Postgraduate Module Descriptor


EDUM033: Primary Curriculum Studies

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module introduces students to current thinking in the teaching of Primary education and develops students’ pedagogic and academic subject knowledge in the field of Primary education. The module is structured as follows:


Autumn Term

English, Maths and Science: 9 weeks of 1 hour lectures and 2 hour seminars for each of the 3 subject areas

Humanities: 8 weeks of 2 hour seminars

Music, PE, Art: 4 weeks of 2 hour seminars for each of the 3 subject areas


Spring / Summer Term

PE: one week equivalent of 20 hours during School Based Work experience

ML: one week equivalent of 20 hours during School Based Work experience.

The module will address the following key elements:

 

  • English, Mathematics and Science within the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 and English, Mathematics and Science for the Early Years Foundation Stage for Early Years specialists;
  • Effective formative and summative assessment, including Assessing Pupil Performance (APP);
  • The role of Information Communication and Technology;
  • The principles of lesson planning, including recommended structures for Literacy and Mathematics lessons;
  • Critical reflection, through the use of lesson evaluations, agenda evaluations, assignments, directed tasks, and peer and tutor discussions;
  • Short courses in Humanities, Art, Music and PE.
  • Preparation for school-based work.
  • The National Primary Strategy and its relation to English and Mathematics;
  • The principles of teaching ML in primary schools;

On the Primary PGCE, you will learn and reflect on the skills and knowledge required by the programme’s credit-bearing and non-credit bearing modules throughout the year. You will need to think about the modules in relation to each other. To facilitate this, the learning and teaching activities and guided independent study described below are scheduled to occur across all three terms both in the context of your university taught course and in the context of your 24 weeks of applied professional experience in schools.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
1211790

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities2727 x 1 hr lectures: English, Mathematics, Science
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities5427 x 2 hr seminars: English, Mathematics, Science
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities4020 x 2 hr seminars: Humanities, Art, Music, PE
Guided independent study179Framework Tasks for PE (20 hrs) and ML (20 hrs) within School Based placements, as well as peer support and personal study time.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Three Subject Knowledge Diagnostic Audits (English, Mathematics & Science) Personal action plans produced to address areas of weakness. The action plans are monitored by academic and school based mentors.Science - 120 question audit (Sharp & Bryne (2007) English - four sections: Textual Analysis (fiction and poetry); Non-fiction; Phonics; Grammar. Mathematics: Self-assessment questions in Haylock (2010)3,4,5,6,8,9,11The first audits for English, Mathematics and Science are in September and scores recorded and action plans produced and signed by an academic tutors. The second audits are at the end of the Autumn term which is put into your Individual Development Portfolio together with an action plan if necessary.
Formative subject directed tasks1,000 words1,2,4,5,6,8,9,1011Peer seminar discussion
Framework Task: ML Personalised action plan developed in collaboration with the school mentor 20 hours1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11UVT moderation
Framework Task: PE Personalised action plan developed in collaboration with the school mentor20 hours1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11UVT moderation

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Portfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and development 100Portfolio to be developed during the 36 weeks of the programme to provide evidence of achievement of the professional standards required by the NCTL for QTS. There is no stipulated length. 1-11Pass/Fail indicated by Final Summative Report
0
0
0
0
0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Portfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and developmentPortfolio of evidence with critical reflection on professional learning and development1-11See note below.

Re-assessment notes

The Professional Learning and Curriculum Studies modules are designed to allow you to manifest attainment of the teachers’ standards. As these modules are assessed concurrently, in the same work placement context, and with regard to some shared intended learning outcomes, a referral or deferral in either module will necessitate a referral or deferral in both.

If a submitted portfolio is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the portfolio to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed, based on an additional school placement if this is confirmed by the Consequences Board following the Examination Board for the PGCE Primary programme.

The resubmission would normally be made at the end of the additional placement.