UCIL20001, UCIL21001, UCIL21002 and UCIL20002
Leadership of Learning - with Teaching Placement
- Applications are closed for 2024/5
- Semester 1 and 2
- Face-to-face
- 10 and 20 credits
Introduction
Are you considering a career in teaching or working with children and young people?
This unit, led by Dr Sue Goldrick, combines practical placement experience with interactive university seminars to develop your professional and reflective skills.
You will engage in a school placement in Greater Manchester (half a day per week over 8–10 weeks), which offers the opportunity to assist teaching and to support and inspire children and young people to engage in learning. At the same time, you will further your own learning through keeping a weekly journal and developing skills in analysis and reflection. This process aims to help you critically reflect on your experiences in one written assignment for 10 credits or two written assignments for 20 credits.
- Placement and seminar attendance are mandatory
- Applications for 2025/6 will open in Summer 2025.
- Limited places are available on this unit each year and an application form is required.
About
Do you believe in supporting every child’s right to grow and reach their full potential?
This course unit offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in an educational setting, act as a member of the teaching staff and gain knowledge working together in our seminars.
Beyond the placement, the course includes mandatory interactive seminars where you’ll explore topics such as safeguarding, inclusive education, professional relationships, and leadership in schools. These sessions provide essential underpinning to the placement, as they are designed to prepare you for the realities of educational practice and deepen your understanding of the English education system.
You’ll collaborate with peers from diverse academic backgrounds, sharing insights and reflecting on the complexities of educational practice. Whether you choose a primary (ages 3–11) or secondary (ages 11–16) placement, this unit will help you build transferable skills and gain meaningful experience that supports your future career aspirations.
Unit details
What should I know about this unit?
Leadership of Learning with Teaching Placement
Semester 1
UCIL20001 (10 Credits)
UCIL21001 (20 Credits)
Semester 2
UCIL21002 (10 Credits)
UCIL20002 (20 Credits)
- Level 2
- School of Environment, Education and Development
Limited places are available on this unit.
Applications will open in Summer 2025 for the 2025/6 academic year.
The unit aims to:
- Examine the role of reflective practice and critical incident analysis in professional learning.
- Encourage engagement in professional practice, recognising social responsibilities in schools that support diverse communities.
- Provide opportunities for structured reflection on practice-based experiences.
- Foster critical thinking by connecting practice-based experiences to theory and community contexts.
- Develop independent thinkers who seek theory to deepen understanding of teaching practice and children's learning.
- Raise awareness of your potential to impact diverse communities as educational professionals and citizens.
- Build professional relationships between UoM students, staff, local school colleagues and children to enhance children's life chances.
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
- Explain reflective professional practice and critical incident analysis.
- Recognise the professional role of teaching staff within educational contexts.
- Recognise diverse learner needs in an inclusive classroom.
- Identify personal experiences suitable for critical analysis and reflection.
- Describe and interpret observations from school placements.
- Critically analyse practice-based experiences, integrating academic and professional ideas.
- Develop well-considered arguments.
- Reflect on practice-based experiences using a critical incident framework.
- Evaluate your professional learning through reflective practice and critical incident analysis.
- Identify and appraise sources to inform learning and practice.
- Present ideas clearly, following academic and ethical protocols.
For 20 credits:
- Analyse and apply leadership concepts to enhance reflections on professional experiences and future learning.
10 credits
- Introduction: professionalism on school placement: expectations
- Safeguarding and professional conduct in schools
- Reflective practice and critical incidents
- Critical incident analysis and application to classroom experiences
- Professional relationships with teachers and pupils
- Inclusive practices for support teaching and learning
- Teaching and learning in contexts of socio-economic and cultural diversity
- Individual student-led five-minute teaching and reflection activity with peers
- Preparation for placement schools: details and expectations
- Experiential learning while on placement: half a day weekly for 10 weeks
20 Credits
- As above for 10 credits
- Leading learning in school and other contexts
- Key concepts and models of leadership: an evaluative review
- Leadership in a school context
- Reflecting on leadership styles
Please note: Attendance for University-based seminars and school placements is 100% mandatory.
10 and 20 credit units
- Mandatory seminars typically comprise collaborative task-based activities requiring pre and post seminar reading and preparation.
- Guest speakers provide in-person expert insights into real school practices and broader school contexts.
- Feedback opportunities include feedback during seminar tasks, formative feedback on optional draft extracts of written assignments, and feedback during tutorials with lecturers.
Timing of 10 credit unit
- 7 x 2 hour seminars: in-person and held at 4.30-6.30pm. 5 seminars are held over the first two weeks of the semester. Remaining 2 seminars are held later in the semester.
- Placement: half a day weekly for 10 weeks. Half day arranged to suit each placement school and individual student availability.
Timing of 20 credits unit
- 3 x 2 hour seminars: in-person and held weekly at 4.30-6.30pm, later in semester.
10 Credits
- Course work essay: Critical incident analysis and reflection, 2000 words (100%)
- Reflective journal portfolio (Pass/Fail)
20 Credits
- Course work essay: Critical incident Analysis and reflection, 2000 words (50%)
- Reflective journal portfolio (Pass/Fail)
- Course work essay: Experiences and reflections on leadership, 2000 words (50%)
- Sue Goldrick
- Colin Mills
- Pauline Prevett,
- An 'Access Manchester representative: Your Pathway to University' representative
- Guest teachers from local schools.
UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.
UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.
If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate Office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.
You can also contact the UCIL team if you have any questions.
Application process
Applications for the 2025/6 academic year will reopen shortly.
When applications are open, you will be required to do the following:
- Complete an application form
- Undertake an interview
- Clear a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check
How to enrol
This unit has a specific application process which is currently closed. Please check back shortly as applications will open over the summer for the 2025/6 academic year.
UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.
UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.
If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate Office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.
You can also contact the UCIL team if you have any questions.
Student testimonial
I built such an effective relationship with the school that I have extended it and I'm still there! This course has built my confidence and I have gained some excellent leadership skills.
Marcell Mapp
Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response student
