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PGCE Primary Education with QTS (Teacher Apprenticeship)

Gain hands-on experience while earning a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). This course develops essential teaching skills, including research, planning, communication, and teamwork, while also preparing you for professional recognition and success in the classroom.

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A teacher standing at the front of a classroom
Course codeCID1352
Duration1 year

Course summary

The PGCE Primary Education with QTS (Teacher Apprenticeship) combines hands-on teaching experience with academic study, helping you understand the theory behind how children learn. It's ideal if you're working in, or planning to work in, primary education. As a teacher apprentice, you can be employed in a range of settings, including academy and maintained schools.

Throughout the apprenticeship, you'll build your professional teaching knowledge and develop key skills in planning, designing, and delivering lessons, including adaptive teaching to meet the needs of all students. You’ll also become a reflective practitioner, someone who thinks carefully about their teaching and how to keep improving it.

You’ll be supported by our team of experienced academics who'll guide you through key teaching and learning theories and show you how to apply them in your own classroom practice. You’ll also explore how to design and assess learning effectively, and gain confidence in your understanding of teaching and learning principles across the Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 (ages 3-11).

You'll gain valuable on-the-job experience alongside achieving a PGCE qualification, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and 60 master's level credits which can be used to accredit prior learning (APL) to a full master's course.

We also offer an undergraduate teaching route – the BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS (Teacher Degree Apprenticeship).

Why Sunderland for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

Maria Anthi

Everything I’m learning on the course, I’m putting into practice, helping me to improve my teaching style and support children’s learning.

Maria Anthi

Read Maria Anthi's story

What you'll study

Level 6 modules

Level 7 modules

How you'll learn

As well as your on-the-job apprenticeship training, you'll attend university-taught sessions (on-campus and online). This is usually one day a week in blocks during non-assessed weeks, coupled with self-directed study.

This apprenticeship is delivered using a blended learning approach incorporating lectures, workshops, e-learning, research, and directed study. Your teaching practice is school-based and conducted in the school setting that you currently work in, and one other school setting. Meetings with your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) and school mentor will help support you and review your progress.

Assessment methods include written assignments, case studies, presentations, e-portfolios of practical evidence, and formally observed teaching observations in the workplace.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher apprenticeships. For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.

For a discussion around your specific requirements please call 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

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UK students

  • Apprenticeship September 2026

    Application deadline is 5 June 2026

To apply for a higher or degree apprenticeship, you must have an employer in place to support you on the course. If you're interested in applying and have an employer in place, please email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab) and we'll send you the relevant application link.

To search for apprenticeships offered by employers in your area go to: gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship(opens in new tab).

For a discussion around your specific requirements, or if you're an employer interested in creating a vacancy, please call us on 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.