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Pendleton Scholarship
£3,000 (£1,000 in each academic year) is awarded every year to a student on this course. Students eligible are those returning to study after a break from formal education and who are a full-time UK student. Applications should be submitted in the first year of study.
97% satisfaction for academic support (NSS, 2024, based on the average of Q19-22)
1st in the UK for teacher training (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025)
100% coursework and practice-based assessment
You’re full of ideas and have a passion for teaching. You want to be a positive influence. You want to create a stimulating and inclusive learning environment. Primary school teaching puts you in a unique and powerful position to enrich young lives. We’ll launch you on a journey to become an inspirational teacher. We’ll unlock your potential so you can unlock the potential of the children you teach. You’ll graduate with Qualified Teacher Status, which means you can join a school as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Most of us remember our favourite teacher. Maybe they had a great sense of humour, were kind, patient or had a way of explaining things so that suddenly everything seemed possible. We’ll teach you how to use your strengths, skills, and personality to motivate pupils with different abilities from a diverse range of backgrounds.
*based on an average of questions 1-25 of the NSS survey 2023.
We believe that learning happens best through practical experience, so most of your learning on this primary education degree will be in small seminar groups. This allows you to try out teaching approaches in a secure environment, experiencing learning from the perspective of young children and working collaboratively with your peers. We offer a range of trips to museums, art galleries and Forest Schools highlighting the importance of learning beyond the classroom and how outside environments can increase engagement.
Not only do we showcase a range of innovative teaching styles, but you’ll also immerse yourself in school-based training throughout your degree. You’ll spend a minimum of 120 days working in our partnership schools where you’ll have the opportunity to observe professional teachers. You’ll experience school life in Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2 so you can try different techniques and observe a range of age levels. This is your chance to put theory into practice.
Rated Good in our 2023 Ofsted report it was acknowledged that we “have designed an ambitious curriculum that gives trainees a voice in their training”.
Together we’ll help you build your teacher identity. We’ll give you the skills, knowledge and understanding to teach all subjects in the primary curriculum.
You’ll learn modern teaching techniques to engage young people today. You’ll develop a diverse range of skills such as creating videos, delivering presentations, and designing apps. You’ll be able to try new things, take risks, be brave. We’ll expand your technical knowledge, so your teaching style is relevant and engaging. You’ll enter a rewarding and fulfilling teaching career, feeling confident because you studied at Herts.
Upon completion of this course you will be awarded with Qualified Teacher Status.
Opportunities for BEd graduates are excellent with many obtaining first teaching posts in local schools.
By successfully completing this course, you'll gain Qualified Teacher Status and be ready to start your career as an Early Career Teacher of three to 11-year-olds. Employment opportunities are excellent, with many of our graduates securing first teaching posts in local schools. You also have the opportunity of gaining a higher degree by continuing your studies on our MA Education programme.
Master's student at University of Hertfordshire
Meet Rebecca Shelford who plans to take her love of nature into the classroom.
Rebecca (Becky) has always had a keen interest in working with children so saw it as a natural step to study Primary Education.
When it came to ‘the where’ Becky says, ‘I chose to study at UH because the School of Education was the best out of all the unis that I looked at. The friendly staff and well-stocked library made it the top choice for me.’
Speaking about the course and the opportunities it presented Becky says that it helped her immeasurably, ‘There were so many opportunities for co-curricular achievements, such as a Science Enhancement Award, that helped to build my confidence and competence in the classroom and will definitely help me to stand out when applying for future positions.
'I had such a wide variety of placements – they were all so different! My mentors were lovely, and the classes were great. I think my favourite thing though was the change I felt between my first and last placements. When I was standing in front of the whole class, teaching lessons I had planned myself, feeling confident in a way I couldn’t have imagined during my first placement – that was amazing!'
Like many students, Becky’s favourite memory revolves around completing her course. ‘My favourite memory is of graduation. It was such an emotional day and being in St Albans Cathedral made it so special. It was great to see everyone graduate as qualified teachers after working so hard!’
Becky has some thoughtful and considered advice for anyone looking to follow her path into teaching. 'Go for it! Teaching can be tough, but it’s definitely worth it. If you’re still unsure, spend some time helping out in a school, it will give you an idea if it’s for you.'
