
Become a primary school teacher
As a primary school teacher, you'll have the opportunity to foster a love of learning in pupils from the very beginning. You'll create a supportive and vibrant classroom environment where pupils can experience the joy of learning.
Why teach primary
Becoming a primary school teacher is an incredibly rewarding career. You'll work with young pupils who are eager to learn. You'll see them develop, from learning foundational skills like holding a pencil to becoming independent learners.
Teaching primary is a great fit for anyone who enjoys a broad curriculum, as you'll teach everything from maths to physical education. You'll create a nurturing environment in which pupils feel safe, grow in confidence and have the skills needed to transition to secondary school.
In addition to the personal rewards of teaching primary, there are practical benefits too, including:
- a competitive salary starting at £31k (or higher in London)
- a secure pension
- more holiday days than people in many other professions
- opportunities for progression
I adore the eagerness and excitement to learn shown by the children, and the overall sense of achievement when you realise you have been the one to teach a child a new skill.
What you'll teach at each age group
Pupils usually start primary school in England when they are 4 to 5 and leave when they are 11 years old. However, some could start when they are younger than 4, if there's a nursery attached to the school.
Find out more about teaching pupils before the age of 5.
Primary school is split into groups of years. The first year is known as reception and is part of the early years foundation stage (EYFS). In reception, schools must follow and meet the requirements of the EYFS statutory framework.
There are then 2 other groups of years known as key stages. In primary school the key stages are key stage 1 (KS1) and key stage 2 (KS2).
Reception
Reception is the last year of EYFS and the first year of primary school with children aged 4 to 5 years old. Reception is an exciting time for children as it's the first time they'll be part of a formal school setting.
The 7 areas of learning and development children will cover in reception are:
- communication and language
- personal, social and emotional development
- physical development
- literacy
- mathematics
- understanding the world
- expressive arts and design
At the end of reception, every child’s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals set out in the EYFS statutory framework.
Key stage 1 (KS1)
KS1 covers years 1 and 2 with pupils aged between 5 and 7. At this age, pupils will build on skills in maths, reading and writing. As their class teacher, you'll be responsible for delivering a broad range of lessons to pupils.
Schools which follow the national curriculum for KS1 will have to teach:
- art and design
- computing
- design and technology
- English
- geography
- history
- maths
- music
- physical education
- science
Religious education, and relationships and health education are also compulsory for all state-funded schools.
At the end of year 1, pupils will take a phonics screening test where they'll be asked to read from a list of 40 words to check their ability to read.
At the end of year 2, pupils may sit a more formal exam in English and maths to check what they have learnt so far.
Key stage 2 (KS2)
KS2 is years 3 to 6 with pupils aged between 7 and 11. In KS2, pupils will build on the skills they learnt in KS1 and be expected to become more independent. As their class teacher, you'll be responsible for teaching pupils all subjects.
Schools following the national curriculum for KS2 have to teach:
- a foreign language
- art and design
- computing
- design and technology
- English
- geography
- history
- maths
- music
- physical education
- science
Religious education, and relationships and health education are also compulsory for all state-funded schools.
At the end of year 4, pupils will take a multiplication tables check to see if they have learnt the skills which will help them with increasingly challenging maths.
At the end of KS2, pupils will sit national assessments in maths, science, English reading and writing. They'll then transition to secondary school. This is an exciting stage for pupils as they'll be ready to take on the new challenges of increasing independence and more in depth studies.
If teaching primary sounds like the career for you, find out more about how to become a teacher.
Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
All initial teacher training courses cover teaching pupils with SEND. Whether you train to teach in mainstream schools, special schools, or both, you’ll teach pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and learn how to support their needs.
Once you have gained qualified teacher status (QTS), you can choose to specialise in teaching and nurturing pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in a more SEND-focused role.
Start your journey into teaching primary
Check your qualifications
To train to teach primary in England, you'll need:
- GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English, maths and science
- a bachelor's degree in any subject
Find out about the qualifications needed to teach.
Fund your teacher training
As a trainee primary teacher, you may be eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan.
Even if you've had financial support for a previous course, you could still be eligible for funding to support your teacher training.
You may also be able to get extra funding and support if you're:
- a parent or carer
- disabled
- a veteran
Find out how you can fund your teacher training.
Get school experience
To help you decide if you want to start teacher training, you can get school experience.
Spending a few days in the classroom can help you find out what teaching is really like and give you the confidence to know it's the right career for you.
Progression as a primary school teacher
As a primary school teacher, there's plenty of opportunity for progression and opportunities to lead beyond the classroom. That could mean becoming a lead in a subject, leading a key stage or even becoming a part of the senior management team.
Teaching is such a rewarding career and offers levels of satisfaction that other professions could only dream of providing.
Support with teacher training
Throughout your initial teacher training, you'll have the support of a mentor.
Your mentor will:
- guide you through your training, sharing learning and career development opportunities with you
- meet with you regularly to make sure your training is a positive experience
You'll also be part of a welcoming school community where you'll learn from fellow teachers through taught sessions, seminars and workshops.
Once you've completed your initial teacher training, you'll continue to be supported during your first 2 years of teaching. Find out what support you'll get as an early career teacher.

Get free one-to-one support
An adviser with years of teaching experience can help you to become a teacher. Chat by phone, text, or email as little or often as you need.
Find out more about advisers