Personal Tutor System - University of Exeter

Code of Good Practice - Personal Tutor System
TQA Manual - Introduction and Contents
1. Introduction
This Code outlines the minimum requirements for Personal Tutor arrangements. It
should be read in conjunction with the Personal Tutor Manual produced annually by
Academic Development.
2. Purpose of the Personal Tutor system
2.1 The intention of the Personal Tutoring System is to ensure that each student is assigned
a named academic contact within the College who they can talk to about their personal
development, career planning and pastoral concerns.
2.2 Every student on a taught programme of study will have a Personal Tutor. Support for
the personal development and welfare of postgraduate research students is covered by
the Code of Practice – Supervision of Postgraduate Research Students.
2.3 Although the role of Personal Tutors should be distinguished from that of academic
tutors it is likely that a Personal Tutor will also be one of the student’s academic tutors.
The role of Personal Tutors involves providing advice and support to the student across
the programme of study and reviewing wider academic progress. Their support extends
to personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness.
Academic tutors are involved with supporting students on individual modules.
2.4 The Personal Tutor is a student’s first port of call in matters relating to students’ personal
development, academic progress and welfare. The Personal Tutor is not an expert in all
areas of support but will know about support services that are available to students and
will make sure that tutees are made aware of other support services available to them,
including AccessAbility and the Students Guild
4. Responsibilities of Personal Tutors
4.1 Tutorials
Personal Tutors should meet with their first year undergraduate tutees at least twice
each semester; non-first year undergraduates and PGT students should have at least
three Personal Tutor meetings per year.
4.2 Personal Tutors should ensure that their first meeting with new undergraduate student
tutees is held by the end of their first week of study. This meeting can be a formal tutorial
meeting or may form part of the College’s induction programme.
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4.3 Tutorial meetings may be held in group tutorials where this is appropriate to the purpose
of the tutorial.
4.4 Personal Tutors should also set aside designated time each week during term-time to be
available to see personal tutees without prior appointment. These arrangements should
be communicated to students in an appropriate manner. Personal Tutorial hours are not
intended to be in addition to office hours but to more clearly indicate the times that tutors
are available to students for Personal Tutor meetings.
4.5 Personal Tutors are responsible for calling a tutorial meeting where there are reports of
unsatisfactory attendance or performance from module conveners or in the event of any
other cause for concern.
4.6 Personal Tutors should inform students by email of the purpose of any tutorials and of
any preparations that the student should complete in advance of a tutorial. Tutorials
should be scheduled at appropriate times during the year to review progress and to
provide advice and guidance as necessary.
4.7 A record should be kept of each meeting and any follow-up actions agreed
4.8 Personal Tutors will be familiar with the University’s guidance on confidentiality. Where a
student raises matters in confidence, this confidence must be respected, unless there is
a risk of harm to the student or others. The student should be strongly advised to seek
any further support as appropriate.
5. Responsibilities of students
5.1 Students are regarded as active partners in their learning and development at the
University, and a degree of professionalism is expected from them. It is therefore
expected that students will attend all scheduled meetings requested by Personal Tutors,
or agree an alternative time as convenient. Students should be prepared for tutorial
discussions and respond to requests for information as required by the College.
5.2 Students are also encouraged to be proactive in identifying and accessing any relevant
skills training offered by the College or the University, as appropriate and to take note of,
and respond to, feedback and guidance from Personal Tutors.
5.3 Where a student’s personal or other circumstances are impacting on their academic
progress it is expected that they will inform their Personal Tutor, and discuss ways to
resolve such circumstances. .
5.4 Students should inform the University Registry of any changes in address or similar
personal details by logging into MyExeter and clicking the student record tab to amend
contact details.
5.5 Students should check their University email at least once per day for messages from
the Personal Tutor and other members of staff.
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6. Responsibilities of the College or Partner Institution
6.1 The College (or Partner Institution) should make available to students and staff clear
information concerning the provision of personal tutoring and support for students’
personal development within the College.
6.2 The College should be mindful of the University’s Diversity and Equality Policy when
allocating Personal Tutors and considering any requests from students to change their
Personal Tutors. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/equality
6.3 It is recognised that staff other than academic staff, such as secretaries and technicians,
often provide a listening ear for students outside the tutorial framework. It is therefore
important that Colleges/partners ensure that they, too, are aware of this Code.
6.4 The College should factor in personal tutoring duties when considering workload models.
7. Senior Tutor
7.1 Each College should have at least one Senior Tutor or equivalent key contact, who can
provide guidance, support and resources to other Personal Tutors in the College
including, where appropriate, schedules, suggested agendas and checklists to maximise
consistency in the student experience of personal tutoring in a College.
7.2 The Senior Tutor should be able to signpost Personal Tutors to additional sources of
support, guidance and training and assist, as appropriate, in the management of more
complex cases such as those involving disciplinary and Fitness to Study procedures.
7.2 Senior Tutors are expected to liaise and share practice with colleagues in similar roles
across the University through participation in the Senior Tutor Forum, facilitated by a
central coordinator in Academic Development. Senior Tutors are also expected to work
with SSLCs and to provide updates on personal tutoring to College Education Strategy
Meetings.
8. Allocation of Personal Tutors
8.1 Colleges are responsible for allocating a Personal Tutor to all taught students and
recording these in the student record system.
8.2 Colleges should also provide clear, transparent information to students on how to
change their Personal Tutor, without the need for students to give a reason for their
request.
8.3 Unless there is a specific need to provide two Personal Tutors, Combined Honours
students, and FCH students, should be allocated only one Personal Tutor. However,
there should also be a named contact in the other College where this applies, to provide
specialist guidance in relation to module choice and any other issues arising that are
related to the other College. In the case of such students, Personal Tutors may need to
liaise with the named contact in the tutee’s other College from time to time.
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9. Support for Personal Tutors
9.1 Colleges must ensure that staff allocated to undertake personal tutoring are properly
trained (including disability awareness training), fully briefed and aware of the relevant
learning and development opportunities available to them as Personal Tutors, and that
all tutors are provided with access to the University’s Personal Tutor Manual and
resources on the University website.
9.2 Colleges must ensure that Personal Tutors and students are aware of the University’s
Health Well Being and Fitness to Study policy
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/policies/calendar/part1/otherregs/health/ and to the
Mitigation Policy
9.2 Colleges must also provide Personal Tutors with basic information about their tutees at
the outset of the programme and ensure that Personal Tutors have access to, or receive
information about their tutees’ academic progress.
9.3 Personal Tutors should be prepared to write a reference for the tutee unless alternative
provision is made by a College employability officer or other individual who knows the
tutee.
10. Monitoring and enhancement
10.1 Colleges should monitor students’ attendance at scheduled personal tutorials and have
in place standard procedures for following up students who fail to attend such prearranged
meetings.
10.2 Colleges should also monitor personal tutoring through reviewing the results of
University surveys, as well as through other College monitoring and evaluation
processes, as appropriate. Personal tutoring should be a standing item on the agenda
for SSLCs.
10.3 At University level, the effectiveness of personal tutoring provision in Colleges will be
monitored through quality processes such as the Annual Student Experience Review
and inclusion of questions relating to Personal Tutor support in University surveys.
10.4 The Senior Tutor Forum will produce a yearly commentary to Taught Faculty Board,
identifying progress and issues regarding the personal tutoring system. The
commentary may also refer to the appropriateness of structures; roles and
responsibilities; allocation of tutors to tutees; workload; attendance monitoring, student
feedback, observations regarding general trends and examples of good practice.
Last reviewed September 2013
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