Whilst on placement, Becky enjoyed taking classes out into nature and has decided to further her interest in this. She has just completed a Master's in Outdoor Learning in the Lake District, where she undertook research exploring how storytelling can be used to connect children with nature. 'The staff at Herts instilled the importance of literature in children's education and development, so it was fantastic to be able to take this further. I'll be moving to Australia at the end of the year, where I hope to continue working in environmental outdoor education.'
Teacher at Independent school in Hertfordshire
Meet aspiring author Emily, whose brilliant student experience and career successes motivated her to give back to Herts and inspire the next generation of teachers.
Emily had a brilliant student experience which has motivated her to give back and inspire the next generation of teachers. Over the past couple of years, Emily has volunteered to speak to current students about a career in teaching, been involved with mock assessment centers - which provide students with job interview practice, shared her advice, and been featured as an alumni case study!
Emily says, ‘I find giving back to Herts rewarding as Herts helped me so much to develop my professional career. It is great to help current students develop and learn what the working world is like. It is also brilliant that Herts provides the opportunity to volunteer to get involved with days like the assessment centre, I feel lucky to be on this journey together.’
Emily is currently a primary school teacher in an independent school in Hertfordshire.
‘I am a Head of Year and Head of Maths and I have taught all different primary age ranges and tried to gain as much experience as I can. I have also recently completed my NPQML qualification, and I would love to convert this into a Masters to be able to qualify as a university lecturer or teaching mentor, to help other education students along the way with this exciting and rewarding career.
‘I have travelled to many places in the world alongside pursuing my teaching career. I have been lucky enough to go to Australia, Singapore, Dubai, and the Maldives along with other trips along the way. These places have inspired me to understand different ways of life and cultures and I love to see all the sights of somewhere new. My travels have also inspired me to write a fun, high-quality book for children, to be enjoyed at home and in school. Writing a children’s book is something I have always aspired to do and it’s so exciting that it is being published in the British Library.’
Emily studied Primary Education with QTS (qualified teacher status). She says, ‘It was the ideal course as it was delivered over three years and provided me with the QTS to help get into the working world more quickly. The course set me up so well to teach primary education and gave me a mixture of theory and practical experience, with excellent placements. This allowed me to gain a good base knowledge of teaching. Obviously, as you teach, you gain so much knowledge, but Herts helped me to get where I am now.
'My favourite things about the course were being able to go out to different places and also the variety of placements.’
Outside of the classroom, Emily made the most of the sports facilities at Herts. She says, ‘I think my student experience helped make me become a more well-rounded person, not just to achieve academically, but socially too. I enjoyed all the opportunities provided on campus to meet new people and develop skills for life.
‘One of my favourite memories of uni life was being part of the badminton team. I am still friends with former teammates, and I have continued to play competitive badminton. One of the reasons I decided to come to Herts is because of the amazing sports facilities. I was also club chairperson, which gave me new skills and is a great addition to my CV.’
‘Enjoy every minute of university, it goes so quickly! Go out, see friends as much as possible, and don’t ever moan about a 9am lecture!
‘I would also encourage other graduates to stay connected and get involved with volunteering at Herts to help the next generation of alumni and to add skills to your own CV.’
Degree programmes are structured into levels, 4, 5 and 6. These correspond to your first, second and third/final year of study. Below you can see what modules you’ll be studying in each.
There are a minimum of 120 days of assessed school based training spread over the three years of the degree. In each year you are placed in a partnership school under the guidance of a class teacher who has received mentor training from the University. Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP) days will enable you to practise, rehearse and receive granular feedback on pivotal areas of practice in low stakes environments in a structured and supportive way. Over the three stages of training undergraduate trainees will spend 30 days in Intensive Training and Practice.
There is coherence between university-based and School-based training enabling your learning to be based in professional practice. The excellent partnerships with local primary schools enable you to benefit from the range of expertise of local teachers.
