Principles of Leadership and Management

ILM Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management

About the course

The ILM Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management is designed for new and aspiring leaders who are beginning to take on leadership or management responsibilities.

This qualification provides learners with a solid grounding in leadership and management principles, helping them develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to deal with management responsibilities and perform effectively in their role.

For those working in early years settings, the course supports practitioners who are starting to take on or looking to take on additional responsibility, support colleagues, or develop leadership confidence within their setting.

Course start date: 6^th March 2026

Funding information

This course is fully funded for eligible learners living or working in West Yorkshire and is being delivered by Realise on behalf of West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

There is no cost to the learner, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Who is this qualification for?

This qualification is ideal for:

• New or aspiring junior managers
• Practitioners beginning to take on leadership responsibilities
• Early years staff looking to develop leadership confidence
• Those supporting, guiding or supervising others within a team

Learners do not need to be in a formal management role to benefit from this course.

Benefits for learners

By completing this qualification, learners will:

• Gain a solid grounding in how to organise, manage and motivate teams
• Build confidence in their ability to perform in a leadership role
• Learn tools and techniques to develop themselves as leaders
• Achieve a nationally recognised ILM qualification

Benefits for employers

Employers benefit from:

• Confident and effective managers and team leaders
• Improved communication and productivity
• More motivated and engaged teams
• A flexible qualification that helps develop first-line management skills

Course structure

The qualification starts with one mandatory unit, which focuses on using information to make effective decisions and solve problems.

Learners then choose optional units from Levels 2, 3 and 4, allowing the learning to be tailored to individual roles and development needs.

Mandatory unit

Optional units may include:

• Understanding Leadership
• Leading and Motivating a Team Effectively
• Planning and Allocating Work
• Developing Yourself and Others
• Understanding Communication in the Workplace
• Managing Change and Innovation

Qualification overview:

• Qualification: ILM Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management
• Credit value: 15

Delivery

This course will be delivered in the evenings via a 2.5 hour weekly webinar with additional support workshops available.

Is this course right for you?

This course is suitable for learners who want to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and take on greater responsibility, and who are eligible for fully funded training through West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Eligibility criteria:

Aged 19–23

• If this is your first Level 3 qualification, the course is fully funded.
• If you already have a Level 3 or higher, funding may still be available.
• You cannot be earning over £25,750 to access funding.
• Living in West Yorkshire.

Aged 24 or over

• You can apply whatever qualifications you already have
• If this is your first Level 3, your wage doesn’t affect your eligibility
• If you already have a Level 3 or higher, you cannot be earning over £25,750 to access funding.
• Living in West Yorkshire.