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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Degree subject for primary teaching

13 replies

Brian9600 · 09/09/2021 17:55

DS has been thinking about possibly teaching as a career, maybe in a prep school (Y3-Y8).

This is all some way off (he's not even chosen A levels yet!) but asked me what he'd need to do to pursue this path. Does anyone know the best route? In particular. is it better to do a degree in a standard subject (which for DS would probably be maths) then teacher training, or an Education degree which incorporates the teacher training?

OP posts:
Lucia574 · 09/09/2021 17:59

My junior school colleagues are pretty evenly split between those two routes, so perhaps it doesn’t matter! Several of them have moved to primary teaching in their thirties after early careers in marketing, law and so on. Others have degrees in eg MFL, which they use in their teaching too.

amillionmenonmars · 09/09/2021 18:11

If he is following the Maths route he will have his pick of jobs whichever route he chooses. Maths and Science specialists are like gold dust.

RamblingFar · 09/09/2021 18:19

Degree then PGCE. Gives him more options for after he escapes from teaching in a few years time.

EduCated · 09/09/2021 18:23

A degree and then PGCE keeps more options open, including secondary PGCE. I would imagine many preps would prefer to employ a subject specialist over someone with a primary ed degree.

lorisparkle · 09/09/2021 18:34

When I did my primary PGCE they were keen on you having a 'core' subject as the bulk of your degree. (So maths, English, or science). I did psychology and had to explain how that covered one or more of these subjects (in fact there was lots of statistics, biology and language). I don't know if that has changed now as it was many many years ago!!!

Original poster
Brian9600 · 09/09/2021 18:34

Thank you, everyone.

OP posts:
Caaarrrl · 09/09/2021 18:37

Most of the newish teachers at my school are coming from the primary teaching degree. My DD is doing it too. 3 years at uni, loads of placement experience.

Malbecfan · 09/09/2021 19:54

If you do an Education degree, you are potentially limiting yourself. If you do a degree in a subject you enjoy and are good at, the possibilities are endless.

I asked 2 lawyer parents of a member of my then y11 tutor group which they would prefer as a trainee lawyer: someone with a 1st class degree in Music, or someone with a 2i in Law. Both replied instantly "the musician". A lot can change between now and starting work. Keep your options open and study something you are passionate about.

RaraRachael · 09/09/2021 20:01

I'd do a degree then PGDE and then, as somebody else said, he'd have more options if he decides that teaching isn't for him, whereas with a teaching degree, you're stuck.

We had an NQT whose degree was in retail management. One year of uni later and she was a primary teacher Hmm

TobysGreatAunt · 14/09/2021 07:53

A degree in Maths or science subject then a PGCE he will be snapped up !

sashh · 14/09/2021 08:05

Degree in something he enjoys then one of the post grad routes either PGCE or a school based route.

whereshalligo · 14/09/2021 08:10

My Ds is currently doing a 3 year primary education QTS which a mathematics specialism at Brighton Uni. He's just about to start his second year.
He did maths, physics and politics A levels. We did try and persuade him to do a degree in maths and then a PGCE but he knew what he wanted.
Lots of school placement each year

sashh · 15/09/2021 04:42

Just a note, it doesn't have to be a maths degree, a degree with lots of maths content is fine or a joint degree.

Another advantage of the degree+PGCE is that the PGCE is now worth half a master's so he can 'top up' to a maters quite easily.

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