In the first year, you’ll develop a genuine interest in a broad range of subjects, including English, Mathematics, Science, RE and PE. You’ll deconstruct how children learn to read and write. You’ll focus on the role of phonics. You’ll explore the link between reading, writing and the spoken word. We’ll teach you arithmetic skills, so you feel empowered to teach others. We’ll show you different methods to teach mathematics. You’ll extend your knowledge of science and enjoy practical experiments. You’ll reflect on your personal experiences of learning and think about what that means for you as a teacher. You’ll observe how children learn and how teachers teach. You'll start to make the links between theory and practice as you go on school-based training. You’ll work with small groups of children, as you plan and deliver a range of classroom activities. Every step of the way you’ll have the support of University tutors and school mentors. By the end of this year, you’ll be able to reflect on your practice by analysing your strengths and areas for development. As a teacher, you are always learning.
In the second year, you’ll develop a strong understanding of the English language. You’ll extend your knowledge of mathematics and science. Together, we’ll discover new ways to teach these subjects. You'll produce engaging lessons. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your role as a teacher. You’ll recognise the impact different teaching styles can have on different learners. Just as we all teach differently, we all learn differently too. How can you adjust your approach to bring the whole class with you? You’ll gain an understanding of the different barriers to learning. You’ll find ways to overcome them. You’ll focus on lesson planning, so you don’t leave anyone behind. You’ll continue your school-based training with confidence. You’ll have more contact time and more responsibilities. You’ll teach a wide range of subjects, adapting to the needs of your pupils. You’ll critique your classroom practice honestly, objectively and with compassion. We’ll nurture your passion to teach. We’ll guide and support you. This is your journey and we’re right behind you.
In the third year, you’ll develop your professional practice. You’ll express your vision, values and philosophy based on a sound theoretical and practical foundation. We’ll invite you to critique current initiatives, so you can use them to strengthen your own practice. You’ll develop a deep understanding of children’s learning. You’ll feel confident to teach English and literacy across the curriculum. When it comes to mathematics, you’re on your way to becoming an outstanding maths teacher. You’ll excel in your final school-based training as you take on more of the class teacher’s role. We’ll encourage you to be creative in your cross-curricular approach. You’ll develop a higher level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. You’ll have the skills and subject knowledge required to teach the full National Curriculum at Primary level. This is the year when you’ll really start to feel like a teacher.
By the end of the degree, you will have developed a framework of evidenced-based knowledge to apply competently to your practice, as a skilled and reflective practitioner. You will be able to draw on a broad range of experience and apply your professional learning skilfully in context.
You’ll have a personal tutor to guide you through your degree course, all the way to graduation. Your personal tutor can support with your well-being and sense of belonging, helping you to build effective relationships. They can clarify academic expectations and support your understanding assessment and feedback. Additionally, they can assist with your personal and professional development, identifying goals and helping you to engage with the university and wider contexts.
For each year of the three-year programme, there is a Year Lead who you can approach for support. The Programme Leader who oversee the whole programme, will guide and support you throughout your studies.
Whilst on school placement, you will train within one of our partnership schools. You’ll work closely with a Teacher Mentor within and beyond the classroom as you develop your confidence and competence to be an effective classroom practitioner. You will have a wide team of professionals to support you during school -based training, including a Primary school-based training lead, subject tutors and lead mentors. Additional guidance and support will also be available from a Professional school-based lead and from a representative of the University who will undertake visits to quality assure the training received.
The Herts Academic Skills (HAS) is a central team in the University. Their aim is to help make sure that you have all the opportunities you need to develop your academic skills and to reach your academic goals. The team can support you in different ways, with one-to-one tutorials, drop-in sessions and workshops, ensuring that you reach your potential.
You’ll share de Havilland Campus with students from business, law, sport, and education subjects. The student housing is close to our Sports Village which includes a gym, swimming pool and climbing wall. You can get breakfast, lunch, or dinner in our on-campus restaurant or bar (in the newly built Enterprise Hub) on days you don’t feel like cooking. You can also use the common room to play pool, video games or just to hang out with friends. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.
We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.
Elizabeth - My week at a glance
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, I have just finished my Second year of Primary Education at the University of Hertfordshire. I am going to give you a little insight as to what my typical week looks like on this course.
If you chose to study primary education there are two types of typical weeks that you will come across, firstly you will have a typical week at university and secondly there will be a typical week on placement. These two types of weeks have huge differences in the time spent working and the time spent socialising.
