PBS policy and guidelines for personal
tutoring
PBS follows Plymouth University policy (These will be hyperlinks on we have a Moodle site - in red
from hereon) on Personal Tutoring and, in addition, has developed particular policy and guidelines
for our staff and students. Our aim is to achieve parity of experience for our students, as a result of
consistency in our approach, and to create a high level of satisfaction with personal tutoring in the
School. We know from student feedback that students, above all, appreciate tutors who are
approachable and caring, and who do their best to be available for students. Despite the other
demands on our time, it is crucial that we set aside hours for carrying out our personal tutoring
duties.
Personal tutoring - workload allowance
Each tutee carries one WLU. WLUs equate to one teaching hour, but this is in fact approximately 3
‘real’ hours, as each teaching hour includes one hour of marking and one of preparation. Generally,
staff will be allocated 25 tutees and given 25 WLUs. Used wisely, this should be enough time to
engage in email or telephone contact with tutees and arrange and run face-to face meetings. In
recognition of the fact that third year direct entry international students require more time and
support than other students, WLU allocation for them is at 1.5 WLUs, so those members of staff who
have third year direct entry tutees should be allocated fewer students (17) for the same WLU
allowance. Allocation of tutees is done by your DGL.
Student engagement
Tutors often complain that students fail to engage with Personal tutoring. This may be because in
the past they have not perceived the value of regular contact with their tutor. The way to resolve
this is two-fold; first by clearly informing the students of the role the tutor plays, and second by
ensuring that the experience of engaging with the tutor is rewarding – students rapidly disengage
with anything they regard as a waste of time. To this end, the Senior Personal Tutor with the
Associate Head of School for Teaching and Learning will be putting into place a system that embeds
Personal Tutoring within programmes wherever possible, with the content of tutorials linked to
students learning experiences in their programmes, and information about Personal Tutoring will be
given in induction at all stages. This will obviously raise expectations, and we shall be relying on the
Personal Tutors to then be proactive in following up by contacting their tutees to arrange meetings
in a timely manner. Staff based in Mast House who have undergraduate tutees will need to make
arrangements to see them in Cookworthy. There are bookable meeting rooms: Cky 204, Cky 222 and
Cky 306 are suitable for this purpose, as well as the top floor of the refectory for more informal / less
confidential meetings. Classrooms can also be booked for group meetings using the online booking
system http://wrb.uopnet.plymouth.ac.uk/.
If students fail to engage there are a series of standard communications that can sent (and adapted
as you see fit). Please ensure that the Senior Personal Tutor and the Programme Manager are
copied into the second and final communications and that there is a flag on S3.
S3
S3 is a student record system, designed by Paul Dowland which is simple and intuitive to use,
provides a wealth of information about students and allows you to contact students, record dates of
tutorial meetings, and make notes that can be accessed by other members of staff. As such it is an
excellent system for information sharing. Please record tutorial meetings, as this, alongside other
data provided by S3, will allow us to monitor students’ engagement, and will allow another member
of staff to take over your personal tutees if needed.
Personal tutorials – frequency of meetings
Tutees are entitled to expect three meetings per academic year with their tutor. At least one of
these should be an individual face to face meeting, and with students in their first year of study with
Plymouth University, this should be at least two. For some matters, group meetings may be
effective and efficient, but if the first meeting of the year is a group meeting, this should be followed
up by individual meetings as soon as possible, particularly in the case of students in their first year of
study with us. Plymouth University policy states that students should see their tutor twice in the
first term.
Writing references for students
This is an important role, particularly in the final year. Guidance on writing references for students
and templates are available on Moodle.
Personal tutorials – focus themes
To give the tutorials a clear purpose, and practical and measurable outcomes, each tutorial should
have a main focus, which is suggested for its relevance to students at a particular stage and point in
the year. Of course, other issues which you feel are relevant and appropriate can and should also be
explored. The foci are listed below and hyperlinks take you to the documentation to support the
particular focus of a meeting.
Whatever the focus of the meeting, it is always important to offer general academic guidance and
advice, and to check on their progress (Tutor to access S3 for provisional marks), and to check on the
student’s general welfare by asking questions about their accommodation, enjoyment of their
studies, engagement in social activities, etc., which invite them to raise issues if they need to. See 7
steps to Personal tutoring; Guidelines for Personal Tutors and Dealing with Students in Distress.
Given that feedback on work is an area of student dissatisfaction, across the sector and for PBS, it
would be very useful to offer to go over marked work with students to see if they can interpret the
feedback, to encourage them to be proactive in seeking further clarification if they need to, and to
help them to plan how to improve their future work as a result. Note, this is not requiring you to
stand in for the marker in any way but simply to support the student in clarifying their own
interpretation of the feedback by encouraging them to answer the questions: What does this
feedback tell me about where am I now? What do I want / need to achieve? How can I close the gap?
and so develop self-assessment and proactive planning skills.
Stage one
Introductions to personal tutors should take place in induction week.
First meeting – early term one.





