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Primary Teaching and Learning

Module description

This module is aimed at those who do not wish to choose a subject specialism, but are instead interested in developing knowledge, understanding and skills in research-inspired primary teaching and learning across the whole 5-11 curriculum. The module prepares you to become a leader of curriculum innovation.                                                     

Recent research is used to support the development of a contemporary and critical view of primary education.  Practical workshops and seminars make up the taught component, with contributions from school partners. The module takes its themes from the Cambridge Primary Review Trust which examines multiple facets of primary teaching and learning from national and international perspectives.

Taught sessions will be delivered via lectures, seminars, and workshops (on and off-campus), including peer teaching as appropriate.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module will focus on extending the breadth and depth of your understanding of primary education in several directions, in order that you can develop children’s learning and your own teaching in a number of ways. These include:

• acquiring a detailed understanding of research-inspired practice in primary education, largely based on the work of the Cambridge Primary Review Trust (as a springboard for further reading);
• developing skills in critically reflecting on your professional learning to deepen knowledge and understanding of theory, policy and research, and recognise the implications of this information for your own professional philosophy and for improving practice;
• understanding the roles and responsibilities of the primary school teacher, ways to support and inspire colleagues and approaches to school-based professional inquiry.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to primary teaching and learning; and engage in critical debate about current educational issues in primary schools drawing on evidence from theory, research and practice – with particular reference to the work of the Cambridge Primary Review Trust
• 2. Deploy a range of personal and professional skills relevant to primary teaching and learning and justify solutions to various problems connected to primary education;
• 3. Demonstrate confident academic and pedagogic subject knowledge to teach across the curriculum in Key Stage 1 and 2;
• 4. Demonstrate secure understanding of the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice;
• 6. Synthesise relevant educational literature in support of an argument;
• 7. Use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
• 8. Present data and findings in a form appropriate in educational studies;
• 9. Use research data in support of an argument in education;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 10. Manage your own learning development;
• 11. Learn effectively and be aware of your own learning strategies;
• 12. Express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes;
• 13. Work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, committee based etc); and
• 14. Think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• EQUITY. Tackling the continuing challenge of social and educational disadvantage, and find practical ways to help schools to close the overlapping gaps in social equity and educational attainment.
• VOICE. Advancing children’s voice and rights in school and classroom, in accordance with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
• COMMUNITY. Promoting community engagement and cohesion through school-community links and a community curriculum that supplements and enriches the national curriculum, and by developing communal values in school and classroom.
• SUSTAINABILITY. Embedding sustainability and global citizenship in educational policy and practice, linking to the UN agenda for global education after 2015.
• AIMS. Developing and apply a coherent vision for 21st century primary education; enact CPR aims through curriculum, pedagogy and the wider life of the school.
• CURRICULUM. Developing a broad, balanced and rich entitlement curriculum which responds to both national and local need, eliminates the damaging division of status and quality between core and non-core, and teaches every subject, domain or aspect to the highest possible standard.
• PEDAGOGY. Developing a pedagogy of repertoire, rigour, evidence and principle, rather than mere compliance, with a particular emphasis on fostering the high quality classroom talk which children’s development, learning and attainment require.
• ASSESSMENT. Encouraging approaches to assessment that enhance learning as well as test it, that support rather than distort the curriculum and that pursue standards and quality in all areas of learning, not just the core subjects.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

If a submitted assignment is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the assignment to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed.

You can choose to resubmit a failed assignment ‘in year’ (i.e. before the final PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) in July). The resubmission would normally be made 4 weeks after receiving feedback on the first submission. Alternatively, you may opt to go to the PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee with the fail mark. You will then be referred to the College level Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee who will confirm the conditions for resubmission of the work. Normally the resubmission should be by 1st September. You should discuss these options with your tutor.

Note: if you choose the second option, the award of PGCE will be delayed until the Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee meeting following any successful resubmission (normally held in December).

If an assignment is deemed to be a Fail, the mark obtained on resubmission will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Alexander, R.J.(ed) (2010) Children, their world, their education: Final report and recommendations of the Cambridge Primary Review.  London: Routledge.

• Alexander, R.J  with Doddington, C., Gray, J., Hargreaves, L.& and Kershner, R. (eds) (2010)The Cambridge Primary Review research surveys. London: Routledge.

• Ainscow, M., Dyson, A. & Hopwood, L. (forthcoming) Demographic change, migration and cultural diversity. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Bourn, D., Hunt, F., Blum, N., and Lawson, H. (February 2016) Primary education for global learning and sustainability. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Burnett, C. (forthcoming) Digital futures. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Goswami, U. (2015) Children’s Cognitive Development and Learning. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Hall, K. &Øzerk, K. (2016) Alternative models of accountability and quality assurance. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Harlen, W. (2014) Assessment, standards and quality of learning in primary education. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*. 

• Jopling, M. & Vincent, S. (2016) Vulnerable children. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Mansell, W. (2016) Systemic reform in primary education. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• McNamara, O., Murray, J. & Philips, R. (2016) Initial teacher education. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Pickett, K. & Vanderbloemen, L. (2015) Mind the gap: Tackling social and educational inequality. York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Robinson, C. (2014) Children, their voices and their experiences of school: What does the evidence tell us?York: Cambridge Primary Review Trust.*

• Thomas, G. (2013) How to do your research project: A guide for students in education and applied social sciences (2^nd ed).  London: Sage.

*   These research reviews are all available online (see link below)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• CPRT website: www.cprtrust.org.uk

• CPRT publications: http://cprtrust.org.uk/publications

Key words search

Primary, PGCE, Teaching, Learning, Cambridge Primary Review Trust