Why choose this course at Sussex?
Teaching is a rewarding career – you’ll have the opportunity to make a difference to the life outcomes for children you’ll work with.
On this course, you’ll develop the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to become a successful and creative teacher in two phases of education:
- Primary (KS1 and KS2)
- Early Years (EYFS).
At Sussex, you’ll learn from experienced and passionate members of staff. You’ll:
- explore how children develop and learn in the core subjects (English, Mathematics and Science) and the full range of other primary curriculum subjects
- develop strong and supportive relationships with children that nurture their learning and wellbeing
- plan and teach engaging lessons, tailoring learning experiences to children’s individual strengths and needs in an ever-changing society
- critically reflect on theory, policy and classroom practice to develop your identity as a creative and research-driven teacher.
You’ll gain the confidence to apply your knowledge and ideas to both your academic studies at University and to your practice during your school placements. You’ll spend at least 120 days in a school throughout your degree – supported by a mentor and the school professional tutor. You’ll also have the opportunity to apply to study abroad.
In your final year, you’ll undertake a research project on an aspect of Primary Education that you’re passionate about. This will give you the skills to:
- conduct educational research
- interpret data
- use evidence to enrich your classroom practice.
We’ll support you at every stage of your degree. As soon as you apply, we’ll help you get ready for your interview. You’ll be supported by an Academic Personal Tutor throughout the course together with module tutors and leaders and the course leader. And once you’re in the final year of your degree, we’ll work with you towards applying and interviewing for your first post as a teacher. We’re also keen to keep in touch and support you in your time as an Early Careers Teacher.
- Good for Overall Effectiveness in the Primary Age-Phase (Ofsted 2023)
- Outstanding for Overall Effectiveness in Early Years ITT (Ofsted 2023)
- 2nd in the UK for graduate prospects (on track) in Education (The Complete University Guide 2026)
Accreditation
When you successfully complete this degree, the University of Sussex, as a UK-Government-accredited Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider, will recommend you for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). QTS is conferred by the Teacher Regulation Agency in England. The academic award is conferred by the University of Sussex.
Sussex puts children at the centre of the curriculum. I’ve been encouraged to experience the environment as a child, and to make my teaching as exciting and engaging as possible.”Amy Knight
Primary and Early Years Education (with Qualified Teacher Status) BA
Choosing Sussex – Jessica Douglas, Primary and Early Years Education (with QTS) BA
On campus - in person
You’ll study for this degree on our campus, joining our academics and fellow students. Combined with in-person contact time, digitally supported educational resources, library collections and independent study, this course is designed to give you an inclusive education. Your learning experience may also include work placements, field trips, studying abroad and internationalisation experiences.
Find out about our beautiful campus
Take our virtual tour
Be inspired by our beautiful campus and buzzing Brighton in this immersive 360° experience.
Begin your tour
Undergraduate Visit Days
Learn more about your chosen course, explore our distinctive campus, and meet our staff and students.
Book a Visit Day
As a founding partner of ResearchPlus, a collaboration of research-focused universities, we engage with government, industry and civil society to support economic growth, prosperity and wellbeing across the whole of the UK.
Find out more
Modules
This is a single-honours course, allowing you to focus in depth on your core subject. Find out more from our guide to undergraduate study
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Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years. (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
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Year 1 at Sussex
Your modules
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
- Developing Children’s Curiosity in Words, Numbers and Shapes
- Human Flourishing: Educating the Whole Child
Autumn and spring teaching
Spring teaching
- Engaging Pedagogies for English and Maths
- Inclusive Practices: Integrating Pedagogy into Real-World Education
Your degree
In your first year, you’ll build a strong foundation in child development, learning theory and the primary curriculum. You’ll explore the principles of effective teaching, and the role of the teacher in creating inclusive and engaging learning environments. And you’ll gain hands-on experience in your first school placement. You’ll also start to reflect on your own educational experiences and develop key professional skills. These include communication, critical reflection, collaboration and problem-solving.
Teaching
Teaching methods typically include interactive lectures and practical seminars, group work and discussion, and school-based learning.
10%: Lecture
70%: Seminar
20%: PracticalAssessment
Assessment methods typically include coursework with a range of creative and authentic tasks designed to develop your teaching practice and academic understanding.
Contact hours and workload
This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 250 hours of contact time, about 150 hours of placement and about 800 hours of independent study.
Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course.
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Year 2 at Sussex
Your modules
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
- Engaging Young Learners - Growing, Playing, Talking and Learning
- Enquiry, Communication, Responsibility: English and Maths for Emerging Teachers
Autumn and spring teaching
- Curriculum Knowledge 2: Physical Philosophers
- Engaging in Professional Practice in Primary and Early Year Settings
Spring teaching
- Becoming a Researcher
- Critical Connections: English and Maths in Lifelong Learning Communities
- Evaluating Special Educational Needs, Disability, Inclusion and Diversity
Your degree
In Year 2, you’ll develop your understanding in the core curriculum areas of English, Mathematics and Science. And you’ll expand into subjects such as Religious Education, PSHE, Physical Education, Computing and Science. You’ll explore creative and practical approaches to motivate and inspire children. You’ll learn to support diverse learners and promote equity in the classroom. In your school placement, you’ll work on planning and leading learning across the curriculum. You’ll also begin preparing for your independent project.
