Primary Mental Health and Wellbeing Specialist with QTS PGCE
GOV.UK code: S648
Become a role model and leader for primary school mental health and wellbeing. Gain recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on our PGCE programme. Take your specialist knowledge to lead mental health and wellbeing initiatives in schools.
Open to applications for September 2025, subject to validation.
Overview
| Course length: | 1 year full-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2025 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University |
| Subject(s): | Education and Teaching |
| Faculty: | Education |
| Department: | Primary and Childhood Education |
Successful completion of the programme leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Every school needs a Mental Health and Wellbeing expert. That could be you. Our PGCE Primary Mental Health and Wellbeing Specialist QTS course provides a high-quality teacher training experience alongside developing your knowledge and expertise in relation to Mental Health and Wellbeing including gaining a nationally recognised qualification. You’ll learn how to educate children aged 5-11 in all primary curriculum subjects, and craft specialist knowledge to support the leading mental health and wellbeing initiatives in schools.
You’ll spend lots of time on placement in schools, where we’ll support you in meeting the Teachers’ Standards. You’ll gain the essential professional skills and knowledge for a two-year induction as an early career primary teacher and mental health and wellbeing specialist.
Graduating as a primary mental health and wellbeing specialist, you’ll be a role model and a leader to your colleagues. You’ll set an example for teaching and learning in ways that are enriching, engaging and inspiring for young children.
Course features
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Professional practice placements
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Professional accreditation
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International students can apply
What you'll study
The course is made up of four key elements. The first is academic study at Masters level. This will teach you vital academic and professional skills for teaching and exploring the principles of learning and curriculum design. You will develop your knowledge of evidence-informed practice, which you will be able to apply to your development as a teacher. You’ll also get to work on your specialist knowledge of primary mental health and wellbeing.
The next element is the development of professional curriculum subject knowledge. You’ll learn how to make sure children progress with, and enjoy, their learning, become familiar with the National Curriculum for England, and develop approaches for teaching each subject. Teaching workshops will boost your confidence in managing classrooms.
You’ll develop subject and teaching knowledge through professional placements. This is essential for achieving qualified teacher status, and will allow you to spend a significant amount of time in schools and other educational settings. You’ll also collaborate within your community of peers and tutors through online study.
Finally, there’s the mental health and wellbeing element. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with a nationally recognised qualification, undertake a specialist ITAP with additional time spent in school focussing on mental health and wellbeing whole school approaches and developing your skills to lead provision in this area. You will engage with sector experts and have the opportunity to become part of the Edge Hill community leading the way in working with children and schools to improve all children’s mental health and broader life chances.
How you'll study
Your learning experience will include lectures, seminars, workshop sessions and tutorials delivered using a hybrid blend of on-campus and online teaching. Independent study will be supported by materials provided through the virtual learning environment using a range of online teaching tools and applications. Your university-based experiences will be underpinned by reference to current research.
You will also undertake Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) as a specific and focused element of our teacher training curriculum. This is designed to consolidate your knowledge of effective teaching, and enable you to rehearse and obtain feedback from experts on your practice. Our ITAPs are designed to utilise the latest research and technology as well as draw on the outstanding mentors, tutors, and teacher expertise from across our partnership.
Over the course of your training, you will have the opportunity to participate in several days of Intensive Practice focusing on aspects of pivotal practice such as; behaviour management, scaffolding, professional behaviours and questioning. During periods of ITAP, your timetable may differ and you may be required to attend campus and/or a placement on days outside of the usual pattern.
As part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing specialist pathway you will undertake an ITAP focussed in this area. You will develop your knowledge gained from academic sessions and look at whole school approaches to Mental Health. You will be working at the University alongside time spent in school observing and working with Mental Health leads.
You will spend a significant amount of time undertaking professional practice placements, normally in key stages 1 and 2 in schools and other educational settings. During these experiences you will have opportunities to observe the work of expert practitioners. You will reflect on and discuss this practice with those practitioners and your trained school-based mentor. As you take on increasing responsibility for children’s learning and development, you will start by working with small groups under the direction of the class teacher, sometimes with a student teacher partner, and progress to planning for and working with the whole class for significant periods of time, managing the learning of every child.
