BA Single Honours Studies in Primary Education (full-time)

This module provides you with an introduction to the English, Mathematics and Science programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Key aspects of subject knowledge within the three subject areas will be addressed and these will be used as a vehicle to explore effective principles and methods of supporting teaching and learning within the primary classroom. Key pedagogical approaches to the teaching of the three core subjects will be explored and you will consider in detail the role of school staff in supporting teaching and learning effectively as well as the core subjects can support teaching and learning of the foundation subjects. You will be given the opportunity to plan and teach activities that facilitate learning in English, Mathematics and Science and begin to develop strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and learning they observe and are also involved in. You will also consider some of the ways in which teaching strategies may be matched to specific learner needs. You will consider the role of resources in supporting learning and teaching and will be given the opportunity to plan and teach activities that facilitate learning in English, Mathematics and Science and begin to develop strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and learning they observe and are also involved in.

This module provides you with an introduction to the English, Mathematics and Science programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Key aspects of subject knowledge within the three subject areas will be addressed and these will be used as a vehicle to explore effective principles and methods of supporting teaching and learning within the primary classroom. Key pedagogical approaches to the teaching of the three core subjects will be explored and you will consider in detail the role of school staff in supporting teaching and learning effectively as well as the core subjects can support teaching and learning of the foundation subjects. You will be given the opportunity to plan and teach activities that facilitate learning in English, Mathematics and Science and begin to develop strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and learning they observe and are also involved in. You will also consider some of the ways in which teaching strategies may be matched to specific learner needs. You will consider the role of resources in supporting learning and teaching and will be given the opportunity to plan and teach activities that facilitate learning in English, Mathematics and Science and begin to develop strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and learning they observe and are also involved in.

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of child development. The module will focus on children’s physical, cognitive, communication and emotional development including the individual factors that can influence how a child grows and the impact for those in education, such as health, environment and relationships. We will consider different theories of learning including Piaget, Bruner, Skinner, Vygotsky and Maslow as well as the work of Montessori and Froebel. You will consider the importance of interpersonal relationships in the context of the learner and the impact of effective partnership between home and school.

This module will introduce you to a range of issues surrounding the inclusion of so-called ‘vulnerable’ groups in the UK education system. Wider considerations of inclusive policy and practice will also be explored, including possible reasons for high exclusion rates, and low achievement for certain groups. Wider psychological perspectives and theories will be explored including the social and medical model disability, different approaches to behaviour, trauma-informed practice and how a whole school approach to supporting mental well-being can be developed. National policy and guidelines in this area, in relation to primary education, will be explored as well as key debates relating the support of children with SEND.

This module builds on what we have learned in the Child Development module earlier in the year. We explore the range of factors that impact on the life journeys and outcomes of individuals and groups during their early years and primary education, with a focus on factors such as the family, identity, class and society. Theories including those of Bronfenbrenner and Bourdieu are considered when understanding the role of the education in children’s lives and we examine national and local approaches to supporting individuals and groups to achieve their full potential.

The purpose of this module is to inspire you to embark on a professional career in education and provide you with the knowledge and skills required to progress on to a teacher education programme. In particular, it offers you the opportunity to develop an appreciation of the personal and professional values and attributes underpinning the profession, as well as to understand teachers’ professional roles and responsibilities. This module will support you to begin to develop professional knowledge and understanding across the compulsory school age ranges, in a variety of learning settings. This module enables vocational learning and progression in Higher Education providing opportunities for you to develop confidence and belief in your potential, together with an increased awareness of the professional career options open to you. You will have the opportunity to further develop your study skills through reflective writing. This module is designed specifically to promote highly skilled, graduate-level employability by supporting aspirant student teachers to progress onto a PGCE. It provides valuable, practical insights into the application processes for the various professional routes into the teaching profession.

This module is designed to introduce you to the purpose of education. It gets you to think philosophically about what is education for? Is it fair? And who benefits? Throughout the module we explore different ways education has been conceptualised and what possibilities exist for changing the system to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We explore the differences between traditional and progressive approaches to education from Platonic ideals which prioritised play and love to progressive education focused on the central role of the student to neoliberal system focused on attainment, OFSTED and league tables. This is a lively module which encourages you to debate and critically analyse theories around knowledge, learning, motivation, curriculum and schooling.

Children, parents and educators have the right to good quality care and education which is free from any form of overt and covert, individual and structural discrimination on the grounds of their protected characteristics (Equality Act, 2010) multilingual skills. This module recognises the importance of Early Years education in building a strong foundation that fosters positive awareness of diversity which can then be built on throughout the rest of the education system. A range of key policy and legislation will be drawn on whilst exploring critical theoretical perspectives around children’s rights (UNCRC) and to challenge dominate thinking of key principles such as dignity, fairness, equality, respect, power and autonomy drawing upon critical theory, feminism, critical race theory, queer theory, intersectionality. This module will further examine the tools and strategies that support the inclusion and care of children within practice and society who have a wide range of disabilities or further needs. This will be explored through the context of research, policy and legislation. Implications for the Early Years Practitioner working with children, families and multi-agency teams will be critically examined.

