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Practice Learning Placement 1 for Apprentices - SPY00046I

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  • Department: Social Policy and Social Work
  • Credit value: 60 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Professional requirements

70 days in practice learning are the requirement of Social Work England for this placement.

Related modules

Prerequisite: Social Work Practice Skills for Apprentices

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25 to Summer Semester 2024-25

Module aims

All social work apprentices are required to undertake a 70 day first placement. Your first placement will enable you to learn more about yourself as a learner and as a developing professional, and will offer opportunities for you to develop the skills you need to progress to the next level (see End of First Placement: Student PCF Descriptors available on the British Association of Social Workers website).

While on placement, apprentices will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.

There are a number of skills days scheduled throughout the placement, which are designed to help apprentices to develop their professional social work skills. There will be three ‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) embedded within skills days; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which apprentices reflect on their practice experience in small groups.

During the first placement apprentices will acquire professional capabilities across 9 domains. In attaining these capabilities, the national (Social Work England) expectation is that apprentices will gain practical experience of at least 200 days. This should include three elements –

  • 30 days of skills practice

  • 70 days first placement

  • 100 days final placement

This module is the 70 day first placement. Details of the Professional Capabilities Framework are at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/. “The Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) is the profession-owned backbone of social work education and professional development in England” (BASW 2018).

Module learning outcomes

During the first placement apprentices will demonstrate ‘professional capabilities’ across 9 ‘domains’ at the level appropriate to the End of First Placement.

LO1: Professionalism

LO2: Values & Ethics

LO3: Diversity & Equality

LO4: Right Justice & Economic Wellbeing

LO5: Knowledge

LO6: Critical Reflection & Analysis

LO7: Skills & Interventions

LO8: Contexts & Organisations

LO9: Professional Leadership

Details of professional capabilities expectations for each domain at: https://www.basw.co.uk/pcf/capabilities/?level=8

Module content

There will be an introductory lecture in Semester 1 Week 2, along with a practical ‘Placement Applications’ session.

Placement 1 starts in Semester 2. While on placement, apprentices will be supported by a Practice Educator (Registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ post-qualifying experience and a ‘Practice Education’ qualification) and a University Liaison.

There are a number of skills days scheduled throughout the placement, which are designed to help apprentices to develop their professional social work skills. There will be three ‘Professional Development Groups’ (PDGs) embedded within skills days; PDGs are 1 hour sessions at which apprentices reflect on their practice experience in small groups.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Pass/fail & Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Apprentices receive feedback from their Practice Educator as part of the report writing process. Apprentices are informed about their grade (P/F) within 4 weeks of submission.

Indicative reading

Banks, S. (2021) Ethics and Values in Social Work, (5th Edn.). London: Red Globe Press.

Beesley, P. (2019) Making the Most of Your Social Work Placement, London: SAGE Publications

Doel, M. and Shardlow, S. (2016) Modern Social Work Practice: Teaching and Learning in Practice Settings (3rd edn.). London: Routledge.

Rogers, M., Whitaker, D., Edmondson, D. & Peach, D. (2020) Developing skills for social work practice. (2nd Edn.). London: Sage.

Teater, B. (2014) An Introduction To Applying Social Work Theories And Methods. (2nd Edn.). Basingstoke: Open University Press.

Tedam, P. (2020) Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice. London: SAGE Publications


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.