Everything you need to know...
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Tuition fees
Home: £10,050 for the course
International/EU: £19,530 for the course -
Course duration
1 Year
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Study location
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Course code
X121
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Start date
September 2027
Course summary
- Study the early years foundation stage (EYFS) and KS1 primary curriculum.
- Develop your practice through integrated university and school-based training.
- Gain the skills and creativity you need to design and deliver engaging learning experiences.
- Develop strong subject expertise with an emphasis on creative and explorative teaching approaches.
- Complete placements to gain school-based experience and reflect on your progress.
Launch your teaching career with an outstanding PGCE that prepares you to inspire children aged 3–7. You’ll explore the EYFS and KS1 curriculum, developing confident, creative practice through integrated university learning and school based training. Build strong subject knowledge, master playful and explorative approaches, and learn how to design engaging learning experiences that spark curiosity. With high-quality and varied placements, expert mentoring and reflective practice, you’ll grow into a skilled, responsive teacher ready to make a difference. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, this course also gives you 60 Masters level credits to accelerate your professional development.
Student satisfaction
This course scored 100% for overall student satisfaction in the Postgraduate Taught Student Satisfaction Survey 2026.
This course is accredited by the Department for Education and OFSTED, and was rated ‘Outstanding’ in a March 2024 OFSTED inspection.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
Teaching and learning
We have been rated outstanding by Ofsted across all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses and offer sector leading ITE (Ofsted 2024). Inspectors said that ‘They gain deep understanding about the impact that getting education right in the early years will have, not just on individual children’s lives, but also on positive societal development.’
A large proportion of your studies will take place on school-based placements, where you’ll work alongside skilled practitioners who value collaboration, creativity and inclusive practice. You'll join the Sheffield Institute of Education, one of the UK’s largest teacher training providers. Expert tutors and mentors will guide your development through university learning and professional research-informed practice.
Key Themes
Child Development and Early Learning
Understanding how young children grow, enquire, think and learn, with a strong focus on play, exploration and early cognitive/ brain development.
EYFS and KS1 Curriculum Expertise
Developing knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, including progression and purposeful learning, inside and outside.
Creative Teaching Approaches
Using curiosity, imagination and hands-on learning to create meaningful experiences that spark engagement and belonging.
Integrated School and University Training
Blending up to date theory, research and debate, with practice through high quality placements, expert mentoring and reflective professional development.
Inclusive and Responsive Practice
Developing the skills to meet diverse needs, support early SEND identification, supporting children’s behaviour and wellbeing and create nurturing, equitable learning environments.
Communication, Language and Early Literacy
Building foundations in talk, communication, reading and writing through language-rich learning.
Observation, Assessment and Professional Reflection
Learning to notice learning, assess progress and adapt teaching with confidence and insight.
Professional Identity and Collaboration
Growing as a reflective, ethical and adaptive practitioner who works confidently with families, colleagues and multi agency partners.
Master’s-Level Thinking
Developing advanced academic skills, critical reflection and research informed practice through 60 Masters level credit
Course Support
You’ll benefit from personalised support from experienced tutors, school-based mentors and an Academic Advisor. Additional support includes access to the Skills Centre, the student support triangle for personal, academic and career development, and career support for up to five years after qualification.
Be the teacher who inspires: teacher training at Sheffield Hallam
Study at the Sheffield Institute of Education—a national centre of excellence and one of the UK’s largest providers of teacher training.
Applied learning
Placements
Whilst undertaking school-based training, you will use a range of approaches to apply theory to practice. These include observation, collaborative planning, team and solo teaching.
Your course has been designed to provide you with a minimum of 120 days of teaching experience in at least two contrasting schools. In addition, you will undertake 20 days of Intensive Training and Practice experience. The ITaP weeks will enable you to explore an aspect of practice in greater detail to develop your understanding of teaching and learning.
You will undertake training in two placements, one in early years and one in key stage 1.
