The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is committed to providing personal tutorials as an essential feature of its programmes of study. This policy specifies what personal tutorials are and outlines their purpose. It also sets out students’ responsibilities, the roles and responsibilities of and support for personal tutors, students, and other members of staff, and relevant quality assurance mechanisms.

Key principles

The Trust recognises the value of diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity. It aims to provide an environment in which students and trainees are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of race, ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, socio-economic background, family circumstances, religious or political affiliations or other distinction. The Trust’s Personal Tutorial Policy is designed to ensure that students are supported during the course of their studies.

The key principles underpinning personal tutorial practice are:

• Centred on the student – respect for each student as an active learner and as an individual with their own particular set of needs;
• Concern for all aspects of students’ learning (educational, career, personal and social);
• Equality of opportunity and diversity – ensuring and promoting equality of opportunity and diversity including eliminating unlawful discrimination.

Scope

This policy applies to all students enrolled on any Trust programme which includes the provision of personal tutorials (as detailed in the Course Handbook).

This policy applies to all staff teaching on any Trust programme which provides personal tutorials as part of its delivery.

Alternate Centres shall follow this procedure. Associate Centres may have additional processes from an institutional perspective but may adopt the duties and responsibilities listed below.

Definitions

Personal Tutorial denotes meetings between a student and their designated personal tutor.

Personal Tutor is any member of staff or visiting lecturer who has been given the role of Personal Tutor in relation to a course on which they teach.

Student is any person who is enrolled on a programme of study at the Trust.

Associate Centre/Alternate Centre of Delivery, otherwise known as National Centres, are places other than the Tavistock Centre where Trust courses are delivered.

Personal tutorials

Personal tutorials are meetings between a student and their designated personal tutor where together they consider the student’s academic progress and any issues relating to, or with the potential to affect, that progress.

Personal tutorials are considered critical in fostering student confidence and containment. They are a vital space in which to welcome students at the start of their programme, providing them with a consistent and supportive space throughout their studies, to enable them to reach their potential and achieve positive outcomes from their programmes of study or advanced training.

The personal tutorial system provides a personal contact point for all students and is intended to help them to:

• Articulate, plan for and evaluate progress towards their personal, education and career goals;
• Become more effective and confident learners who take increasing responsibility for their independent learning as they progress through their programmes of study and advanced training;
• Discuss issues of difficulty and challenge in progressing through a programme of study and/or advanced training, signposting to Student Support resources as appropriate;
• Discuss issues to do with academic assignments and progression, including assessment feedback;
• Recognise, reflect on and value their achievements and progress;
• Continue to develop a positive attitude to lifelong learning.

What students can expect

Students of the Trust on eligible programmes will:

• Be allocated a personal tutor at the beginning of the academic year and tutors should make contact with tutees by email in the first half of Term 1.
• Be advised of:
  • The name and email address of their personal tutor;
  • The procedure for booking tutorials. Information about this should also be clearly stated in student handbooks;
  • The procedure in the event of a problem arising in their relationship with their personal tutor, routes of escalation, and other types of support availble;
• Be offered one personal tutorial per term. Additional tutorials can be arranged if the need arises following discussion and agreement with the Course Lead;
• Regard their personal tutor as their first point of contact in the event of any issues impacting on their studies;
• Be able to use their personal tutor as a referee for entry to further study or employment.

In the event of a problem arising in the student/personal tutor relationship, students have the right to take the matter to their Course Lead or follow the routes of escalation (see routes of escalation section below).

Students will be made aware of the other student support services available within the Trust, via their Course Handbook, the website and Moodle (virtual learning platform).

Responsibilities of personal tutors

Personal tutors will be appointed by the relevant Course Lead and in discussion with the tutors concerned. For the majority of courses, providing the arrangement is agreeable to both parties, the personal tutor will remain in this role for the complete duration of each student’s programme of study. Course Leads are responsible for ensuring that personal tutors have sufficient contact time allocated to fulfil their personal tutor role effectively. Should a problem arise in the relationship between a student and their personal tutor, the Course Lead will make alternative tutorial arrangements (see routes of escalation section below).

