BA (Honours) Early Years Education with Qualified Teacher Status
Three years full-time
UCAS code • X110
This course is subject to reapproval
Location • City Campus
Subject area • Teacher education
Related subjects • Education studies
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View profiles of students on this course
A trainee teacher, mentor coordinator and headteacher at one of our placement schools talk about their experiences of work placements.
At a glance
Train to become a teacher in Early Years with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on a course run in partnership with regional schools and early years settings. Throughout the course you spend time in university and on placements gaining a critical and practical perspective on all aspects of learning and teaching in the 3- 7 age phase.
Key points
• Prepare for roles in nurseries and infant and primary schools.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of the policies that underpin early years learning.
• Specialise in an educational area in your second and third year.
• Develop your specialism further in your placement.
What is early years education with QTS?
This subject leads to an honours degree and the professional qualification of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) equipping you with the standards required and the necessary subject knowledge and skills to teach in the 3 - 7 age phase.
This course
Prepare for a career teaching in early years settings such as in nursery, infant and primary schools on this Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) awarding course.
You build your understanding of early years education, and all areas of foundation and Key Stage 1 curriculum teaching. You develop your knowledge of teaching and learning in the early years, and key policies in early childhood education and care. This prepares you for teaching and management in foundation settings, children’s centres and infant or primary schools.
We offer the course in partnership with local and regional children’s centres, nurseries and primary schools. You complete your placements at these partnership schools and this close relationship helps you improve your employment prospects in the region after graduation. You form close professional bonds with the nursery and school teaching staff you work with and they play an important role in your teaching and assessment.
You carry out a variety of placements, which can include focussed early learning and special educational needs and disability (SEND) placements. As well as out of setting learning experiences, such as understanding how Forest Schools work.
In the first year we introduce the foundation stage curriculum and you develop your basic teaching skills.
During your second and third years you consider more complex features of effective teaching and current issues and also choose to specialise in an area of your choice.
Key areas of study
Key areas include • providing for children with special educational needs • assessment for learning • learning across the curriculum • high quality provision • partnerships in the early years.
The Chief External Examiner for Primary and ITT recently praised our high quality teacher education provision and commented that our 'modules are relevant, stimulating and innovative with a range of modes of delivery that challenge and engage the students, including conferences, targeted placements and a variety of speakers and visits'.
Find out more about BA (Honours) Early Years Education with Qualified Teacher Status
Related courses
You apply for this course through UCAS.
2013/14 academic year
For 2013 entry, mandatory UK field trips are included in the course fee.
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-and-funding
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,680 a year
2014/15 academic year
Typically £11,250 a year
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• preparation of teaching materials • group and individual presentations • reports • examinations • projects • essays • classroom research
Key Information Set 
Kirsty Rusdale
BA Early Years Education with QTS, 2008 graduate
'I looked around at other courses, but I could qualify here in three years rather than doing four, so that made a big financial difference. I live locally so I stayed at home and travelled in.
'The main thing about the course that stood out for me was the range of placements. In my first and second year the placements focused on certain areas such as literacy, numeracy, ICT and special educational needs.
'Everyone comes in with different levels of experience, so this helped us get used to being in schools and work together well in different teams. The placements increase through the course, so it gently leads you into being that person and the teacher you want to be. If we had been teaching on our own straight away I felt it would have been too much.
'At first I struggled with my academic writing. I went to student services for some guidance. That brought home a few things that I was doing such as using clauses in the wrong place, and my sentence construction. I took an assignment that I hadn’t done so well on and we looked through it, focusing on what I could do better in future. This really helped.
'I like the fact that Sheffield is a lively city. There's a lot going on for people who like the busy or the quiet lifestyle. I've always felt comfortable, safe and welcome.
'The staff were brilliant. Everyone I know who has studied here has been happy with the support.
'The resources are amazing for practical sessions. They get everything out, and you are like the six or seven year old kids playing with stuff! As silly as it seems you learn more by doing this and relating it to the theory. It's a big eye opener I think.
'It's a really friendly, supportive environment. I loved it.'
Profiles
Kirsty Rusdale
BA Early Years Education with QTS, 2008 graduate
Amy Bagnell (2:39)
Amy talks about the types of support that we provide for you on teaching placements.
Zara Rowley (1:06)
One of our trainee primary school teachers talks about being on placement.
Beccy Buck (1:12)
Beccy, one of our mentor co-ordinators, talks about what it takes to make a great primary school teacher
More videos
Amy Bagnell (2:39)
Amy talks about the types of support that we provide for you on teaching placements.
Zara Rowley (1:06)
One of our trainee primary school teachers talks about being on placement.
Beccy Buck (1:12)
Beccy, one of our mentor co-ordinators, talks about what it takes to make a great primary school teacher