- Placement 1: Mid-September to December.
- Placement 2: January to June.
In each school you will work with a trained and dedicated mentor to support your professional development.
Sheffield Hallam work in partnership with over 100 placement schools across the region, chosen for their quality and excellence in supporting Initial Teacher Education. Many of these placements are within 10 miles of the university, but sometimes they can cover a wider area, especially outside of cities. The university will take your journey time into consideration along with your mode of transport when looking at placements. You will be provided with school placements within a reasonable commuting distance.
The personal circumstances of trainees with child care and caring responsibilities will be considered when placements are allocated.
Networking
As part of the primary course, you will access specialist expertise through phase specialists and be encouraged to engage with the wider educational community including professional organisations, such as the Chartered College of Teaching. These opportunities will help you establish professional networks, deepen your expertise and build relationships that support your development and successful transition into a career as an Early Career Teacher.
Your course leader
Sarah Gordon
Senior Lecturer in Primary Education and Early Years, Course leader PGCE in Early Years / Primary EducationLecturer at Sheffield Hallam University
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of what it means to be an effective teacher. As part of this, it explores dialogic teaching, inclusive pedagogies and adaptive teaching approaches that are relevant to the age range for which you are being prepared to teach.
In lectures and seminars you will engage with the underpinning research and theory that informs effective pedagogical approaches including the effective use of communication to scaffold learning. You will develop your understanding by observing, exploring and critically reflecting on how theory and research is applied in practice in your placement settings.
You’ll study topics such as:
• Recognition of prior knowledge
• Age and phase specific pedagogy and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)
• Decolonising the curriculum
• Modelling, scaffolding, explanations, metaphors and analogies.
• Dialogic teaching
• Learning sequences, lesson design and curriculum thinking relevant to training phase.
• Inclusive practice and adaptive teaching approaches in the training phase.
The aim of this module is to meet the mandatory professional Teacher Standards associated with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). From September 2012 the Teachers' Standards for use in schools in England have defined the minimum level expected of you from the point of being awarded QTS.
This module will enable you to meet the Teacher Standards and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status. They will do this as a result of developing the appropriate subject knowledge, skills and attitudes identified in statutory requirements and non-statutory guidance.
You’ll study topics such as:
• Personal and professional conduct
• Statutory requirements and non-statutory guidance
• Expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
• Planning, teaching, assessment strategies and techniques
• Subject, phase and curriculum knowledge including phonics, early reading and mathematics
• Adaptive teaching, inclusion and progression
• Behaviour management
• Trauma informed practice
• Effective working relationships with TAs
• Engaging with parents and carers
• Meeting the needs of a diverse range of learners
• Working with colleagues, parents and other adults
This module enables you to reflect upon your professional learning throughout the course and prepare for your progression into a professional role.
On this module you will be supported to synthesise your professional learning and to understand the distinctiveness of teaching in your specific age-phase and area of specialist interest.
You will demonstrate an awareness of the specific needs of your learners and interrogate pedagogical approaches in relation to your specialist subject. You will critically engage with underpinning research and theory and will collaborate with colleagues in school to inform your development within your specialist area of interest in order to improve the outcomes of all learners.
You will secure learning and critically engage with underpinning research and theory in order to investigate a focus area to support a critical evaluation of your practice related to a specialist area of interest.
You’ll study topics such as:
• Understanding the educational context of learners
• Assessing and evaluation pupil progress
• Collaborative and reflective models
• Place and value of continual professional development
• Inclusion and adaptive teaching
• Workload and well-being
Future careers
The majority of Sheffield Hallam trainees graduate as qualified teachers gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and receiving the academic award of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
‘Trainees and early career teachers from Sheffield Hallam University are valued highly by local employers. School leaders commend the considerable insight trainees bring that enriches the settings in which they teach’ (Ofsted, 2024)
You’ll also gain a number of transferable skills for alternative progression or career routes, including:
- Wider educational work or research across the sector
- Academic careers as a researcher via Masters-level study and PhD
- More general graduate careers
Equipment and facilities
The University-based sessions will be mainly based at City Campus and may include use of specialist provision such as sports facilities, specialised rooms, such as the early years room, science and maths rooms, and a primary and early years library where appropriate.