Personal tutors’ responsibilities are:

• In relation to their studies, helping to ensure students’ well-being, looking after their interests, and guiding them in their preparations for future study needs;
• Being available to meet with each personal tutee individually in accordance with the expectations set out within this policy, and in accordance with any additional course-level processes and procedures.
• Ensuring that students’ academic progress, personal development and attendance are considered (this will be supported by module leads, Course Leads, and Course Administration)
• Supporting students to maximise their academic strengths and interests, address any difficulties they may be experiencing within their programme of study and cope with any problems affecting their progress
• Liaising with Course Leads, Module Leads, and other relevant persons as necessary
• Signposting to resources on career development and professional training opportunities
• Advising students on the Trust’s provision of student support, including the Student Advice and Consultation Service, where appropriate
• Maintaining student tutorial records, including date of tutorial, in accordance with course requirements
• Writing references for personal tutees during and after their period of study;
• Attending and contributing to Course Committees and team meetings.

Unless requested otherwise, the information discussed in the personal tutorial may be shared with others (such as course leads, supervisors, or student support services) where it is appropriate to do so in order to fully support the student. Where a student has asked for information discussed to kept confidential, this should be honoured but may affect the level of support the student can expect.

However, where a student has disclosed illegal actions, or where the personal tutor is concerned about a student’s conduct or fitness to practice (in reference to the student conduct concerns procedure, and the professional suitability procedure), or where they are worried about a student doing harm to themselves or others, they have a duty to raise this with either the course lead or where this is not appropriate, a portfolio manager.

The personal tutor can discuss the policies mentioned above with the Student Complaints, Conduct and Appeals Officer or Head of Operations for further guidance and support, without mentioning a specific student.

Support for personal tutors

Support for personal tutors will be provided:

• By Course Leads.
• Through Guidance to being a personal tutor, available on Moodle, as part of the staff induction programme.

Responsibilities of students

It is the responsibility of personal tutors to make the first contact with students at the start of their programme of study, and students are expected to actively engage with the support available.

The responsibility for arranging subsequent personal tutorials is shared between the student and personal tutor.

Routes of escalation

Personal tutors will be appointed by the relevant Course Lead and will ordinarily remain in this role for the duration of a student’s programme of study. If a problem arises, students and personal tutors should discuss their concerns with the Course Lead in the first instance.

Where a student’s personal tutor is also their Course Lead, they should speak with the Head of Portfolio within which their course sits.

Where a personal tutor does not feel able to speak to their Course Lead, they should take their concerns to their Head of Portfolio. The Academic Hub will be able to advise who this is.

Where a student has a matter or issue that they do not feel able to speak to their Course Lead or Head of Portfolio about, they should access the Student Advice and Consultation Service – an independent and confidential service separate to the Trust’s education and training delivery – and/or other student support services (as detailed in the Course Handbook, on the website, and on Moodle).

Training requirements

Staff involved in the provision of Personal Tutorials must have knowledge of this policy and must be up to date with any course specific or local arrangements. They must also be cognisant of support services, including how and when to signpost students for specific advice or if there are safeguarding concerns.

All staff within the Division of Education & Training should be made aware of this procedure, and training should be provided to all DET Staff as required by their course team.

Quality assurance in relation to personal tutorials

The quality of the personal tutorial system will be ensured and enhanced by the following mechanisms:#

• Review of the Personal Tutorial Policy at least every 3 years;
• Review of the Guidance to being a Personal Tutor at least every 3 years;
• Student Surveys – by identifying satisfaction level and any common concerns and action planning to address identified issues;
• Student Complaints and Academic Appeals processes;
• Access to relevant Learning and Teaching CPD and other relevant staff development activities;
• Review and discussion of the Personal Tutorial system at Course Committees and staff meetings and identifying and monitoring any actions to address specified issues.

References

• University of Essex Personal Tutorial Policy
• The Personal Tutor – Times Higher Education (THE)