Personal Tutor Roles

The Personal Tutor has a role to play in all three areas of the framework (this also applies to Apprenticeships) :

• • Academic

To provide students with advice, support and encouragement in the pursuit of their studies, promote wider engagement with university life, and develop the characteristics outlined in the Hallmarks of a Portsmouth Graduate.

• • Pastoral

To offer an initial point of contact for pastoral matters, and, where appropriate, refer students to relevant specialist advice and support services, and follow-up or support if required. Personal Tutors may also encourage engagement in relevant extra-curricular activities with the aim of building students’ skills, networks and social capital.

• • Professional Development

To encourage students’ professional development by engagement with course-related activities, as well as referring to other specialist services, professional bodies, and support as appropriate.

Areas of Responsibility of Personal Tutors

• Academic Tutoring and Coaching:

  • single point of contact throughout the course to help students make a success of their time as a Portsmouth student;

  • assist students initially to adjust to student life, then thrive as a student of the University of Portsmouth by providing guidance, support and encouragement;

  • coach students to achieve academic goals.

• Providing academic expertise:

  • provide subject/course-specific feedback to students (teaching and learning, assessment, academic skills, employability, option choices, research/project topic choices);

  • guide students to other relevant academic staff as appropriate to their studies.

• Discussing academic progress:

  • provide opportunities for students to discuss their academic progress and develop confidence with independent learning;

  • provide opportunities for students to discuss academic goals;

  • support transition, progression, and engagement;

  • provide opportunities for students to discuss degree aspirations (e.g. level of award).

• Discussing personal development:

  • provide encouragement for students to seek out experiences and opportunities to enhance and complement their academic studies.

• Signposting key student services and policies and procedures:

  • signpost students towards further specialist support or guidance at the University or delivery partner (e.g. librarians, maths cafe advisors, wellbeing practitioners, disability advisers, learning support tutors, careers advisers, UoP Global, students’ union advisers, student engagement officers, immigration/housing/finance/ ... specialists) and discuss how difficulties may impact on students’ studies;

  • introduce and promote the Student Charter;

  • signpost relevant policies and procedures (extenuating circumstances, fit to sit, student complaints and disciplinary procedures, risk assessments).

Personal Tutor Role for Apprentices

The role of a Personal Tutor is the same for Apprentices and covers all of the elements above.

However, Personal Tutors will need to be mindful of the following key differentiations :

• The Personal Tutor should have knowledge of the Apprenticeship Standard, End Point Assessment and Off-the-job training requirements in order to provide the appropriate support

• Apprentices all have their own assigned Mentor in the workplace who is a key individual providing career guidance and attending regular Progress Review meetings as the Employer. The Personal Tutor role is designed to complement this.

• Due to the work-based nature of an Apprenticeship, Personal Tutors should prioritise professional development activities and support the apprentice to make appropriate choices for their off-the-job training time

• Although the Apprenticeship taught component may complete, prior to End Point Assessment, the Personal Tutor is expected to support the apprentice throughout this final assessment stage

• As Apprentices manage full time work with their studies, time management, workload balance and well-being will be high priority areas of support

The role of the senior tutor involves:

• Developing, implementing and overseeing departmental (school) level personal tutoring strategy with the head of school.

• Allocating personal tutors to tutee cohorts with head of school.

• Mentoring of new staff and arranging training for all staff (refreshers and updates for experienced staff).

• Disseminating university and school level personal tutoring updates to colleagues.

• Disseminating updates and training on the Personal Tutor Platform: meeting notes, attendance & assessment information, ecfs etc.

• Supporting personal tutors and providing guidance regarding all aspects of personal tutoring (academic, developmental, pastoral).

• Advising on the handling of complex student problems through liaison with Student Support Services and reference to university policies.

• Coordinating with faculty engagement officers regarding students with engagement issues.

• Attending senior tutor network meetings; sharing best practice and advising on University wide changes and developments.