Core skills
The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (QTS) at the Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ prepares apprentices to teach:
Over the four-year apprenticeship, apprentices will develop skills across three core areas that build progressively each year:
Education Studies
This module explores the foundational and evolving principles of education, including historical, social, and political contexts. Apprentices will examine key issues in education, policy development, and the role of the teacher in shaping educational outcomes. As you progress through the apprenticeship, your understanding of education theory and practice will deepen, allowing you to engage critically with contemporary challenges in both primary and secondary education.
Subject Knowledge
In this module, apprentices will develop in-depth knowledge specific to their chosen subject and age range. For Primary 5–11, the focus is on core subjects, including Maths, English, and Science, with a broad understanding of the primary curriculum. For Secondary Maths 11–16, apprentices will build advanced subject-specific expertise in Maths, ensuring they can deliver engaging, challenging, and relevant lessons aligned with the secondary curriculum. Subject knowledge is progressively built each year to ensure mastery of the curriculum and effective teaching strategies.
Applied Pedagogy
This module focuses on practical teaching skills, ensuring apprentices can apply pedagogical theories in real classroom settings. As you move through the apprenticeship, you will develop your ability to plan, deliver, and assess learning effectively, tailoring your approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners. The Primary 5–11 pathway will concentrate on foundational teaching strategies and classroom management for younger children, while the Secondary Maths 11–16 pathway focuses on teaching strategies and assessment methods specific to secondary Maths. Applied Pedagogy ensures that by the end of your apprenticeship, you are confident and competent in your practical teaching skills.
Special Circumstances for Secondary Special Schools
For apprentices working in secondary special schools, it may sometimes be more appropriate to follow the Primary pathway to better meet the needs of the learners in their setting. The decision will be made in collaboration between the university and the employer to ensure the apprentice follows the most appropriate training pathway.