Teaching
Teaching methods typically include interactive lectures and practical seminars, group work and discussion, and school-based learning.
5%: Lecture
60%: Seminar
35%: PracticalAssessment
Assessment methods typically include coursework with a range of creative and authentic tasks designed to develop your teaching practice and academic understanding.
Contact hours and workload
This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 215 hours of contact time, about 250 hours of placement and about 735 hours of independent study.
Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course.
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Experience Year
Study abroad (optional)
Apply to study abroad – you’ll develop an international perspective and gain an edge when it comes to your career. Find out where your course could take you
If your application to study abroad is successful, you’ll have to meet the academic requirements at Sussex and also at the partner university. Find out more about studying abroad as a Sussex student
Please note that if you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t transfer to the version of your course with an optional study abroad period in any country or optional placement in the USA if the number of credits for the placement/internship exceeds 25% of the total credits for your course. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
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Year 3 at Sussex
Your modules
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn and spring teaching
- Curriculum Knowledge 3: The World as a Stage
- Embedding Professional Practice in Primary and Early Year Settings
- Reflecting on Professional Knowledge in Primary and Early Years Settings
- Research Minded Project
Your degree
Your final year is about what it means to be a teacher and the professional responsibilities the role entails. You’ll consolidate your expertise as a confident teacher. You’ll continue to develop your understanding of Science and explore practical approaches to teaching the foundation subjects. These include Music, Art, Design and Technology, and Modern Foreign Languages. You’ll also work on your independent educational research project. You’ll complete your extended school placement, demonstrating your readiness for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Teaching
Teaching methods typically include interactive lectures and practical seminars, group work and discussion, and school-based learning.
5%: Lecture
45%: Seminar
50%: PracticalAssessment
Assessment methods typically include coursework with a range of creative and authentic tasks designed to develop your teaching practice and academic understanding.
Contact hours and workload
This year of study includes approximately 1,200 hours of work. This breaks down into about 100 hours of contact time, about 360 hours of placement and about 740 hours of independent study.
Engage and actively participate throughout your studies to get the most out of your course.
Spirit of Sussex Award
Feel involved in life at the University, make friends and enrich your experience with us – the Spirit of Sussex Award is our way of recognising your extracurricular and voluntary achievements.
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Video transcript
Hi everyone! As I'm sure you've all heard by now, the Spirit of Sussex Award is now live.
Students across the Sussex community are already earning their points
What will you do to earn yours?
There's so many ways to get involved.
Head over to the website to start your Spirit of Sussex journey.
Text: The Spirit of Sussex Award is an exciting new programme designed to recognise and celebrate the things you do outside your course.
Participating in the Award makes it easy and fun for you to get involved and make the most of university life.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Placements (each year throughout your degree)
You’ll spend at least 24 days in a school in Year 1, 44 days in Year 2 and 60 days in Year 3, and you’ll spend time in classes across the Primary age range.
We have very strong historic partnerships with local schools across the region. This, together with a knowledgeable and supportive group of mentors and University tutors, gives you all you need to enter the profession with confidence – and with creative ideas to inspire all the children you teach with a love of learning.
Teaching placements – Jessica Douglas, Primary and Early Years Education (with QTS) BA
Interactive and supportive teaching and learning
At Sussex, we value getting to know and supporting each one of our students and you’ll be taught in relatively small groups.
Our taught sessions are interactive and engaging. They’re designed to give you the opportunity to learn from your peers as well as from your tutors. We have a designated teaching room that has been set up and equipped as a primary school classroom. It contains lots of resources for you to experiment with and to help you plan the lessons you’ll be teaching during your school placements.
The course incorporates visits and trips around Brighton & Hove and Sussex to support your learning of the various curriculum subjects, including a day dedicated to Forest School activities and to a synagogue.
On successful completion of the course, you’ll be awarded a University of Sussex BA. The course is designed, managed and delivered by expert faculty from our School of Education and Social Work. All teaching takes place on our beautiful campus and in the classrooms of trusted partnership schools across Sussex.
I would say my favourite thing about my course is my lecturers, and the staff members at the University.” Angelé Basden
Primary and Early Years Education (with Qualified Teacher Status) BA
- Video transcript
Angelé: I would say my favourite thing about my course is... my lecturers, and... the staff members at the University. They’re a really close knit... I feel like as a family in our course, especially with teaching. I feel like they’re... researchers, academics, some of them have published books. Some of them are still teachers now in the classroom. And you can really feel the atmosphere in our lectures, which makes it really enjoyable to study.
