BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS course preparation

The English Team would like you to start to become familiar with some good quality award-winning children’s authors, particularly those authors writing stories, poetry and non-fiction for children in key stage 2. We hope that once you start reading you will find it difficult to stop!

Please read the following children’s book: Onjali Q Raúf 2018 The Boy at the Back of the Class Hachette Children’s Group.

Begin to explore quality children’s literature – stories or poetry collections written for children in upper key stage 2. Try to read texts that are new to you and were published in the last 5 years.

Keep a record of all the texts you have read and think how you might really explore these with children. You could perhaps buy a notebook and start a reading journal and record your reactions to what you are reading. How do you feel about the main characters? What would you like to ask the author?

You will have the opportunity to share your ‘finds’ with your tutors and peers in your English sessions.

Visit the following websites to get started:

• Books for Topics
• United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) Book Award winners
• Carnegie Medal current shortlist and previous winners
• The British Library Discovering Children’s Books

We would strongly recommend UK Literacy Association as a thorough introduction to your Primary English studies. It was the winner of the UKLA winner of the UKLA Academic Book Award in 2019 and is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of English.

• BEARNE, E. and REEDY, D.  2017 Teaching Primary English: Subject Knowledge and Classroom Practice. London: Routledge

Familiarise yourself with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM). This is a free website resource with excellent support materials to support you in developing your subject knowledge for mathematics.

Take a look at the Mastery Assessment materials for year 6 pupils and consider whether you would be able to answer the questions yourself.

Highlight 3 target areas to work on and bring evidence of working on these to your first session.

At the very beginning of your studies you will be asked to take a maths challenge online to confirm that you have the fundamental maths skills required to pass this course. More details of how to register and take this challenge will be provided when you are fully enrolled.

• Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers, by D. Haylock. 2018 6th ed. London, Sage Publications

The science qualifications that you have achieved in order to be accepted onto this programme include biology, physics and chemistry. It would be helpful if you could review your understanding in these areas.  This will enable you to get the very best out of your science sessions when you start your degree.  You may find this link useful.

You should familiarise yourself with the science national curriculum.

• PEACOCK, G., SHARP, J., JOHNSEY, R. & WRIGHT, D., 2017. Achieving QTS Primary Science Knowledge and Understanding. 8th Edition. London: Learning Matters.
• SHARP, J., PEACOCK, G. A., JOHNSEY, R. SIMON, S., CROSS, A. & WRIGHT, D., 2017. Achieving QTS: Primary Science Teaching Theory and Practice. 8th Edition. London: Learning Matters.

*Please note: you can save money by buying earlier versions.

As part of your programme you will work with expert tutors for each of the foundation subjects which include computing, music, art, geography, history, RE, PE and languages. These sessions will aim to develop your subject knowledge, with reference to the appropriate National Curriculum programme of study, and your confidence to teach each subject. The sessions will be practical and will allow you the opportunity to learn about the value and practices of the subjects in the real world, about good teaching, and ideas that you can use on professional practice.

In preparation, think back to your own learning experiences of these subjects in school. Reflect on what impact these school experiences had on your view of these subjects? Consider what broad curriculum learning opportunities you would like to provide for your pupils, in the future?

You can also explore the Teach Computing website and investigate Computing pedagogy.

• WEBSTER, M. & MISRA, S., 2015 Teaching the Foundation Subjects in the Primary Classroom. Berkshire:Open University Press.