During a typical university week, I would be in lectures and seminars most days, however, I would only usually be on campus for a few hours each day. During these hours on campus, I attend one hour long lectures with my entire class, and then two/three-hour long seminars. It is typical that you will spend more time in seminars than lectures as these are where you get more hands on with your learning. You are in a smaller group and will be given more practical examples and learning opportunities to combine the learning from the lectures.
My face-to-face learning time varies from week to week, about timings of lectures and seminars. Although, it is very typical to only be in lectures and seminars for half days of Wednesday, as there are often sporting events and competitions that happen then.
I have a fair amount of free time during a typical university week, and I aim to split this time wisely to ensure that I have time to do any university work that needs doing as well as reading around a topic (which will come in very handy when it comes to writing assignments). It is also important to set some time aside for things that you enjoy doing, such as socialising, doing a hobby or anything that keeps you relaxed so that you can focus better when learning. For instance, I like to spend weekends seeing my friends and family, as well as spending some of my evenings attending gym classes.
On the other hand, whilst you are on placement, it will often feel like you don’t have a lot of time, as you will be working in schools typically from 08:00 to 17:00 every day. Although this seems a lot on top of all other university work and extracurricular activities, it is such a valuable experience, and will you enjoy it. There is a fair amount of work to be doing whilst on placement, including planning for lessons and meeting all the assessment points. However, this does give you valuable experience as this is a picture of what life may be like when teaching full time.
Although this sounds like it is a busy course, which it is, you will have the best time studying it because of the experiences that you get from it.
I wish you the best of luck with university and your course.
Elizabeth - Things you should know
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, I have just finished my second year of Primary Education at the University of Hertfordshire. I am going to give you a little insight as to what I think is important to consider when starting university.
It is important to know that if you chose a course and do not get on with it, then it is ok to look at other options that might suit you better. This happened to me, I initially started my university experience enrolled on a physiotherapy degree. Soon after my first placement on this course, I started feeling that this wasn’t right for me and I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I thought I would. To begin with, I thought I might just be homesick or finding it hard to be on my own when I only had a few friends, so I bottled it all up for a while. However, after this had gotten too much for me and I really wasn’t feeling the course and dreading my second placement, I finally built up the courage to talk to someone about it and they were helpful! It is always important to talk to people if you don’t feel right or something is bothering you, whether this is your family, friends, course tutors or the student wellbeing team on site. It is always best to get things out that bother you, so others can help you find a way to move forward that is best for you. After talking to lots of people and taking time to think about what I wanted, I chose to change courses the following year and now and absolutely loving my time at university. I have made such good friends and have had the best experiences because I finally decided to talk to someone about what was bothering me and found a way that suited me much better.
With all this in mind, it is vital that you consider your wellbeing and take time for yourself. It is important to manage your time well, by splitting this between university work, socialising and taking some time out for yourself. If you manage your time well, your university experience will be so much better as your prioritising the right task at the right time. Consider what makes you feel best if you don’t feel in a good headspace to work, take some time off for your wellbeing, but ensure that university work is done before deadlines!
University life can be different from what you might be used to. It is a positive step if you chose to do what helps you the most. University life will encourage you to take on responsibilities about looking after yourself as well as managing a budget (something I am not the best at) It will be one of the best experiences you will ever have, aside from the challenging work, as you will meet lifelong friends and have experiences you will never forget!
I wish you the best of luck with university and your course.
Elizabeth - Why I chose Herts
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, I have just finished my second year of Primary Education at the University of Hertfordshire. I am going to give you a little insight as to why I chose to study at the University of Hertfordshire.
When I first started looking at universities, I was looking at studying physiotherapy, however, after a few months of studying, I decided that this wasn’t the course for me. I then began the transition of changing my course. The staff were so helpful with this and I am now having the best time at university.
I live about 2 hours from the University, which for me is a good distance from home as it meant that I was far enough away from home so that I was independent, but also not too far so that family and friends could come and visit or vice versa.
When I was looking at universities, the University of Hertfordshire had the best vibe about it, I felt like I would enjoy being there. Just from open days, I got the sense that people here enjoyed being here and I wanted that feeling. The looks of the campuses and the resources were brilliant with there being a lot of new buildings and work being done to make it even more appealing.
