Case Study – Tutorial Review and Re-organisation

Brief

  • To improve the quality, consistency and effectiveness of Tutorial provision for all full-time learners
  • To establish a core Tutorial provision for part-time learners
  • To establish impact measures and effective monitoring processes  for Tutorial

Organisation

  • Large multi-site Further Education College in London

Scope

  • Working with College Senior Management Team, Heads of Department (Curriculum) and Heads of Service (including Head of Learner Support and Head of Student Services), Tutors and Curriculum Managers.

 Background

  • Inspection identified Tutorial as a weakness in the College
  • Diverse student population with high level of support need – particularly language development needs
  • Wide range of learning programmes – from entry level to HE programmes
  • Inherited two different mechanisms and cultures related to tutorial due to recent merger

Methodology

  • Identification of current practice and strength and weaknesses by college site, department and programme
  • Feedback from Curriculum Managers, students, and Tutors on strengths and weaknesses of Tutorial
  • Identification of the key components of effective Tutorial by type of learning programme, full-time and part-time
  • Produced role and responsibility descriptors for Tutors,
  • Agreed effective reporting structure and information system to support the Tutor’s role
  • Identified training and resource needs for Tutors and Tutorial
  • Reviewed the allocation of hours to Tutorial which was aligned more closely to the role of the Tutor and was consistently applied across the college
  • Agreed a performance management process for Tutors
  • Established Tutorial calendar for all learning programmes and key focus for group Tutorial
  • Group tutorial streamlined and geared to transition, support, challenge, and progression for students and aligned with key dates in the calendar
  • Additional resources to support Tutorial made accessible to students online via the virtual learning environment
  • Development of an electronic Individual Learning Plan to support Tutorial
  • Effectiveness of Tutorial explicitly reviewed within Self-Assessment
  • Development of mentoring programme for students at high risk
  • Individual Tutors allocated a direct liason person within both Learning Support and Student Services to ensure that they were able to effectively refer students for information, advice and guidance and support and established effective working relationships with colleagues to have an understanding of the impact of interventions on their tutees

Outcomes

  • Improved retention and achievement of learners identified at risk
  • Tutorial judged as good in immediate subsequent inspection
  • Better up take of additional support, information and guidance by learners
  • Better and more timely management information on the progress of learners supplied to Curriculum Managers
  • Tutorial better value for money
  • Increased learner satisfaction with Tutorial and very good attendance at Tutorial
  • Core Tutorial provision implemented for part-time learners
  • Professionalisation of the role of Tutor
  • Highly regarded and effective mentoring programme for students at risk

Delivered by

Sonia Thomas