How you'll be assessed
Assessment strategies will include presentations to different audiences, academic essays individually tailored around your own professional interests, and ongoing task submission.
During professional practice your school-based mentor will assess your development through reflective conversations, reviewing and discussing your planning and assessment records, observing your teaching, and gathering the perspectives of other adults and, of course, of the children who work with you.
In all cases, you will be given clear assessment guidance. The assessment criteria will be shared with you and you will be given constructive feedback to help you to set targets and identify actions to help you make further progress.
You will compile an electronic portfolio that brings together evidence to demonstrate your professional development and your ability to meet the Teachers’ Standards.
There are no formal written examinations as part of the current assessment methods on this programme.
Who will be teaching you
The Faculty of Education has been at the forefront of teacher education for 140 years and today enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of education, training and research for the children’s workforce.
You will be taught in University and on professional practice in schools by a range of highly qualified and experienced teachers and tutors who are dedicated to excellence in primary education and who will model high quality practice to enable you to develop your own teaching style.
You will also have the opportunity to engage with sector leads in the area of Mental Health and Wellbeing and experts from schools working with children and leading provision.
You will be supported throughout your programme by a personal academic tutor who will help you to manage your workload, engage with your academic studies, prepare for professional practice placements and secure your first teaching post.
The Edge Hill lead mentors and mentor leadership team play an important part in your teacher training as experts in their field. They have a deep knowledge of the trainee curriculum and support trainees and mentors to make progress providing guidance and support on aspects of the curriculum and assessment.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
When you apply, you are expected to have:
- A degree equivalent to UK first-class or second-class honours (2:2 or above). No specific subjects are required.
- GCSE English Language or English Literature at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or equivalent
- GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or equivalent
- GCSE Science at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or equivalent
- A commitment to, and understanding of, primary education, demonstrating the personal attributes, values and motivation required to train as a teacher.
Please note, for the purposes of initial teacher training, level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade C or Grade 4 in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics.
An interview forms part of the selection process, which can be conducted online or face to face.
If you accept a formal offer from Edge Hill University you will be required to meet the Department for Education’s standards for physical and mental fitness to teach and clearance to work with children. Further information, including a Declaration of Health questionnaire and details of how to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure will be sent to you after you have firmly accepted an offer.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.5, with a score no lower than 6.0 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
- If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
How to apply
Apply full-time
Read our guide to applying for PGCEs and Postgraduate Teacher Training to find out more about the application process.
International
Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
There’s plenty of opportunities to come take a look around campus. Attend one of our open days to see what life at Edge Hill University is all about.
Book an open day
Facilities
The Faculty of Education enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of transformative education, training and research for the teaching and education workforce. Housed in a state-of-the-art £9m building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.
Facilities in the lakeside building include a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, and 18 teaching rooms complete with the latest technology.
Our nearby piazza building houses our Research Hub and our Secondary and Further Education department including a lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms.
Where you'll study
Faculty of Education
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Full-Time
£9,535
a year
International
£17,000
a year
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Your future career
This specialist PGCE programme is perfect for anyone wanting to become a primary teacher and take their first steps towards becoming a mental health and wellbeing lead in a school setting. If you are an aspiring teacher and want to become a primary mental health and wellbeing specialist this course is for you.
Successful completion of the programme will enable you to gain recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You will be well placed to progress into employment as an early career teacher within a primary school.
Our graduates work for schools in the UK and overseas. With your primary education knowledge and classroom skills, you’ll meet and exceed the national standards for Qualified Teacher Status. And you’ll be able to teach across the whole primary (5-11) age range in new and creative ways. With specialist knowledge of an aspect of education, you may progress onto a subject leadership role in a school.
You’ll complete a live exam called a VIVA at the end of the course. Your personal tutor will support you with this. It’s your opportunity to celebrate everything you’ve achieved throughout the degree. You’ll also take a professional portfolio out with you into your graduate career.
