Scheduled Meetings

The University policy states that students are entitled to a scheduled meeting with their personal tutor to review their academic progress on a regular basis, at least three times a year (one of which may be a group tutorial).

Although there are arguments in favour of encouraging students to take the initiative themselves, the disadvantage of doing so is that those in greatest need of support or review may fall through the net. Particularly in the early stages of the course, it is best to schedule meetings for all students and follow up any non-attendance.  Research into retention has shown that an early appointment for an informal discussion about how students are settling in will help them make the transition to university more effectively and identify any issues or concerns before these reach crisis point.

Another advantage of setting a fixed time for subsequent tutorials or periodic progress reviews is that both tutor and student can prepare in advance. You can look over the student’s assessment results etc, and they can be encouraged to identify recent successes and areas for improvement, to help focus the discussion.

A pre-arranged agenda can form part of regular tutorial meetings at each stage, dependent on the course structure. For instance, following on from the suggested topics for a first meeting a scheduled review towards the end of Level 4 might include discussion of coursework results, using feedback from module assignments to help the student identify areas for development. Later meetings might focus on such topics as module choices, preparation for placements, dissertation subjects and career plans. It is helpful to use the final tutorial meeting of a degree course to agree a summary of the student’s achievements and qualities and to keep this on file to help with future reference requests.

Most programmes will have key times in the year when many students are facing common issues, such as examination nerves, and it may be worth arranging an extra group tutorial rather than dealing with queries on an individual basis.

• What might be the most suitable times in the year for scheduled meetings?
• What topics might be raised at each stage of the course?
• Are there any key points in the academic cycle where a group tutorial session could help students address common issues?
• Are there any arrangements for encouraging students’ own self-help or tutorial support groups?

Towards the end of any tutorial, scheduled or unscheduled, it is helpful to jointly agree some realistic action points and, if appropriate, a time for a further meeting to follow up on progress.

Here is a more detailed guide with Suggested prompts for Personal Academic Tutorials  (not a checklist!) that might be appropriate for each stage of an undergraduate degree.

Unscheduled meetings

Students may also need to see you at other times. Many new tutors start by trying to be accessible at all times, but then feel overwhelmed by constant interruptions and demands, so it is useful to explore these issues in advance. Some tutors post tutorial timetables in My Studies for students to sign up to, while others run ‘drop-in’ sessions at specified times.

• How do students know how to make a non-timetabled appointment?
• Do you prefer students to use email or Teams to contact you?
• Could any aspect of your appointment system be improved?
• What do you feel about saying “Not now” when someone says they need to see you urgently without an appointment?
• How can you tell when it is a real emergency?
• Do students feel they can only come to you if they have a problem?

There are no simple answers, but it is worth thinking carefully about the advantages and disadvantages of a completely “Open Door” policy, on the one hand, or a very rigid appointment system on the other. It may be helpful to discuss these questions with some of your colleagues.

You should also explore how your role and that of the Student Support & Guidance Tutor (SSGT) interact. It is important that students feel cared for as individuals but this should not undermine their autonomy and sense of personal responsibility (or indeed your own entitlement to a manageable workload). See the sections on Student Wellbeing and  Specialist Advice and Referrals

As a student, you will have observed a wide range of teaching styles in lectures and seminars, but tutorial role models are usually more limited. Try to allow a few minutes immediately after each tutorial to make a note for yourself about how the session went and any ideas on how this could have been improved. It may be possible – with prior consent – to record some tutorials. Both you and your students can benefit from this reminder of your discussions, and it will also help develop your awareness of tutorial dynamics.  It may even be possible (again with student permission), to sit in on a colleague’s scheduled tutorial, or ask them to observe one of yours. This can broaden your experience and help you identify the kinds of tutorial contributions which seem most effective. There is further advice on this site, particularly the sections on Tutorial Technique – listening and questioning  and Online tutoring

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