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Explore the libraryEntry requirements
All students
Normally you need:
• GCSE grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and mathematics and science, or equivalent. Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English literature only, we will look for further evidence of a breadth of achievement in English.
• A 2.2 degree or above.
• Complete a declaration of criminal convictions and health check forms.
Candidates who are successful will demonstrate a sound understanding of teaching and how children learn, where possible within a school setting. We encourage all candidates to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings. Demonstrating an ability to make links between experience and knowledge, and their proposed career would be desirable.
If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.
If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements.
We welcome applications from people seeking a career change into primary teaching. We actively encourage applications from those groups under-represented in teacher education to ensure the teaching profession represents the diverse nature of present-day UK society.
Selection event
If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.
See our selection event guidance for this course.
If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements.
We welcome applications from people seeking a career change into primary teaching. We actively encourage applications from those groups under-represented in teacher education to ensure the teaching profession represents the diverse nature of present-day UK society.
Non-academic entry requirements
Before enrolling you must complete all the professional requirements that are mandatory as part of entry for the course:
Occupational Health Screening
Satisfactory medical clearance, by completion of a health screening assessment, will be a condition of your offer and you cannot enrol on your course without it. This occupational health screening will be provided by the University free of charge and ensures that you meet the medical fitness to train in your profession as per professional and regulatory body requirements and the Higher Education Occupational Practitioners (HEOPs) standards.
As part of this assessment, you are expected to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate information to ensure a safe environment for yourself and patients/service users.
If there is any change to your health during your course, you must notify the University immediately so that we that we can undertake an assessment/reassessment to ensure you continue to meet the medical fitness to train in your profession.
Self-Declaration
Completion of a Sheffield Hallam University Suitability Self-Declaration form will be a condition of your offer and you cannot enrol without completing it. You must fully declare the following information:
- Any unfiltered criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. This includes convictions considered as ‘spent’ as an Enhanced DBS Criminal record check (required for this course) should show these. For further information on unfiltered offences and Disclosing your criminal record please see the Disclosure and Barring Service website and refer to information on Unlock
- Involvement in disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or education establishments.
- Involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations.
- If you have ever been removed from a teacher training programme as a result of your behaviour or would have been removed if you had not left the programme.
- Disqualification from working with children under the Childcare Act 2006
- Any online presence/ information that is publicly available and could bring the reputation of the profession into disrepute (including and not exclusive to social media)
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS)
Completion of an Enhanced DBS criminal record application will be a condition of your offer. This is a legal requirement for anyone involved in contact with children or vulnerable adults engaging in regulated activity. This check will be provided by the university free of charge. You will need to present valid identity documents as part of the application process. Please refer to the ID checking guidelines for further information.
Positive Disclosures will be reviewed by the Fitness to Practise Operational Group in conjunction with your Self-Declaration form.
You must inform the University immediately of any changes to your criminal record after your DBS certificate is issued so that we can consider the change and confirm whether you remain suitable to continue your application/studies.
Prohibited List
All applicants that have accepted an offer will also be checked against the prohibited list to ensure that they have not prevented from carrying out work in schools or other school settings. Further information can be found on the following PDF document The prohibition of teachers guidance.
Overseas criminal record check
Applicants who have been resident outside of the UK for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years, while aged 18 or over must provide an overseas criminal record check. Further information on obtaining an overseas criminal record check.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students studying full-time in 2027/28 is £10,050 for the course. These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2027/28 is £19,530 for the course.
Scholarships and bursaries
If you are starting a PGCE you may be entitled to financial support.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Education (PDF, 252.3KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