Check that tutee understands your role and how to contact you
Check their knowledge of university facilities and procedures
Check their personal well-being and that they are settling in well
Learn about them as a student and a person (Personal details form)
Encourage them to begin to consider Personal Development goals (this may tie in with
specific work they are doing on the stage one immersive module/PDP100 – you may wish to
consult programme managers)
Subsequent meeting 1 (ideally later in term one)


Tutee to provide update on progress with studies and with familiarising themselves with
university facilities and extra-curricular activities
Tutee to provide evidence of setting SMART Personal Development objectives relating to
university studies.
Subsequent meeting 2 (ideally mid / late second term)





Tutee to provide review of year on their progress with studies (Tutor to access S3 for
provisional marks) and extra-curricular activities they have engaged in
Tutee to review achievement of Personal Development objectives and provide tutor with CV
Tutee to inform tutor on module choices for coming year and plans for summer
Advise tutees on importance of developing employability
Remind tutees to complete SPQ
Stage two
First meeting – early term one



Tutee to update tutor on activities engaged in over the summer, and provide updated CV if
appropriate
Review PD to date, including study skills
Discuss preparation for placement if appropriate, or other plans for developing
employability skills
Subsequent meeting 1 (late term one / early term two)




Tutee to update on extra-curricular activities / employability skills
Monitor and discuss their progress
Make recommendations to help the student to improve their performance
Discuss their placements opportunities / choices
Subsequent meeting 2 (late term two)





Review of year (Tutor to access S3 for provisional marks)
Review of personal development
Discussion of readiness for placement / plans to develop employability if not doing
placement (chase up any students who have not informed you of their plans)
Discuss choice of modules for final stage
Remind tutees to complete SPQ
Final Stage
First meeting – early term one




Tutee to inform on progress in their studies and discussion of how to achieve the best
possible result for them (Tutor to access S3 for provisional marks)
Advice on any remaining deficits in study strategies and sign-posting of support
Tutee to provide updated CV and details of employability skills in preparation for reference
Remind students of importance of providing feedback via NSS
Subsequent meeting 1 term 2




Tutees to update tutor on plans for after graduation and provide further information that
can be used to provide references.
Discuss draft reference
Check for signs of stress due to approaching finals
Remind students to complete NSS
Subsequent meeting 2 term 2





Discuss their plans for after graduation
Complete final draft of reference
Check for signs of stress due to approaching finals
Remind students to complete NSS if not already done
Inform them of alumni network
Direct Entry stage two
First meeting – early in term one



As stage one students, plus gather information from students on prior experience / studies.
If from overseas, inform tutee of English Language Centre support
Check their personal well-being and how they are settling in
Then as stage two students.
Direct Entry final stage
First meeting – early in term one





As stage one students, plus gather information from students on prior experience / studies.
Check understanding of differences are between the university and the college
Check time management and autonomous learning skills
If from overseas, inform tutee of English Language Centre support
Check their personal well-being and how they are settling in
Subsequent meeting 1 – it is important that this should take place mid-term one.



Review their progress to date and signpost support as needed.
Check they have been accessing English and /or study skills support
Tutee to provide information for references
Subsequent meeting 2 – this should take place early in term 2




Update on progress with studies so far and any remedial or development action that needs
to be taken (Tutor to access S3 for provisional marks)
Discussion on plans for after graduation and any employability skills developed.
Check for signs of stress on approaching finals
Inform them of alumni network
The information above, with the exception of that for direct entry students is summarised in
the following table.
Personal Tutors Generic Points for Discussion with Students
Stage 1
1st meeting (early term one)
2nd meeting (Term 1)
3rd meeting (Term 2)

Check that tutee understands your role and
how to contact you
Check their knowledge of university
facilities and procedures
Check their personal well-being and that
they are settling in well
Learn about them as a student and a
person
Encourage them to begin to consider
Personal Development goals
Discuss on-going piece of work if
appropriate


If the student is direct entry see above
Tutee to update tutor on activities engaged
in over the summer, and provide updated
CV if appropriate
Review PD to date, including study skills
Discuss preparation for placement if
appropriate, or other plans for developing
employability skills






Stage 2






Tutee to provide update on progress with
studies and with familiarising themselves
with university facilities and extra-curricular
activities
Tutee to supply an example of feedback on
their work
Tutee to provide evidence of setting
SMART Personal Development objectives










Tutee to update on extra-curricular
activities / employability skills
Monitor and discuss their progress
Make recommendations to help the student
to improve their performance
Discuss their placements opportunities /
choices


Tutee to provide review of progress with
studies and extra-curricular activities
Tutee to review achievement of Personal
Development objectives and provide tutor
with CV
Tutee to inform tutor on module choices for
coming year and plans for summer
Advise tutees on importance of developing
employability
Remind tutees to complete SPQ
Review of year
Review of personal development
Discussion of readiness for placement /
plans to develop employability if not doing
placement
Discuss choice of modules for final stage
Remind tutees to complete SPQ
Stage 3 Placement year: Make contact with personal tutees to get an update on their progress. Liaise with their Placement tutor.
Stage 4





If the student is direct entry see above
Tutee to inform on progress in studies and
discussion of how to achieve optimally
Advice on any remaining deficits in study
strategies and sign-posting of support
Tutee to provide updated CV and details of
employability skills in preparation for reference
Remind students of importance of NSS




Tutees to update tutor on plans for after
graduation and provide further information
that can be used to provide references.
Discuss draft reference
Check for signs of stress due to approaching
finals
Remind students to complete NSS





Discuss their plans for after graduation
Complete final draft of reference
Check for signs of stress due to approaching
finals
Remind students to complete NSS if not
already done
Inform them of alumni network