Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status

Outstanding at teaching the teachers, our 'Outstanding' Ofsted rating speaks for itself.

Primary Education at Derby 

Our course enjoys a strong reputation locally, nationally and internationally. We are supported by a large partnership of quality-assured primary, infant, junior, middle and special schools. 

Graduating with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) means you’ll be able to go straight into your first teaching position. 

Developing your skills

We develop outstanding teachers who are resilient, critical, and reflective classroom practitioners. You will develop the confidence to challenge policy, practice and ways of teaching. You'll be equipped with advanced teaching and academic skills to make your own practice transformative. You'll learn to be inclusive and sensitive to the needs of children to ensure good outcomes for all. 

And you'll learn in a dynamic and lively, inspirational and innovative environment with students of all ages and backgrounds.

You may also be interested in our four-year Integrated Masters in Education (MEdu) (in curriculum enhancement) with Qualified Teacher Status.

Explore Teacher Training courses at Derby with alumnus Baasit Siddiqui

Join TV personality, Educator and Alumnus Baasit Siddiqui for an in-depth look at the Teacher Training courses we offer. Baasit is joined by Charlotte Mosey, Assistant Head of Discipline for the Primary Initial Teacher Training and Education team, to gain an insight into our recent Ofsted rating of 'Outstanding', the experience of the teaching teams, their current research projects and the relationships they have with schools for student placements. Baasit also catches up with Lucy, (MEdu) Education with Qualified Teacher Status Integrated Masters student, about her placement experiences and choice of subject specialism as well as current Teacher Training students Will, Nathanial and Sophie about their experiences on their course so far. 

Your placements

You’ll undertake a placement in a different school at each stage of the course. Throughout your placements you’ll receive ongoing mentor support from experienced teachers.

You’ll build your skills working with children in different year groups so that you can understand the whole primary phase.

Tailored to your interests

You’ll have the chance to personalise your degree to reflect your professional interests and career ambitions. As the course progresses, and you make more informed choices about the kind of teacher you want to become, you can select curriculum enhancement pathways.

FAQs

If you have any questions, please see our FAQs page or feel free to get in touch.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

You’ll learn through lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials. You'll be taught by influential researchers and published authors whose work is helping to shape the future of the teaching profession. And you’ll also hear from thought-provoking guest speakers, and creative partners in our primary education facilities.  

You will have school-based as well as university-based training - as stipulated by the Teacher Regulation Agency.  You’ll also have the opportunity to broaden your experiences through museum visits, overseas school trips, and visits to special educational needs settings, early years and Key Stage 3 settings. 

Social justice lies at the heart of our course and you will be encouraged to give something back to the local community. You’ll take part in community projects working with children and staff in settings such as schools, our chosen charities, museums and galleries. 

Placement schedule 

During the course, you'll spend approximately 24 weeks on placement in a number of different schools. This will include a mixture of placements from EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) through to the end of Key Stage 2. During this time, you will be supported by mentors and subject specialists.

How you're assessed

There are no exams. You’ll be assessed through essays, personal reflections, presentations, posters, reports, tests, and audits. There is an assessed school placement every year.

Our newly qualified teachers are highly regarded within the education sector and our employability statistics speak for themselves - 95% in work or doing further study 15 months after the course (Graduate Outcomes survey). Many of our graduates go on to secure jobs at schools where they undertook their placements.

When you graduate, you could choose to continue studying with us by taking our MA Education course, which will help you to explore the wider impact of education and increase your confidence as a practitioner. The MA Education is especially valuable if you have set your sights on more senior roles such as head teacher or deputy head teacher. 

As a newly qualified teacher, you can also benefit from the University’s continuing support as you take your career forward. We offer a range of resources, subject updates, events, conferences and development opportunities to ease your transition into professional practice.

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

• A reference is required in support of your application. If applying via UCAS then this must be submitted from a professional email address. This can be from a school/College or previous employer. If applicants are applying directly then this must be supplied as a PDF on official letterhead and must be signed and dated.
• All qualifications will need to be certified from the awarding boards. Copies can be accepted but all relevant qualifications will need to verified in person either at interview or at enrolment or a set date that will be confirmed once enrolment has been completed.
• Photographic ID is also required and must be verified in person either at interview or enrolment. We can accept Passports/Driving License/Provisional Driving License.
• A personal statement is mandatory for these courses and must indicate why you wish to study the course in detail and must be specific to education.

Additional entry requirements

• Interview: Yes view interview details
• An Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service certificate cleared by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this once you have applied
• A Prohibition List check will automatically be carried out after Firm acceptance of an offer has been received
• An Occupational Health Assessment and Clearance by the University is required for this course. We will contact you with information on how to complete this when required

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Learn more about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Derby