Personal Tutor Policy
Academic Board
June 2012
Personal Tutor Policy (www.wlv.ac.uk/personaltutoring)
1. Background.
The original Personal Tutor policy was presented to, and accepted by, Academic
Board in May 2008. The policy was updated in June 2011 without major changes to
the underpinning principles of personal tutoring. This update in June 2012 does not
present any major changes in principle from the 2008 policy, but has been updated in
the light of:
a) Recommended University standards from student feedback (January 2012)
b) Draft Student Charter (May 2012)
2. Key principles for successful personal tutoring
Successful personal tutoring comes from developing a mutually beneficial
relationship between tutor and tutee. To build that relationship there should be clear
roles and responsibilities on both sides.
Personal tutoring should be defined as group or individual guidance given to students
by academic staff, with a focus on personal and academic development and
progression on their overall programme of study. The key principles of personal
tutoring are:
1. All students have a named personal tutor
2. All personal tutors are members of academic staff
3. The personal tutor will concentrate on a student’s personal and academic
development and progression on their overall programme of study
4. All personal tutors will be able to direct students to support facilities available
within their own School and the University
5. The personal tutor is not expected to be an academic specialist in all areas in
which the tutee is studying
6. The personal tutor will have an understanding of, and commitment to,
improving student learning
3. Generic personal tutor role description
Decisions about which members of staff shall perform the role of personal tutor will
be the responsibility of each School Management Team in line with Work Load
Allocation guidelines. In order to carry out their responsibilities tutors will be expected
to undertake the following:
1. Maintain regular communication1 (virtual and/or face-to-face) with each of
their designated tutees at least 3 times throughout a year (for full time
undergraduate study) and at each significant phase for all other modes of
study (including part time, postgraduate and work based learning). The first
communication must be within the first 3 weeks of any course of study.
Student Charter May 2012: ‘You can expect a named personal tutor or supervisor to support you through your
studies; to meet with you regularly and maintain a log of all communication.’
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June 2012
1. Keep a record of that communication2 and 3
2. Inform students, their academic school and the University (via e-Vision or
appropriate e-systems) of their availability4 (virtual and/or face-to-face) for
personal tutoring
3. Follow up students, according to School procedures, who are not making
satisfactory progress or who are at risk of withdrawal
4. Assist students in their personal and academic development, planning and
progression. In a three year full time undergraduate study this might be by:
- at Level 4 helping students with their orientation to HE and their chosen
subjects, and developing their learning by such activities as reviewing
and acting on assessment feedback
- at Level 5 assisting students to develop professional and employability
skills including by raising awareness of support offered by the Careers
and Employment Services and the Students’ Union.5
- at Level 6 helping students successfully complete their studies, which
might include the writing of references
5. Offer students advice and guidance to help students liaise with other staff and
support facilities in their school and the University
6. Maintain awareness of other sources of support within their school and
University
7. Undertake any required staff development on personal tutoring
4. Expectations of students
In order for personal tutoring to be beneficial and meaningful students will be
expected 6 to undertake the following:
1. Maintain regular communication with their personal tutor
2. Prepare for and engage in any personal tutoring related activities
3. Contact personal tutors if there are any issues that may impact on their
academic performance or pose any risk to their progression or withdrawal
4. Act on any recommendations and advice offered by personal tutors
5. Boundaries
Staff should make students aware of their respective roles and expectations at the
start of their relationship. This includes, for example, stating availability for both
virtual and/or face-to-face contact, and clarifying issues such as confidentiality and
record keeping. These boundaries may have individual, school and programme
Student Charter May 2012: ‘You can expect a named personal tutor or supervisor to support you through your
studies; to meet with you regularly and maintain a log of all communication.’
3
University Standards Jan 2012: ‘Students should expect an acknowledgement of an email enquiry within 3
working days and if required a substantive response or appropriate referral within 7 working days’
4
University Standards Jan 2012: ‘All staff are required to publish an out of office message if they expect to be
away for more than 2 working days. The message should indicate when the individual will be back and who can
be contacted in the meantime.’
5
Employability and Enterprise Sub-strategy Goal 7):’…our academic staff (including Personal Tutors) so that
they can provide effective employability and employment advice to our students …’
6
Student Charter May 2012: We expect you ‘To meet with your tutor or supervisor and take on board the
guidance they offer.’
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Academic Board
June 2012
specific requirements but all should reflect the University Personal Tutor Policy as a
minimum requirement.
6. Advice and guidance for personal tutoring
To make sure that all those involved in personal tutoring are clear about what is
expected and what are the benefits of personal tutoring. Therefore the following must
be regularly produced and updated:
University



A web based policy statement including roles and responsibilities for
both staff and students that set out the University minimum standard
A directory of generic support facilities that link to other web based
resources
Guidance for school specific personal tutoring information
School



School specific personal tutoring on-line guidance available to all staff
Statements of specific personal tutoring arrangements on school web
sites for both staff and students
Guidance on school specific support facilities that are linked to the
university web site
7. Best Practice
It is clear that there are local areas of best practice that should be shared across the
university, for example, the use of student portals / WOLF topics in various Schools
to facilitate personal tutoring and the use of e-Vision to inform students who their
personal tutors are. Such examples will be shared on the University Personal
Tutoring website (www.wlv.ac.uk/personaltutoring)
Student views on personal tutoring should be regularly canvassed through any
Student Voice mechanisms and recommendations forwarded for appropriate
discussion and implementation.
8. Anticipated next steps
Approval is requested for continued implementation of the above from September
2012.
Monitoring and evaluation of the Personal Tutor Role across the University shall be
the joint responsibility of the Dean of Students and the Institute for Learning
Enhancement.
Version
Approved date
1.0
7 June 2012
Author
Approved by
18 June 2012
May 2015
To be approved by
Review date
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ILE / HG
University Quality and
Enhancement Committee
Academic Board