Education - Early Years

Overview
A one-year full time postgraduate course, the PGCE (Early Years) is aimed at those who wish to prepare for a teaching career specialising in the 3-8 age range.

The course is of thirty-six weeks duration, beginning in early September and lasting until late June. Half of the course is based in the University College and the other half in schools. Both aspects of the course have been designed to complement each other and to contribute to the development of professional competence.

HOW WILL I STUDY?
In addition to seminars, tutorials, workshops and individual/group work, at least eighteen weeks are spent obtaining practical teaching experience. At the outset of the course, students will spend a short period of time in SureStart centres with 2-3 year old children. The initial assessed placement is spent in a nursery setting towards the end of October, lasting for a period of five weeks. An additional five weeks in January/February is spent in a Foundation Stage classroom (i.e. Year 1 or 2 in a primary school) and a further 6 weeks spent in a Key Stage 1 classroom (i.e. Year 3 or 4 of a primary school) in April/May. Students will then get the opportunity to spend two weeks in an additional alternative educational setting of their choice in Northern Ireland. A small number of students will also get the chance to undertake their final two week placement in a European setting. Students will spend every Monday in schools for observation purposes.

The course consists of 4 modules:
- Implementing a Play-based Curriculum
- Teaching the Key Stage 1 Primary Curriculum
- Professional Experience 1
- Professional Experience 2

With the increased value on playful approaches to teaching and learning, both at pre-school and foundation stage levels, this aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how a play-based curriculum can be effectively translated into practice. Students will critically examine relevant theory and research in this field and the appropriate role of the teacher will be discussed and debated. Much emphasis will be placed on preparing students to offer children a developmentally appropriate curriculum which builds on children’s needs and interests and allows playful approaches to be infused across the entire early learning experience.

The course also aims to enhance students’ understanding of the integrated nature of children’s learning. It focuses on how the six key areas of learning at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 can be taught, principally through the use of themes. Practical guidance of how this can be done effectively will be provided. The content of the Northern Ireland Curriculum for Key Stage 1 will be fully explored and examined and the transition from play-based to more formal activities will be addressed.

- a minimum 2:1 in an Early Years related degree, or a 2:1 degree in another subject area and successful completion of an MA in Early Childhood Studies.

- minimum grade C in GCSE English, Mathematics and Science. (Must be achieved at time of application).

- structured work experience with children up to the age of 8

If your degree subject is not related to Early Years, then it may be possible to consider you for entry on the basis that you complete additional post graduate study in the area of Early Years, such as successful completion of an MA in Early Childhood Studies.

The College delivers a wide range of Early Years related Post Graduate courses and you can contact masters@stran.ac.uk for further information.

Applicants who are deemed to have met these requirements will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews will take place in the Spring of 2024.

Please be aware that the number of applicants greatly exceeds the number of places available on this course. This course is capped at just 15 spaces and ,therefore, entry to this course is extremely competitive.

HOW TO APPLY
Applications for September 2024 will open in December 2023. Application forms will be sent out from the middle of December. Be sure to check your spam folder, as sometimes the application form goes directly to the spam folder. The closing date for applications for September 2024 entry is the 1st of February 2024.

How will I be assessed?
The course is assessed wholly by course work and continuous assessment, including the assessment of practical teaching.

1 year (full-time). The course is approximately 36 weeks in duration, beginning in early September and lasting until late June of the following year.

Entry Year 2024/2025.