Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
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How long will I study?
2 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Gain a degree and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) over a part-time, two-year course while you work in school.
- Combine academic study with school-based training, working with peers and colleagues.
- Develop professional skills with the support of a school mentor and an academic adviser.
- Use research and guidance to support and challenge teaching ideas, practices and values.
This course is the ideal way to gain QTS if you’re currently working in a school as a teaching assistant, or higher-level teaching assistant – or if you have a foundation degree or higher qualification. 100% of trainees have completed this course in the last 10 years, all gaining QTS status.
Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
How you learn
We have been rated outstanding by Ofsted across all initial teacher education courses (March 2024). We offer sector leading initial teacher training in early years, primary, secondary and post-16 and we are rated outstanding in all four areas by Ofsted. Inspectors said that ‘trainees access training that is highly ambitious in its vision’ and that ‘trainees feel very well prepared to become future teachers. They show a passion to improve life chances for pupils they teach.’
Through level 6 study, this course allows higher level teaching assistants or foundation degree-holding teaching assistants to take their careers a step further. You'll gain QTS and an Honours degree within two years. You will develop well-rounded practical and theoretical knowledge throughout the course, with work-based assessments as well as on-campus study.
You benefit from specialist tutors sharing input through on-campus and online seminars and other directed learning materials. You will have the support of an academic adviser throughout.
You learn through:
- Seminars
- School-based training
- Weekly personal and professional reflections
- Block placements
- Assignments and presentations
Assessment is 100% coursework-based – each module will link directly to your practice and experiences in school.
Key themes
In your first year you’ll learn about professional teaching skills with a focus on a range of curriculum subjects – plus personal development as a subject leader.
In your second year, you’ll further your understanding of pedagogy which enhances the teaching of a range of curriculum subjects, a focus on inclusion practices, and an opportunity to evaluate and critically reflect on your own professional development throughout the course.
You’ll also learn how to draw on recent research and both statutory and non-statutory guidance to support and challenge ideas, practices and values in progressing as a teacher. You’ll do this through active, practical and enquiry-based seminars which will focus on specific pedagogy and practices.
Course support
You’ll be taught by a close-knit community of qualified and highly experienced teaching staff who take the time to get to know you. Throughout your time, you’ll receive personalised support, such as:
- Specialist Hallam tutors and school-based mentors
- Access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development
- Access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources
- Career support for up to five years after you graduate
Course leaders and tutors
Lyndsay Creasey-Gray
Senior lecturer in Primary EnglishProfile of Lyndsay Creasey-Gray, Senior Lecturer in Primary English at Sheffield Hallam University | Biography | Expertise | Current work | Contact details
Applied learning
You’ll apply your learning in school settings with placement and practice tasks that focus on the teaching of key curriculum subjects – developing a climate for learning, inclusion practices and developing leadership skills.
Work experience for current teaching assistants
As this is a school-based training route, all your work in school will be defined as school training. On a weekly basis you’ll be gaining experience alongside your current role in school, which you’ll reflect on each week as part of your reflections meetings with your mentor and logging on your online portal.
Placements for trainees
Trainees will undertake a six-week teaching placement in two different settings across the two years of the course. They’ll also have intensive-training and practice (ITP) sessions – some of which will involve practical experience and tasks in schools, while others focus on related knowledge, pedagogy, current research, and statutory and non-statutory guidance. This will total 16 full weeks across the course away from your usual role in school.
Future careers
By successfully completing this course, you’ll become fully qualified to teach in a primary school setting, as well as prepared for other education opportunities.
This course prepares you to work in:
- Primary teaching in a mainstream setting
- Primary teaching in special school settings
- Employment opportunities in a range of educational forms
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
We’ve investing £250 million in new facilities over the next five years. This means students have access to new, innovative, and flexible spaces to study and relax in, making their student experience even better.
On this course you will work with specialist resources and equipment that replicate those found in primary classrooms, including:
- Teaching resources found in primary settings
- Specialist spaces that reflect placement settings
- Virtual learning environments where you will access materials and resources
These facilities will enable you to develop your knowledge, skills and practical experiences that simulate practice for the age range you are training to teach.
Entry requirements
All students
GCSE English, Mathematics and Science grade C or 4 or equivalent, plus:
• Minimum of 240 CAT credits in a relevant area, such as a foundation or Bachelor's degree.
• You must be working in a school or foundation stage setting for a minimum of 20 hours a week. This may be in employment or in a voluntary role. Your setting must be within a reasonable travelling distance from university so that you can reach Sheffield centre for seminars each week and you can be supported in your setting by university link tutors.
• A signed partnership agreement from a senior member of the school or foundation stage setting where you work. This must include an agreement to support you throughout the placements and with the school-based tasks. You must also have the capacity to work as an unqualified teacher within this setting.
Find out more about the course specifics for trainees and school mentors. You can also download a copy of our partnership agreement (PDF, 152.5KB) for more information.
Selection event
If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.
See our selection event guidance for this course.
If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a Tier 4 (General) student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Developing Subject Knowledge And Pedagogy
Placement 1
Professional Practice - Teaching And Learning Practice
Final year
Compulsory modules
Enquiry Learning
Inclusive Practice - Adaptive Teaching
Placement 2
Reflective Practice – Professional Development
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting part-time undergraduate study in 2025/26 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fees for UK students starting this course in 2024/25 are £4,625 per year (based on studying 60 credits per year). If you hold a full undergraduate degree then you should check your funding options with Student Finance England (SFE) prior to enrolling on the course.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Education (PDF, 255.8KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
