, current research, related policy and professional practice.

School Experience

You will spend a minimum of 120 days in school where you will work with expert colleagues to practice, develop and refine your skills. During your school experience you will draw upon what you have learned from sessions at University, applying this to meet the needs of the children in your school or setting.

Upon successful completion of all aspects of the programme and meeting the Teachers' Standards during your experiences in school, you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

 

Programme Delivery

The Primary 3-7 programme has been designed to provide a gradual and supported introduction to the profession.

Stage One- Introducing and Preparing (September to December)

You will begin your learning at the University where you will be introduced to curriculum documentation and relevant policies that underpin the work of the teacher. You will have input in all curriculum subjects, led by tutors who are experts in the field. You will also begin your Level 7 study, focusing on issues of inclusion and how teachers can support pupils with Special Educational Needs.  In Stage 1 you will spend a significant amount of time in school, where you will work with an expert mentor to practice and refine your emerging skills. This stage will provide a foundation for the learning that will follow across the rest of the programme.

Stage Two - Developing and Securing (typically January to March)

You will begin this stage with sessions at University, reflecting on what you have learned from Stage 1 and building on your knowledge and understanding in readiness for your next block of school experience. A focus for this stage will be on ensuring progression across learning and your Level 7 focus for this stage will be on developing your understanding of assessment. You will spend a significant period of time in school during this stage where you will usually have the opportunity to further develop your skills in a contrasting school or setting from Stage 1. 

Stage Three - Refining and Embedding (typically March to July)

You will spend the majority of your time in this stage in school where you will be supported by expert colleagues to put all you have learned into practice and gain an understanding of the wider responsibilities of the teacher. By the end of this stage, and with the support of colleagues in school, you will be expected to take full responsibility for teaching and learning as if you were an early career teacher. 

Qualified Teacher Status

During each stage of school experience your progress will be mapped against core competencies. These indicate the practice that is expected from student teachers at each specific stage. A summary assessment is made at the end of each stage that indicates if you are making sufficient progress to proceed to the next stage of your training. By the end of Stage 3, you will be expected to have met all of the Teachers' Standards and a summative assessment will be completed. Once it is agreed that you have met the Teachers' Standards, you will then be recommended for QTS.

Course modules

You will study a variety of modules across your programme of study. The module details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Year 1

Stage One - Introducing and Preparing –

From September to December you'll have a guided and supported induction to classroom practice and the primary curriculum.

Six weeks of teaching at University integrated with eight weeks in school, allowing you to put into practice what you have learned.

Stage Two - Developing and Securing –

From January to March you'll broaden your experience, planning, assessing and reviewing sequences of learning and reflective practice.

Four weeks of teaching at University integrated with eight weeks in school.

Stage Three - Refining and Embedding –

From March to July you'll enhance your knowledge of the curriculum and evaluation, with eventual transition to the Early Career Framework.

A week of teaching at University which will focus upon transitioning into your first teaching post, with a minimum of eight weeks in school.

Learning and teaching

Assessment will be both formative and summative and will take place at different times across the programme. 

Examples of Assessment across the programme will include:

  • Personal subject knowledge audits.
  • Ongoing target setting and progress checks against the core competencies.
  • Level 7 formative assessments
  • Level 7 marking and feedback

Programme delivery

Your time on campus, learning through in-person teaching, is at the heart of your academic experience and the way we deliver our programmes. This is supported and further enhanced by additional engagement activities and opportunities provided online and through digital teaching materials. This blended approach seeks to ensure a positive learning and teaching student experience.

Your programme of study has been carefully designed around a three-phase model of delivery:

  1. Preparation: You will be given clear tasks to support you in preparing for live teaching. This could include watching a short-pre-recorded lecture, reading a paper or text chapter or preparing other material for use in class.
  2. Live: All your live teaching will be designed around active learning, providing you with valuable opportunities to build on preparation tasks, interact with staff and peers, and surface any misunderstandings.
  3. Post: Follow-up activities will include opportunities for you to check understanding, for staff to receive feedback from you and your peers to inform subsequent sessions, and for you to apply learning to new situations or context.

Preparation, Live and Post teaching and learning and the digital materials used will vary by course, but will be designed to help you structure your learning, take a full and active part in your course, and apply and test your developing knowledge and skills.

