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PGCE - General Primary with QTS (5-11 years) - Mathematics specialism

Looking for a career where you can nurture children from the very start of their academic life? With a PGCE General Primary with Mathematics pathway, you can equip children from 5-11 years with the essential maths skills needed in everyday life. This is a highly desirable pathway to choose as alongside our acclaimed General Primary pathway, this gives you a subject area as part of your qualification which will add to your employability profile with schools.

Our well respected PGCE General Primary with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) supports you through your journey from student to Early Career Teacher. The PGCE is an internationally renowned academic qualification, which, studied alongside the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) gives you the very best of evidence-based and informed practice. Our approach therefore provides you with the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to navigate the complex and exciting demands of the primary classroom.

It also means you can take up a position as a qualified primary school teacher the minute you graduate.

*The University of Warwick provides accreditation for the QTS element of this University of Cumbria programme.†

† Accreditation may revert to the University of Cumbria for students commencing programme from September 2025 onwards.

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Accredited by:

OFSTED Rated 'Good' 2023:

Department for Education

General Primary with QTS (5-11 years) - Mathematics specialism cover image

Course Overview

Grounded in the learning of our acclaimed PGCE General Primary, this Mathematics pathway allows you to hone your pedagogy to lead and teach Maths in a primary school setting. This unique course pathway gives you the opportunity to raise children's achievements in maths and support them to get the best out of their learning.

You’ll learn through a blend of theory and hands-on experience, working within the National Curriculum framework. You'll explore the concepts and key themes of Mathematics alongside general primary pedagogy, confidently devising and delivering engaging lessons to children aged 5-11 years old.

Over half the course will be spent working with children on assessed placement, with school-based enrichment activities alongside your university-based study. You'll take three placements across a variety of schools and settings, building a wealth of experience to help advance your future career.

On this course you will...

Develop your personal interest in maths through a specialist pathway.
Benefit from high-quality support from our academics and staff on a programme designed around you.
Learn from an experienced, highly qualified programme team, working at the forefront of the academic field.
Enjoy the intimate feel of our course delivery, with small class sizes and your own personal tutor.
Utilise cutting edge research on a newly revalidated and up-to-date course.

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Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
EU / EEA / International
Course LocationLancaster
Institute Institute of Education, Arts and Society
DFE Code2PMW
Delivery StyleIn-person
Course DurationFull-time: 1 Year
Course Start PointSeptember
AwardPGCE
More informationProgramme Specification
Prospectus
Open DaysLancaster
All

Minimum entry requirements

First degree, or equivalent with a minimum of 2:2

Honours degree

Tuition fees

£9,535

UK | Per year

£14,900

International | Per year

Tuition Fees Policy

Course Structure

What you will learn

The programme is intentionally designed to scaffold your learning journey in a progressive way from your first day to course completion. This is done through a combination of relevant, detailed and comprehensive contributory modules complemented by qualificatory modules that support the development of effective classroom practice. All modules have been developed to enable you to make strong, meaningful and effective connections between theory, research and practice.

Modules

You gain the academic PGCE qualification via successful completion of three masters’ level modules:

Beginning Professional Understanding
Developing Professional Enquiry
Extending Professional Learning

These thought-provoking modules are designed to provide you with an evidence-based foundation to support your development as a teacher. Drawing upon a range of recent, relevant and cutting-edge research, these modules support your understanding of professional decisions teachers make and therefore support you in becoming an excellent teacher.

To support your professional learning, you will engage with modules designed to help develop your professional practice. These will cover subject and pedagogical knowledge of all primary curriculum areas as well as key professional skills and attributes such as planning, behaviour management and adaptive teaching. You will have the chance to work with subject experts.

Year one

Another way in which the programme supports your understanding of the interplay between theory and practice is through the use of ITAPs (Intensive Training and Practice). These expertly designed and focused units of work, support you in knowledge, analysis, enactment, preparation and reflection in key pedagogic areas. The focus of our ITAPs have been chosen and placed strategically into the programme at key points to best develop your learning. The ITAPs focus on ‘Managing Behaviour’, ‘Assessment for Learning’, ‘Adaptive Teaching’, and ‘Structuring Learning and Curriculum Design’.

The ITAPs will involve a range of learning opportunities, including working with selected schools and expert teachers to contextualise your university-based learning and provide you with opportunities to enact the approaches explored.

Being a Teacher
Cumbria Teacher of Reading
Curriculum and Pathway development
Curriculum
Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP)
Understanding Learning

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

£9,535 - UK
£14,900 - International

2024-2025:

£9,250 - UK
£13,575 - International

PGCE Alumni Scholarship

Scholarship fund worth up to £2,000

We're offering a PGCE Alumni Scholarship worth up to £2,000 to alumni of University of Cumbria. Find out more on our Scholarships and Bursaries webpages.

For more information click here.

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

Funding

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. You can find out more about Student Finance specifically for PGCE Students on the PGCE Finance webpages.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000..

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs. For example all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some text books. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees etc. although such features are usually options within the course.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.

Books and Journals

Most core text books are available via the University's library, however students may wish to buy copies of any texts used to support your learning on your course. This could cost between £50 - £100 per year.

Stationery

Students should budget for stationery and consumables for your own personal use. This should include notebooks, pens and pencils for taking notes in class and/or in the field. Students should also budget for the purchase of USB pen drives, as well as occasional printing and photocopying costs incurred in the preparation or submission of coursework. Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these items.

Clothing and Equipment

Students may wish to have their own computer or laptop for undertaking their assignments. This is not however a requirement for access to the programme as the University does make such facilities available across all of its main sites and learning gateway buildings. Should students wish to purchase a computer then an entry-level laptop would suffice, £300 - 400. Placement will require sensible, professional clothing and footwear as appropriate to the setting.

Field Trips

Students will need to fund their own transport to their placement. There is the possibility that a university arranged placement will require travelling time, and any expenses incurred are to be met by the student. Therefore, the student should budget for these travel costs.

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Location
Lancaster Campus
Lancaster is the Red Rose heartland, a student haven full of history and culture. With iconic stone architecture, parkland, and a caring community, this is the place to get involved. The campus houses top-quality facilities tailored to the needs of life-savers, world changers, and future leaders.
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PGCE - General Primary with QTS (5-11 years) - Mathematics specialism