Our experts
We’re committed to supporting, nurturing and inspiring you all – as the next generation of teachers.”Liz Cousins
Course Lead for the Primary and Early Years Education (with QTS) BA
Inspirational academics – Jessica Douglas, Primary and Early Years Education (with QTS) BA
Ms Gillian Emerson
Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
Miss Tamzin Nobes
Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
Dr Hayley Preston-Smith
Assistant Professor in Primary and Early Years Education
Careers
- 86% of Sussex undergraduates have completed work experience by the end of their course (University of Sussex Career Readiness data at point of graduation 2023/24)
This course gives you Newly Qualified Teacher Status, as well as an internationally recognised academic qualification.
We have an excellent record in helping our qualified teachers secure their first job and offer specialist training on drafting applications.
The degree also equips you for careers working with children, young people, their families and their carers, in organisations such as:
- local government children’s services
- charitable organisations
- the Civil Service
- early years and primary education.
Where do our graduates work now?
Surveyed 15 months after finishing their courses, our recent graduates from the Department of Education worked for employers including:
(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2022)
Working while you study
Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work
Career ambitions – Ethan Richold, Primary and Early Years Education (with QTS) BA
Design your future at Sussex
Taking the next step in your career can feel daunting, but we’ll help you to explore, connect and flourish throughout your studies and beyond.
As a Sussex student, you’ll learn how to tackle real-world challenges and have access to tailored programmes of careers support:
- our Career Lab helps you to explore your options, build key skills and connect with employers. Take part in internships, community consultancy projects and insight visits, where you can learn about life at organisations including Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, Gatwick Airport and the Knepp Rewilding Project
- one-to-one appointments with your Faculty Careers Consultant can enable you to identify your career goals, write an effective CV and prepare for future interviews
- entrepreneurship initiatives like StartUp Sussex and Ideas Lab can empower you to turn your concepts into reality.
Explore how our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you
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Winner
Entrepreneurship Catalyst Award
National Enterprise Educator Awards 2024
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Winner
Supporting Student and Graduate Employability Award
AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2024
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Top 50
Best Universities for Work Experience in the UK
2025 Higherin Awards
Fees
Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis. Find details on our Tuition fees page.
Home students
£9,535 per year
Channel Islands and Isle of Man students
£9,535 per year
In 2025/26, fees for Home students and Channel Islands and Isle of Man students are £9,535 per year. The University of Sussex keeps fees for Home students and Channel Islands and Isle of Man students in line with UK Government-approved levels. These have not yet been confirmed for 2026/27. In line with our terms and conditions, the University charges fees at the maximum levels set by the UK Government.
The UK Government has announced its intention to increase the tuition fee cap for the 2026/27 year. For more information see the UK Government’s web page.
International students
£23,500 per year
Study abroad
Find out about grants and funding, tuition fees and insurance costs for studying abroad
Placement
Find out about tuition fees for placements
Additional costs
Note about additional costs
Additional costs to your tuition fees may include field trips, equipment, materials, bench fees or studio hire. These costs are best estimates based on current market values which we review each year. These costs may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances where the University has limited control such as a change in a service provider or government guidance. We will let you know at the earliest opportunity if there is any change to these costs. We will also tell you if these costs are mandatory for passing your course or optional. Find out how to budget for student life.
DBS check and health assessment
When you register at Sussex, you’re charged fees for mandatory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and health assessments. If you get a bursary, you pay for your DBS, it costs around £40. You also pay for your health assessment which costs between £6 to £90 though this may vary if, for example, clinical supervision is required. If you don’t get a bursary, DBS and health assessments are subsidised.
Travel to and from placements
This course has mandatory placements in year 1, 2 and 3. If you receive a bursary for your studies, you pay for some or all of your travel. Reasonable travel costs are subsidised for some students without access to bursaries.
Living costs
We know the rising cost of living is on everyone’s mind, and affects us all in different ways. Our guide to living costs has been designed to help you plan and budget for life as a Sussex student.
Learn more about typical living costs
Scholarships
Our goal is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to regardless of financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique people.
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Sussex Bursary
£1,000 in your first year of study (either Year 1 or Foundation Year).
£500 in your subsequent years of study.
Contact us
Ask a student
Chat to Sussex students online via the UniBuddy chat platform.
Prospectus
What do you want to do next?
Legal information
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
A-level - contextual offer
BCC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma and one A-level - contextual offer
Grade C in A-level and Distinction, Merit in Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate and two A-levels - contextual offer
Grades BC in A-levels and Merit in BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma) - contextual offer
DMM
T Level - contextual offer
Pass T-Level with an overall grade of Merit including grade C in the Core Component
You will be required to have a satisfactory Health Check.