Learning and teaching

At Leeds Trinity we aim to provide an excellent student experience and provide you with the tools and support to help you achieve your academic, personal and professional potential.

Our Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy delivers excellence by providing the framework for:

  • high quality teaching
  • an engaging and inclusive approach to learning, assessment and achievement
  • a clear structure through which you progress in your academic studies, your personal development and towards professional-level employment or further study.

We have a strong reputation for developing student employability, supporting your development towards graduate employment, with relevant skills embedded throughout your programme of study.

We endeavour to develop curiosity, confidence, courage, ambition and aspiration in all students through the key themes in our Learning and Teaching Strategy:

  • Student Involvement and Engagement
  • Inclusion
  • Integrated Programme and Assessment Experience
  • Digital Literacy and Skills
  • Employability and Enterprise

To help you achieve your potential we emphasise learning as a collaborative process, with a range of student-led and real-world activities. This approach ensures that you fully engage in shaping your own learning, developing your critical thinking and reflective skills so that you can identify your own strengths and weaknesses, and use the extensive learning support system we offer to shape your own development.

We believe the secret to great learning and teaching is simple: it is about creating an inclusive learning experience that allows all students to thrive through:

  • Personalised support
  • Expert lecturers
  • Strong connections with employers
  • An international outlook
  • Understanding how to use tools and technology to support learning and development

Entry requirements

Leeds Trinity University is committed to recruiting students with talent and potential and who we feel will benefit greatly from their academic and non-academic experiences here. We treat every application on its own merits; we value highly the experience you illustrate in your personal statement.

The following information is designed to give you a general overview of the qualifications we accept. If you are taking qualifications that are not included below, please contact our Admissions Office who will be happy to advise you.

  • An undergraduate honours degree (usually a 2:2 or above) or equivalent. Please note that applicants with third-class honours degrees will be considered on an individual basis, and normally only if applicants have additional qualifications and/or significant relevant professional experience.
  • GCSE Grade 4 (or C or accepted equivalent) in English Language or English Literature, Science and Mathematics. If you do not already have the appropriate GCSEs, or if you are unable to provide proof of your grades, please refer to the GCSE Equivalency information below.
  • The ability to read effectively and communicate clearly and accurately in spoken and written standard English.
  • Suitable personal and intellectual qualities required for teaching in primary schools.
  • Applicants also need to demonstrate the commitment, attitudes and values appropriate to those of a primary teacher and the potential to train as a teacher. Strong applicants often have experience in primary schools, but this is not a requirement.

This course is not available to students on a Student Route Visa.

Additional entry requirements

In addition to the above essential entry requirements, successful applicants also tend to have:

  • Advanced level qualifications (or equivalent) in Primary Education.
  • Experience of observing the teaching in a primary school in this country.

You will also need to meet additional entry requirements set by the Department for Education (DfE) for selection. This includes the completion of a health check and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For further information, please visit our Initial Teacher Training additional entry requirements page.

Interview information

If your initial application is successful, we will invite you to the next available Interview Day. For more information on the interview process, visit our PGCE Primary Education interviews page.

GCSE Equivalency

If you do not already have the appropriate GCSEs, or if you are unable to provide proof of your grades, we can accept GCSE equivalency tests taken with A Star Equivalency, equivalencytesting.com or Birmingham City University (BCU) Further details are emailed to applicants who accept offers with us.

Please get in touch for further advice on 0113 283 7123 or admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk.

Fees and finance

Funding

For information about our tuition fees please visit our Student Fees and Finance pages. 

How to apply

Apply through the Department for Education (DfE) (Apply for teacher training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))

You will need to create an account to apply. When you apply, you can make four choices, and you should complete all sections of the application in full.

You can search for the course you want to apply for by searching by location or course provider and then by subject. Find postgraduate teacher training courses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There's no set deadline, but when the course is full, it will show as having no vacancies on the DfE apply site.

What happens next?

Updates on your application will be provided through your DfE application.

If you receive an offer 

You will receive information about the offer conditions and deadlines from our Admissions team.

Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS)

Achieve an additional qualification alongside your PGCE with the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies. 

Although the CCRS isn't compulsory, it is recognised across the Catholic school sector as a desirable qualification that can expand on both your expertise and your vocational focus. The course aims to ensure you have the basic knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and principles of the Catholic Faith while providing a basis for further study.