I really wanted the chance to live in halls and experience what they were like. When I was looking around them, I really liked what they looked like and could picture myself living there. It is important to be able to picture yourself living there and spending a lot of time on campus and the surrounding areas.
Admittedly, for me, there is not a lot to do in Hatfield itself where the campus is based, however, there is a lot to do in the surrounding towns. Many places are a short drive or bus ride away so that in your free time you can do things like mini-golf, shopping or going to get food with friends (although if you have the right friends you don’t always need to go out and do things, their company is enough!) I also loved the fact that London was only a short train ride away and there are endless possibilities of things to do there. I often spend a lot of free time in London with my friends.
Overall, I chose the University of Hertfordshire because I liked the vibe I got when I was there, how it looked, what they had to offer and the places that I could go from there. It is important to find a university that suits your needs and wants but for me, this was all done at the University of Hertfordshire.
I wish you the best of luck with university and your course.
The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.
| Typical offer (UCAS points) | 112–120 |
|---|---|
| Typical A Level offer | BBC–BBB Accepted subjects: Art (Textiles, Fashion, Photography); Business Education (Economics); Design Technology; English (Language, Literature, Language and Literature, Media Studies, Drama); Foreign Language (any); Geography (Geology); Health & Social Care; History; IT (Computer Science); Law; Mathematics; Music (Performing Arts); PE; Philosophy (Philosophy and Ethics); Politics; Psychology; RE (Critical Thinking, Philosophy and Critical Thinking); Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Additional Science, Applied Science, Zoology, Environmental Science); Sociology. |
| Typical IB offer | 112-120 |
| Typical BTEC offer | DDM Accepted subjects: Applied Science; Art & Design (3D Design, Design Crafts, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Interactive Media, Photography, Textiles); Business; Children’s Care, Learning & Development; Children’s Play, Learning & Development ;Computing; Creative Media Production; Creative Digital Media Production; Health & Social Care; Information Technology; Music (Music Technology); Performing Arts; Production Arts (Design and Technical); Sport; Sport Science; Sport and Exercise Science |
| Accepted T Levels | Education and Childcare; Healthcare Science; Health, Science; Building Services Engineering for Construction; Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering; Manufacturing; Processing and Control; Finance, Management and Administration; Legal Services. |
| Access courses | Accepted subjects: Access to Higher Education Diploma in Teaching or Education with a profile of 45 Level 3 credits at merit or above. |
| GCSE | Grade 4/C in English Language or English Literature, Mathematics and Science |
| Additional information | All applicants are interviewed for this degree course. Additionally, applicants from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS Academic score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band. This must be no more than two years old at the point of application. Competency in fundamental English is assessed at interview. In addition fundamental English and mathematics competency forms part of continual assessment in the Initial Teacher Education course. Suitability to train to teach is assessed at interview. Suitability checksThe University of Hertfordshire ensures that suitability checks have been completed prior to the commencement of the programme, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and ITT criteria and supporting advice (section C1). The following checks are:
Find out more about our Undergraduate Entry Requirements. |
| Start date | Study type | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | Full time | Apply via UCAS |
At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.
Pendleton Scholarship
£3,000 (£1,000 in each academic year) is awarded every year to a student on this course. Students eligible are those returning to study after a break from formal education and who are a full-time UK student. Applications should be submitted in the first year of study.
| Study type | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
| UK students | Full time | £9,250 for the 2025/2026 academic year |
Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.
| Scholarships, grants and bursaries | Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligable for a non-repayable scholarship, grant or bursary to support your studies. |
|---|---|
| Disabled Students' Allowance | The Disabled Students’ Allowance can cover any study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. |
| Student loans | Find out about securing a student loan, from how much you could be eligible for to when you need to start making repayments. |
| Accommodation costs | We offer a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget. |
| Additional course fees | Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet |
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| BEd (Hons) Primary Education (Revised 2024) | Download PDF |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| BEd (Hons) Primary Education | Download PDF |
| Bachelor of Education Honours Degree (Primary) with QTS | Download PDF |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
|
Applications open to international and EU students |
No |
Course length |
Full Time, 3 Years |
