Aims:
The process of supporting students to achieve their full potential aims to:

• allow each student to achieve their best level of performance and award through a mechanism of positive realistic support and encouragement;
• provide added value to students, the industry and the nation;
• increase student retention rates.

Resources:
The primary resource requirement to make this process a success is staff time to provide a system of Personal Tutors together with a Special Needs Tutor. There is also a need for a paper-based, confidential (where appropriate) recording process.

Details:

Background:
The concept underling the introduction of this process was the recognition by staff that not all students coming into the Department knew exactly what was entailed in their proposed course of study and, more importantly, what would be expected of them. Some had misunderstood the nature of their chosen course, while others had aspirations greater than their capabilities. These factors, coupled with the personal difficulties faced by some students during their studies had led to an unacceptable drop out rate.

Additionally, although the University has systems for the recruitment and support of students with special needs, such needs sometimes went unrecognised or undeclared until the student had commenced, or was well into a course of study. This then added to the drop-out rate, often through failure. Dropping out and/or failure was seen by staff as an unnecessary waste of student and staff time and effort. It was also viewed as a drain on University resources. Accordingly, the University devised a student support system to help minimise wastage and encourage participation and ownership.

Adopting the premise that students should always be able to maximise their potential staff introduced a support system of Ladders, Bridges and Nets.

Ladders:
This involves processes and procedures designed to assist students to move forward on their chosen programmes by helping to overcome academic or other problems. Significant among these are problems involving the pace of study. Some students, for a variety of personal and or study problems needed longer to achieve an award. Students may experience, for example, economic difficulties during their course of study and need extra time to complete.

To provide support in such cases the Department allows students a number of step-off points which permit them to rest, then return to their studies within a limited time period. Step-off points and time periods are negotiated within the limits of the modular course programme. Students needing longer periods away from their studies may intermit provided they complete within their period of registration with the University. The possibility also exists for students to swap between full and part time studies or between full time and sandwich modes.

Bridges:
These are designed to allow movement between courses in the Department or School and exceptionally, to other departments within the University. Possible alterations to programmes include changes of level: for example, a change from a degree to a higher diploma course or a change to a different course at the same level.

Support in this area may recommend the student to the University's Central Unit for Negotiated Awards, which can advise and register students who have particular study requests and assist in putting together a programme of studies other than a normal validated/accredited programme. Thus a student could move from an accredited degree course to one with a negotiated degree title.

Nets:
These are built in during the design of programmes to ensure that when students leave, they have achieved the best award they are capable of. Course teams seek to match learning methods, assessment procedures and learning outcomes and then, through communication with the student, monitor their performance so that any difficulties can be overcome prior to the Assessment Boards. Some problems will be easily overcome but others may require the use of the ladders and bridges described above or the identification of the student having special needs.

Special Needs:
The concepts explained above, which relate to all students, are further enhanced for students with special needs. The University provides a general level of support, which is supplemented by the Department, principally through the appointment of a Special Needs Tutor who acts as a mentor and champion for those with particular difficulties or disabilities. The special need most frequently identifies is dyslexia for which the staff team, working with the Local Authority have developed a set of procedures to provide an appropriate level of care depending on the severity of the problem. These include dyslexia assessment and registration; provision of funding for equipment such as computers; negotiation of extra time in examinations or the provision of amanuensis to help with writing or typing.

Administration:
The administration of this support system is kept as simple as possible to minimise paperwork and encourage participation. On commencement of their course each student is allocated a personal tutor whom they normally keep for the duration of their studies. It is however possible to swap tutors if the parties are, or become, unsuited for any reason.

Students are required to meet formally with their tutors once each semester (twice per year) but can meet more frequently if required. With the agreement of the student the outcomes of the two meetings are recorded on a 3-copy pro-forma. One copy goes to the student, one goes to the course tutor and one is retained by the personal tutor. Nothing that is regarded as confidential by the student is recorded and staff try to ensure that the paperwork is unobtrusive. Nevertheless the paperwork does provide the primary information for the implementation and improvement of the system.

Evaluation:
Evaluation takes place on both a formal and informal basis.Formally the Personal Tutor System is included as an agenda item in Departmental meetings when student attendance at meetings with tutors can be checked and any generic, non-confidential issues arising can be discussed. There is also an annual questionnaire to students about personal tutoring. The results of this are collated by the Department Quality Officer and disseminated to groups of Personal Tutors and student groups. External examiners are also informed of the outcomes of the overall process and are able to comment or investigate if they wish.

Informally the system reinforces the close relationship between staff and students so that any difficulties, which occur, can be dealt with, or suggestions implemented, on a day-to-day basis.

Benefits:
A supportive environment is created which makes students aware of their capabilities and allows them to capitalise on that awareness. It ensures that students are realistic about their potential but strives to place them on courses and modes of study, which will ultimately reward them with the best qualification of which they are capable.

Issues and lessons to be learnt:
Staff believe that students, having experienced positive support, will see the system as one which they could utilise when they reach more senior positions in their employment, thus assisting the industry with its aspirations to be better employers. One of the major lessons learnt is that it can be demonstrated that the School has seen a significant improvement in student retention rates by helping students to be in the 'right place doing the right course'. Staff have learnt a great deal about the special needs of students through this caring attitude to students' study problems.

Ongoing Developments:
The process is one of continuous evolution. Its success has led to it being adopted by other University Departments and it is fast becoming a University norm. It will aid those institutions that want to take a serious approach to the widening participation philosophy being portrayed by policy makers.

References, Further Reading and Sources of Further related information:

(1) Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - see
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk

(2) Special Education Needs and Disability Act 2001 - see http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/20010010.htm