We’ve been delivering education courses for over 60 years – and are proud to be ranked in the top 250 in the world for education (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019).
Our two-year Learning and Teaching Foundation degree builds on your existing experience in primary or secondary education. You’ll develop your knowledge and understanding of a variety of different school settings – while you focus on your professional development and career ambitions.
You’ll have the flexibility to study while you work – spending just one day each week engaged in online learning activities to complement your experiential learning in the workplace gained through your existing employment.
Once you’ve completed our foundation degree with a merit or distinction, you’ll be able to apply to our one-year learning teaching degree to gain a full BA qualification.
You’ll be at the forefront of education practice in the UK, with plenty of support from tutors who are active researchers in the field.
While you’re learning, you’ll be matched with a Personal Tutor directly related to your course. You’ll also get support from our Learning Enhancement Team (LET), who have experience in your subject area.
Our foundation course is an ideal starting point for developing your career in education whilst enabling you to continue with your current employment.
Once you’ve completed the course with a merit or distinction, you’ll have the option to pursue a full BA degree to continue your development pathway towards gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme.
*This course is under review and subject to change.
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The two year course aims to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding about learning and teaching in a diverse range of educational contexts, including early years, primary, secondary and special education provision. You will study four modules across each year of the course. The modules are all assessed by coursework, which includes written assignments, posters and presentations. Course and module information is indicative and may be subject to change.
The module is designed to enable you to consider pertinent historical developments and current curriculum models and requirements.
The module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of issues which influence current curriculum models in practice.
Students will be encouraged to reflect on cross-curricular approaches within learning and teaching.
The module has a focus on the area of language development and aims to encourage students to critically evaluate how children’s language and communication skills are promoted and how adults can support this development.
The aim of the module is to develop students’ effectiveness within the educational setting through awareness of issues affecting equality, accessibility and inclusivity. It considers theories, principles and practice associated with concepts of class, ethnicity/‘race’, gender, sexuality, Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), English as an Additional Language (EAL), and Religion.
Theoretical and practice models are linked to differentiation and personalised learning. Students, as professionals, operating within the workplace, are required to critically analyse and develop an awareness of theories, principles and practice, enabling effective inclusion of all within learning contexts.
The module aims to introduce students to, and develop knowledge and understanding of, learning and developmental theories and perspectives, applicable to children’s development and learning and teaching contexts.
Students will explore the importance of social and emotional growth in children within a range of educational settings, including outdoor settings.
The module will encourage exploration of professional and development needs. Students will explore values and principles associated with learning and how they have developed and changed over time.
The aim of the module is to develop students’ effectiveness within the workplace through awareness of key principles and concepts in policy and practice within a historical and socio-political context.
The module will develop knowledge, understanding and skills of research and enquiry to develop an appreciation of the impact of policy on practice and the relevance to professionals working in learning and teaching contexts.
The module aims to build on students’ knowledge and understanding of issues covered in Curriculum Studies 1, which considers current curriculum models in practice.
You will be encouraged to continue to research and reflect on curricular models and cross-curricular approaches within learning and teaching. You will consider the planning, assessment and evaluation cycle in relation to curriculum delivery.
This module has a focus on the areas of Mathematics and Science and aims to encourage students to critically evaluate their own knowledge, skills and understanding for supporting learning and teaching of Mathematics and Science in different learning and teaching contexts.
You will also be encouraged to consider approaches that support the development of children’s mathematical and scientific thinking.
The module aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) within school contexts.
The module considers theoretical views of SEND and their application to practice using fictional case studies. There is a consideration and exploration of the importance of team work and engagement with families and the child.
There is a careful exploration of agency for the child and family and consideration of multiple perspectives – including the perspective of the child through empathy.
The module aims to develop students’ professional knowledge and professionalism for future practice.
They will consider the significant role that others play in learning and development and explore ways in which professional dialogue occurs with learners and others.
They will review educational research relating to collaborative working with parents and carers. Students will be encouraged to explore the values and beliefs which underpin policy related to the subject of learning and teaching.
They will reflect on their own evolving principles and practice in relation to their roles in the workplace and consider their professional development.
The module aims to broaden students’ understanding of a range of approaches for supporting individualised and whole-group learners’ behaviour in school contexts.
You will consider policy and practice in schools that aims to promote behaviour for learning. You will be encouraged to review behaviours associated with inclusion and SEND, as well as strategies to support learners so you can access the curriculum and develop your own sense of well-being.
The module explores the importance of communication and collaborative teamwork with families and professionals in supporting learners’ behaviour that impacts effectively on learning and teaching.
More information about this course
See the course specification for more information:
Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
If you successfully complete FdA Learning and Teaching with a merit or distinction, you can apply for the one-year BA (Hons) Learning and Teaching programme. This course enables you to gain a full Honours degree. You could then progress to postgraduate study.
If you wish to become a qualified teacher, you could apply for an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme as a route to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), such as the PGCE courses we run (though you are not guaranteed a place).
Alternatively, the detailed understanding of learning and teaching that you gain, can further your career within your own school or another organisation
Nic is a lecturer, teacher and theatre director. He has taught in a range of educational settings, including working in drama departments in universities for fifteen years and secondary schools for thirteen years, where he led one of the largest Drama cohorts in the UK. Nic has won various awards for his teaching and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He founded the award winning Small Change Theatre, whose productions Long Wave, Red Velvet and Making the Difference amongst others have toured nationally to a range of venues including BAC, Latitude Festival and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2023
Duration: 1 year full-time, One day per week
Code: X309
