Introduction
The Personal Tutor System
- A Personal Tutor is a member of academic staff who provides guidance and support to students on personal, academic and professional development and acts as the first point of contact for pastoral care regarding student welfare.
- All students pursuing programmes of study at The College must have a named Personal Tutor.
- The Personal Tutoring system offers guidance and support to students with their personal, academic, and professional development.
The Role of The College
- To provide clear information to students and staff regarding the provision of Personal Tutoring in The College.
- To ensure that all students enrolled with The College are allocated a named Personal Tutor at the commencement of their programme.
- To ensure that students know how to contact/access Personal Tutors.
- To ensure that an appropriate system is maintained to effectively monitor Personal Tutoring in The College.
- To ensure that clear information is provided to students on how to request a change of Personal Tutor.
- To consider the ratio of students to Personal Tutors to ensure a fair allocation, taking into account overall workload.
- To appoint a member(s) of staff with responsibility for coordinating the Personal Tutoring arrangements within the College.
The Role of the Personal Tutor
- Personal Tutors should make initial contact with their tutees to arrange the dates and times of proposed Personal Tutor sessions.
- Students can additionally contact their Personal Tutor as and when required throughout the semester.
- Personal Tutors should provide advice and support to tutees in matters related to their personal development and academic progress and support tutees in identifying help with welfare issues.
- Personal Tutors should familiarise themselves with sources of specialist advice and support from University Professional Services, for example in respect of students with disabilities, international students and safeguarding issues.
- Personal Tutors should provide information to tutees on sources of guidance and support available in the University.
- Personal Tutors (should follow up tutees who do not attend Personal Tutor meetings and if there are concerns regarding their progress. Students should receive a personal email if they miss a Personal Tutor appointment.
- Personal Tutors must be familiar with the University’s guidance on confidentiality in addition to any guidance issued by professional and statutory bodies.
- Personal Tutors should recognise the boundaries of their role and seek to direct students to specialist sources of advice and support where appropriate.
- Personal Tutors should ensure that they operate within the framework for student support within the University.
Personal Tutoring Requirements
4.1 For new students there shall be two Personal Tutor engagements, one individual and one group. For returning students, there shall be one individual Personal Tutor engagement.
4.2 Personal Tutors should clearly inform tutees of the purpose of the meeting to ensure tutees and personal tutors find value and purpose to the meetings.
4.3 Students may also request that an individual meeting be held with their Personal Tutor to discuss any specific needs and requirements they may have. Faculties/Schools must make provision for individual mentor meetings within a reasonable period.
4.4 Students will be supported to request a change of Personal Tutor. However, multiple requests to change will be subject to the discretion of the Executive Dean (or nominee). Requests will take into consideration Personal Tutors allocated tutee numbers.
Student Responsibilities
5.1 To attend Personal Tutor meetings, whether individual or group, and to inform their mentor, in advance, of any instances of unavoidable absence.
5.2 To use the meeting to discuss their personal and academic development.
5.3 To inform Personal Tutors and/or College staff who support student welfare of any personal circumstances that might be affecting attendance and academic progress.
5.4 To declare any needs for specific support from the University and to actively seek such support.
5.5 To respond actively to feedback and guidance provided and opportunities to enhance personal development including employability.
5.6 To inform Personal Tutors of their inclusion as a named referee in respect of any applications for employment or other purposes. In all cases, students must provide the Personal Tutor with relevant information regarding the purpose of the reference.
5.7 If you are unsure who your Personal Tutor is, please contact The College.
Monitoring and Recording
The College uses current University wide platform(s) for maintaining and monitoring their Personal Tutoring arrangements. This is particularly important in the context of the University’s obligations under its UK Visas and Immigration Licence.
6.2 The College also monitor Personal Tutoring through reviewing the outcomes of University student experience surveys and through relevant monitoring and evaluation systems.
6.3 The College keeps a record of attendance at Personal Tutor sessions.
6.4 Students are provided with the opportunity to comment upon the effectiveness of Personal Tutoring arrangements in accordance with the University’s quality assurance procedures.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
7.1 Personal Tutors must not disclose information obtained from students to third parties without the prior consent of the student. Third parties include the student’s family, friends, landlords and other enquirers.
7.2 Exceptions to this involve situations where it is considered that the student is at serious risk of harming themselves or others, there are safeguarding concerns, or where disclosure is required by law.
7.3 Personal Tutors must be aware that the Data Protection legislation provides students with the legal right, upon request, to access records of meetings with Personal Tutors.
7.4 Personal Tutors must be aware of the requirements of professional and statutory bodies in respect of confidentiality.
7.5 The University’s Compliance Officer can be contacted for guidance on the release of information and data protection issues.
Support for Personal Tutors
8.1 The University will provide online resources for Personal Tutors to guide, inform and support staff in undertaking this very important role. The Personal Tutors’ resources will raise awareness of the personal and academic requirements of students and the various support services that exist to help students within and outside of the University.