Become a primary school teacher
Primary school teachers deliver lessons in all areas of Curriculum for Excellence, including:
- Expressive Arts
- Health and Wellbeing
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Religious and Moral Education
- Sciences
- Social Studies
- Technologies
"The biggest myth about primary school teaching is that ‘you just play all day’. The job is challenging and takes a great amount of planning but it is rewarding."Mark Pitblado – Primary School Teacher at Aberhill Primary School
They also usually work closely with the same group of children across the school year.
Undergraduate routes to becoming a primary school teacher in Scotland
For the four-year combined degree, and other undergraduate degree programmes, you must have at least:
- English and two other National Qualifications at SCQF Level 6 (Higher Grade) AND
- Mathematics and one other subject at SCQF Level 5 (or an accepted alternative, for example, National 5, Credit Standard Grade or Intermediate 2).
- Queen Margaret University
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Dundee
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
- University of the Highlands and Islands (English medium)
- University of the Highlands and Islands (Gaelic medium)
- University of Stirling
- University of Strathclyde
- University of the West of Scotland
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (music only)
If you don’t have the English or Mathematics qualifications to enter teaching in Scotland, you can join Online Access Courses in English (SCQF Level 6) and Maths (SCQF Level 5). These allow you to work flexibly towards attaining these qualifications.
- An undergraduate degree validated by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom or a degree of an equivalent standard from an institution outside the United Kingdom AND
- A National Qualification in English at SCQF Level 6 (for example, Higher Grade) or an accepted alternative AND
- A National Qualification in Mathematics at SCQF Level 5 (for example, National 5, Credit Standard Grade or Intermediate 2) or an accepted alternative.
Find out more about the PGDE courses offered at these universities:
The following teacher education programmes allow for much greater flexibility in your route into teaching:
- MSc Transformative Learning and Teaching programme (Primary & Secondary) – University of Edinburgh
- BSc Education and Curricular Studies with Teaching Qualification (STEM) – University of Strathclyde
- BSc (Honours) with a Primary Teaching Qualification and specialism –University of Stirling
- BA (Hons) Food, Nutrition and Textiles Education – University of the Highlands and Islands
- BSc (Hons) Secondary including Physics, Chemistry and Maths – University of the West of Scotland
Students of primary education explore innovative ways of working with children and learn how to put their pupils at the centre of everything they do.
Your course will cover:
- professional practice – including placements in schools
- subject-based academic electives
- core curriculum content modules
- electives related to learning and teaching in different curriculum areas.
You’ll be fully supported as you work to achieve the Standard for Full Registration required to enter the teaching profession.
There are a number of programmes that allow you to teach in Primary Schools through the Medium of Gaelic:
- MA Primary Education with Gaelic (Learners) – University of Edinburgh, Undergraduate 5 years (with immersion year)
- MA Primary Education with Gaelic (Fluent) – University of Edinburgh, Undergraduate 4 years
- BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education – University of the Highlands and Islands, Undergraduate 4 years
- BA (Hons) Primary Education – University of Strathclyde, Undergraduate 4 years
- PGDE Primary Education – University of Strathclyde
- PGDE Primary (Gaelic Medium) – University of the Highlands and Islands