This year-long module offers learners the opportunity to apply and explore knowledge within a work-based context, through the mode of workplace learning. The subject specific tutor will negotiate the focus for the learner’s role , with the learner. Students have the opportunity to complete at least 50 hours in an educational work work setting. The learner will reflect critically on different dimensions of the workplace setting and their own employability and relate these to theoretical issues already encountered on their degree course giving them the opportunity to contextualise their learning. Through both module options, students will consider the graduate opportunities associated with their degrees to develop a better understanding of roles when they are asked to report their employment status through the Graduate Outcomes Survey.

This module considers the increasing role that digital media is playing in young people’s lives, and the implications of this for their development, education and well-being. Drawing on research, policy and contemporary thinking, students will explore the various ways in which young people’s digital behaviour can be understood (including both empowerment and protectionist discourses), as well as young people’s uses of and attitudes to technology. The module also considers e-safety issues and conditions for promoting digital literacy.

This level 5 module considers the relationship between creativity and education in current educational practice. Drawing on contemporary thinking, theory, research, and inspection evidence, you will explore the different ways in which creativity has been defined and conceptualised. We will explore through discussion and practical sessions, creative approaches to the curriculum and how to promote creativity when working with children.

This module will focus specifically on children and young people and seeks to raise your awareness of a range of social, emotional and psychological factors that affect their learning and development. Through the use of research it will draw upon different perspectives to develop understanding of key and contested concepts in education, such as multiple intelligences, learning theories, cognition, labelling, self-fulfilling prophesy and the hidden curriculum. You will be encouraged to explore and critically reflect upon how these ideas can influence children’s and young people’s educational experiences.

This module will enable students to explore research in education in the context of social, political economic and historical influences. The module begins with an exploration of current and past research in education to help students understand the difference between different methodological approaches and their broad philosophical and ideological standpoints, and where social science research is now positioned. Students will also be introduced to the knowledge and understanding necessary for the design of a presentation of a research plan, demonstrating awareness of differing approaches to methodology, the importance of literature review, research planning and research governance including ethical processes. Students will be introduced to a range of research methods including understanding of data and information collection techniques of observation, interviews, focus groups, survey design and use of secondary data.

Building upon students’ developing knowledge base and educational interests, this module undertakes discussion around some of the dominant ideologies and philosophies that have shaped educational discourses within Western educational systems and the developing global context. It is designed to provide students with an understanding of education in terms of its relationship to broad socio-historic and political contexts, enabling in turn an informed evaluation of competing interests in educational practice, policy and provision. To this end it considers a variety of educational possibilities that exist both within and outside of mainstream educational provision.

In this module we invite students to select a topic of personal interest to be explored through field research or a desk-based study (depending on route) and reported in a written study of 10,000 words. The Research Project is designed to enable students to investigate educational phenomena that hold particular interest for in them and actively encourages the exercise of originality and personal autonomy. It requires students to identify and apply an appropriate research design, addressing ethical principles, and employing systematic research procedures. Students will present and analyse their findings with critical reflection on their research question, methodology, management and organisation and analyse limitations of their study. They will identify the implications for policy and practice, where appropriate. The module aims to draw and build upon students’ previous knowledge and experience at certificate and intermediate level study.

In this module we invite students to select a topic of personal interest to be explored through field research or a desk-based study (depending on route) and reported in a written study of 10,000 words. The Research Project is designed to enable students to investigate educational phenomena that hold particular interest for in them and actively encourages the exercise of originality and personal autonomy. It requires students to identify and apply an appropriate research design, addressing ethical principles, and employing systematic research procedures. Students will present and analyse their findings with critical reflection on their research question, methodology, management and organisation and analyse limitations of their study. They will identify the implications for policy and practice, where appropriate. The module aims to draw and build upon students’ previous knowledge and experience at certificate and intermediate level study.

This module builds on previous modules such as PSU405 and PSU406 and provides further opportunities to explore and critically evaluate social, moral and well-being issues in a primary classroom. You will deepen your knowledge of the whole child in the primary classroom and critically analyse the roles of professionals involved in supporting children in primary schools and their families. You will gain a critical understanding of the factors that can affect pupils’ participation and learning and can lead to underachievement. You will explore and critically evaluate support strategies and interventions designed to improve outcomes for primary children and their families.

This module focuses specifically on the multicultural multi-ethnic nature of the world and the fundamental impacts this has on early education in both contemporary and historical contexts. We explore central issues of diversity and the ways in which this concept exists in tension with neoliberal influences that promote conformity and encourage capitalism and inequalities. We unpick this by considering key concepts including colonialism and post-colonialism, otherness, race and racism, patriarchy and gender inequalities, and the datafication of the human subject. The module offers an integrated exploration of global historical contexts to consider how these relate to current worldwide controversies and challenges in educational policy and practice. Active student participation is central to this module with teaching being based around close discussion of material and experience. Midway through the module you will undertake an ethnographic walk to critically explore a chosen area of the environment, the results of which are presented in the module to deepen understanding of sites of contest and the ways in which history and ideology are reflected in our everyday urban.

The thematic and analytical focus of this module is the impact of digital media and new information and communication technologies upon culture, notions of identity and education and learning. You will be introduced to the perspective that the spread of technologies is the source of some profound cultural changes that have huge implications for both socialisation and educational processes. You will also be introduced to some of the ways in which educational outcomes for the 21st century can be facilitated by the incorporation and creative exploitation of the new technologies. You will be expected to demonstrate that you can use the new technologies in your own creative educative production that critiques the impact of technologies on education.