Summary of Good Practice for Personal Tutors
2015/16 Quick Guide to Personal Tutoring (Exeter campuses)
●
Attend Personal Tutoring training sessions in your College
●
Refer to the Personal Tutor Guide
●
Establish ground rules at the first meeting – honesty, respect, time-keeping, confidentiality,
disclosures and clarify the responsibilities of you and the tutee; set boundaries.
This is a quick guide to personal tutoring; further and detailed information is available from the Personal
Tutor Guide or from your Senior Tutor. You should also refer to the University of Exeter’s Code of
Practice for Personal Tutoring which can be found in the TQA Manual.
●
Develop a supportive rapport with your tutees.
The Role of the Tutor
●
See your tutees in a group from time to time.
●
Encourage your tutees to make the most of their time with you by preparing for the meeting in
advance e.g. what do they need help or advice with? What have they tried so far to resolve the
issue?
●
Listen before offering advice or guidance.
●
Know your own limitations. You can’t fix everything.
●
Always seek advice if you are unsure how to proceed. Contact the Senior Tutor.
●
Inform students of the times when you are available (office hours). However be prepared for
unscheduled consultation in emergencies (stress they must use their University email account).
●
Be pro-active in contacting your tutee if you are aware they are having problems.
●
Inform students of arrangements for cover during your absence.
●
Make students aware of other student support services available.
●
Make students aware how to access emergency support.
●
Make notes of all conversations and correspondence with students and ensure that your tutees
know that they have a right to see them. Alternatively you could ask your students to make the
notes
●
Be aware that under the Data Protection Act students may be entitled to request copies of these
notes and all other notes, including emails held by the University about them. Stress that email is
not a suitable means for transmitting sensitive information.
●
Check that the student agrees with all action points; agree who does what and by when.
●
Know where to locate University regulations.
●
Encourage students to stay in touch with you.
Some recommended points of contact with Tutees








Welcome week/ induction for UG 1st years; first session for PGT students.
Autumn term UG 2nd and 3rd year – career planning and internships
All – midterm preparation for assessment and exams
All - Feedback following assessments
All - Start of spring term return from Christmas holidays especially UG 1st year
UG 1st and 2nd years - Mid February module choices
PGTs – in the summer term; during dissertation write-up.
All - End of year progression
Personal Tutoring:
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/staffdevelopment/aspectsofacademicpractice/personaltutoring/
Every taught student at the University of Exeter is assigned a personal tutor to provide support for
academic personal development and as the first port of call for pastoral guidance. You are not expected
to be a specialist advisor but you do have an important role. This includes:
o
o
o
o
o
Developing and maintaining a safe and confidential relationship with your tutees.
Providing advice and support to your tutees in matters related to their academic work and
personal development.
Working with your tutees to find appropriate pathways to resolve difficulties.
Representing the University to your tutee and your tutee to the University.
Maintaining effective communication with other support services on behalf of your tutees.
Your main duties and responsibilities will be to:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Maintain regular contact with each tutee.
Provide academic and pastoral support to tutees, signposting the tutee to specialist services.
Keep brief written details of the tutorial support offered to tutees.
Provide guidance on Personal Development Plans (PDP).
Support tutees in their career development.
Follow up tutees that are not making satisfactory progress.
Liaise with other members of academic and administrative staff.
Maintain awareness of other sources of support within the University.
Provide information regarding academic progress, assessment and examinations.
Write references on request.
Your tutees have responsibilities in their relationship with you as well and it is important that you make
these clear to them. You should make your tutees aware of the need to:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Attend all scheduled and other requested meetings or to contact you in advance to agree an
alternative time.
Check University e-mail daily and internal post at least twice weekly for messages from you and
respond as appropriate
Seek support from you when needed.
Be familiar with the Department’s procedures and practices in personal tutoring and to respect
the limits of the Personal Tutor’s role.
Tell you about any disability or health condition that they would like support with.
Notify the College if they are ill and unable to attend University.
Notify you if they are experiencing problems which are affecting their attendance or having an
adverse effect on the standard of their work or progress on their programme.
Contact you immediately if they feel that their performance in forthcoming examinations is going
to be affected by ill health or other extenuating circumstances.
Update personal details in exehub
Tell you about any part time work they are doing. University regulations permit no more than
15hrs per week during term time. You might need to discuss how this fits in with their course
requirements.
Support Services within the University
It is one of your vital roles to identify a
student who may be at risk. In emergency
cases involving immediate danger to yourself
or others, you should contact Estate Patrol
(phone extension 3999) or dial 999
You and your students can access all student
support services and advice through the
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/services/ssc
Tel: 0844 724724
Academic Services
http://as.exeter.ac.uk
AccessAbility
http://admin.exeter.ac.uk/academic/disability/
Tel: 3880
Email: AccessAbility@exeter.ac.uk
Accommodation
http://www.ex.ac.uk/accommodation.shtml
Tel: 2524
Email: accommodation@exeter.ac.uk
Chaplaincy
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/chaplaincy/
Contacts:
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/chaplaincy/ourchaplains/
Career Zone
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers
Tel: 4493
Email: careers@exeter.ac.uk
Equality and Diversity
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/equality/
Tel: 2037
Estate Patrol
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/businessandcommunity/university/es
tatepatrol/
Tel: 3999
Family Centre
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/services/family/
Tel: 5416
Email:familycentre@exeter.ac.uk
International Student Support
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/international/
Tel: 3041 or 3018
Email: isa@exeter.ac.uk
Personal Tutor Guide 2015/16
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/academics
ervices/educationenhancement/personaltutoring/Personal
_Tutoring_Guide_15_16_Exeter.pdf
Residence Life Team
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/accommodation/students/currents
tudents/residencelifeteam/
Student Counselling Service
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/wellbeing/oh/services/staffco
unsellingservice/
Personal Tutoring Record Template
Personal Tutoring Record
This information is confidential and must be kept securely on the Students’ File
Student
Student ID Number
College
Department/Programme
Contact Number
Mobile
On first meeting your tutee at the beginning of the academic year please check whether or not they have the
following;
Tel: 4381
Accommodation
Timetable
Disability
College/Programme
Handbook
Student Health – The Health, Wellbeing and Fitness to
Study Procedure – Exeter Campuses
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/administration/complaint
sandappeals/hwssp/
Use this space to make a general note of your discussions and any actions taken. If the student declares a
disability please make sure that they are aware of the disability support through AccessAbility within the
University http://www.exeter.ac.uk/accessability/
Head of Student Support Services – e.murphy@exeter.ac.uk
Student Health Centre
http://www.exeterstudenthealthcentre.co.uk/
Tel: 6606
Email: studenthealth@ex.ac.uk
Students Guild Advice Unit
http://www.exeterguild.org/advice/
Tel: 3520
Email: studentadvice@exeter.ac.uk
Student Services
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/students
Taught Faculty Team
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/education-qualityenhancement/whoweareacademicpolicyandstandards/#d.
en.414641
Tel: 3750
Email: facultyoffice@exeter.ac.uk
TQA Manual
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/admin/staff/qualityassurancea
ndmonitoring/tqamanual/
Voice (Nightline)
The phone service operates 8pm to 8am every night
during term time01392 724000 or email
voicemail@exetervoice.co.uk
Wellbeing Services
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/disability/exeter/students/m
entalhealth/staff/
Tel: 3880
Email: disability@exeter.ac.uk
Date:
Tutor’s signature:
Student’s signature:
Date: