Tutor System
Where we focus on the individual needs of every child
Tutor system
Universal Personal Support
The Academy has a comprehensive ‘Tutor System’, called Universal Personal Support, which ensures individual support for students when they need it. An extensive tutor team, overseen by a Depute Rector and linking directly to the guidance team, ensures a high level of individual support and attention is maintained.
The UPS groups are split into two levels, Junior School and Senior School, with mixed year groupings in each level, S1-3 for the Junior School and S4-6 for the Senior School, this is further divided into House Groups to help foster the ‘House Identity’ This allows the Academy to target the right type of support to the students when they most need it.
In S1-3, the UPS tutor should be the person who knows the pupils well and a first port of call for them should they need help or advice. They should also be in position to pass on any wellbeing concerns to the pupils’ Pupil Support Teacher. The primary role of a Junior UPS Tutor is to build positive relationships and to model behaviour that promotes respect, responsibility and resilience.
Expectations of a Junior UPS Tutor include:
- Have high expectations of their pupils in terms of uniform, behaviour and effort.
- Encourage reading for enjoyment and good study skills.
- Carry out learner conversations at points throughout the year to discuss progress and next steps across the curriculum. These should be recorded on My WoW or alternative system.
- Produce a detailed report of students’ progress in school.
- Discuss pupils’ reports with them, giving praise and support for success and helping them to set targets for improvement.
- Discuss the benefits of good attendance with pupils where there is a concern.
- Read/display the pupil bulletin.
- Ensure the completion by pupils of the SHANARRI Self-Evaluation Wheel at calendared times.
- Support profiling through My WoW.
- Support S2 and S3 pupils in their options choices
- Discuss with pupils their wider achievements and record on the Wider Achievement database.
- Work with the House Team to promote pupil wellbeing.
The role of the UPS Tutor within the Senior Phase is to support the students through the S4-6 years, achieving their full potential within all areas of the curriculum and to prepare them for the next steps beyond their Secondary Education.
Typical duties the tutor would be expected to fulfil would include:
- The support of students in Target Setting, ensuring all are aware of their target grades within each subject area.
- Track student progress through their learning and support those who may be off track, discussing tracking reports and conduct learner conversations, recording these in SEEMIS interventions.
- Monitor student behavior, effort and homework, discussing issues with students and linking in with support staff highlighting concerns.
- Assist students in maintaining a record of wider achievement.
- Support students in aspects of Health and Wellbeing.
- Produce a detailed report of the student’s progress in school.
- Advise on subject choice in preparation for students moving from stage to stage.
- Support pupils on transition to positive destinations:
- Personal Statements (My WoW)
- CV’s (My WoW)
- Job Applications
- College Applications
- UCAS process
- Produce references for students applying to University through UCAS.
- Maintain a Personal Profile (My WoW/One Note)
- Develop study skills:
- Study calendar
- Advise on study techniques
