The University of Reading is aiming to inspire more early years practitioners to go into teaching by offering a PGCE course that brings together students training to teach different age ranges with a cross-curricular approach.
I was delighted when I read Sir Jim Rose's recent Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum. It confirms that the approach of our course is in line with its recommendations. It feels good to know we are doing a good job to train the teachers of the future.
On the day this came out, trainee teachers at Reading University were starting their cross-curricular project. For some years students following the one-year PGCE course to become a primary teacher have taken part in a project to plan for an imaginary school in a creative way. They are asked to present their curriculum subjects using topics or themes such as global citizenship, families and festivals. This is one of the recommendations of the Primary Review, which asks for 'a curriculum design based on a clear set of culturally derived aims and values, which promote challenging subject teaching alongside equally challenging cross-curricular studies'.
To help students understand cross-curricular teaching or the integrated curriculum, teachers and children come from local schools to talk to students about how they do it. The work culminates in the presentation of the project through a display aimed at children.
Another aspect of the rationale for the cross-curricular project is for the students to work together as a team. Early years students learning to teach three- to seven-year-olds and Key Stage 2 students learning to teach seven- to 11-year-olds all have to muck in and get on, sharing good practice and developing understanding. Here we seem to have been ahead of the game as the Review talks about making sure the curriculum for under- and over-fives is more joined up. In this way our trainees get to know about the different age phases and understand where children have come from and where they are going.
- Further information: The University of Reading's 36-week Primary PGCE is for those training to teach three- to seven-year-olds or five- to 11-year-olds. Visit www.reading.ac.uk.
