Senior Tutor Network (STN)

Purpose

To provide a forum for Senior Tutors:

  • to share innovation, excellence and any issues affecting student support provision;
  • through which professional services can disseminate information and contribute to the development of student support provision;
  • to identify the training needs for academic personal tutors.

Terms of reference

  1. To monitor the delivery of the University Academic Personal Tutoring Policy;
  2. To contribute towards the development of materials to support taught students understanding of personal tutoring;
  3. To contribute towards the development of materials to support academics and professional services in supporting students;
  4. To act as a conduit for student support information and developments between schools and professional services;
  5. To share materials and highlight best student support practice;
  6. To advise on personal and senior tutor training needs;
  7. To advise Student Experience Committee on student support policies and practice;
  8. To report any institutional-level issues relating to student support that require the attention of Student Experience Committee;
  9. To consider key measures of student support experience (including internal and external surveys and other feedback) and make recommendations as appropriate;
  10. To act as a forum to facilitate the development of informal mentoring and support networks between senior tutors.

Reporting lines

Student Experience Committee and University Education Committee.

Membership

Academic Lead for Personal Tutoring (and Co-Chair) - Professor Alvin Birdi
Co-Chair - Dr Gemma Ford
Senior Tutors
FPIIO representative - Sarah Carter
SAMs - two reps per Faculty
Lecturer in Academic Development, BILT - Julian Kendell
Director of Student Support & Wellbeing - Alison Golden-Wright
Academic Quality Manager, AQPO - Sam Jones
Quality Support Officer, AQPO (Secretary) - Melissa Bevan​​​​​​​

Meeting Dates 2025-26

  • Tuesday 9 September 2025
  • Monday 13 October 2025
  • Tuesday 11 November 2025
  • Wednesday 17 December 2025
  • Monday 26 January 2026
  • Monday 9 March 2026
  • Tuesday 12 May 2026

Mode of Operation

The Network will normally meet monthly during term time.

We welcome suggestions from members of the Network or other University colleagues for discussion items or presentations on topics of common interest; please email Melissa Bevan (melissa.bevan@bristol.ac.uk).

Resources for Senior Tutors
Notes of Meetings and circulated papers (members only)