Senior Tutor Team
Moving from a school to a sixth form is an exciting experience. You are studying subjects you love, you are with peers your own age and treated as an independent adult, with future careers and potential university and apprenticeship opportunities around the corner. We want you to thoroughly enjoy your time at Ashton Sixth Form College and have all the support, tools and skills you need to succeed.
As soon as you enrol at Ashton Sixth Form College, you will be assigned a Senior Tutor who will be a constant figure of support throughout your programme of study and will help you overcome any challenges you may face. Your Senior Tutor will meet with you weekly – in group tutorial and in one-to-one meetings – checking on your wellbeing and welfare, your attendance/ punctuality and academic progress, and signposting you to opportunities and additional activities that will enhance and enrich your time at college. Attendance at group tutorials and one-to-one meetings is an essential and compulsory part of your timetable. Your Senior Tutor will also work closely with your subject teachers to fully support you on your programme of study.
In group tutorials of approximately 20 students, you will gain information and discuss a wide range of topics – from revision and independent study skills, to health and wellbeing, to careers and university/ apprenticeship applications, to life skills in becoming a financially literate, confident and resilient adult. We want you to be open-minded and fully informed about the choices you make, and above all, to be ambitious!
Our Senior Tutors are located in the Tutor Base at the heart of the college, near to other central student services, such Careers and Employability, Bursary, Work Placements and Counsellors. Senior Tutors are all qualified and experienced teachers from different subject backgrounds and with varied careers experience. They will be the key person throughout your time at college and will be the main point of contact for students, parents/ carers, subject teachers and support staff, should any issues or concerns arise.
What is the Role of the Senior Tutor?
- To ensure students always feel supported and safe at college.
- To monitor students' attendance, punctuality, and progress, providing support when needed.
- To support teachers in helping students transform their lives through learning.
- To help students establish the right attitude and behaviour to achieve their full potential.
- To look after students' health, social, and emotional well-being, providing additional support as necessary.
- To offer a stimulating and relevant tutorial curriculum that provides a personal and professional development portfolio of skills, preparing students for their next steps.
- To work collaboratively with staff, parents, and external agencies to ensure students have the best experience in order to achieve their full potential.
What is the Purpose of 1:1 Meetings with Your Senior Tutor?
- Clearly express your aims and objectives.
(Communication & Interpersonal Skills) - Explain why you want to achieve these aims.
(Self-awareness, Self-reflection, Self-motivation) - Identify potential strategies.
(Exploration, Creativity, Resourcefulness, Innovation) - Take account of potential barriers to progress.
(Resilience, Flexibility, Self-belief) - Plan your tasks (targets) in a manageable way.
(Organisational Skills, Responsibility, Prioritisation) - Describe your next steps.
(Independence, Responsibility, Autonomy) - Identify measures of progress (how do you know you’ve achieved?).
(Planning, Critical thinking, Managing information) - Explain what worked for you and why.
(Reflection, Focus, Action Planning) - Describe what you might do differently next time.
(Flexibility, Adaptability, Critical thinking)
What is the Purpose of Your Group Tutorial?
- Personal Development
- Social Development
- Professional & Workplace Behaviours (Employability)
- Academic (Learning skills)
What is the Purpose of Study+?
Study+ provides an opportunity for students to conduct independent study in a designated study area with a Senior Tutor available for supervision. Teachers and Senior Tutors may refer students to Study+ for additional support. It’s also a time to catch up on work, tests, or any other study-related tasks.
Tutorial Curriculum Roadmaps
A1, A2 UCAS and A2 Employability and Apprenticeships (E&A)
Unifrog
Unifrog is an online destinations platform that makes it easy for students to find and apply for the best courses and apprenticeships for them. The platform allows students to explore pathways, search for opportunities, record evidence, apply for next steps and see their progress. As a student at Ashton Sixth Form College, from your A1 year onwards, you will have your own individual account to access Unifrog which offers impartial and independent careers information, advice and guidance, and allows you to explore and personalise your careers journey.
Unifrog - The Universal Destinations Platform: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7S3wWFKm-o
Introduction to Unifrog for Parents and Carers: Introduction to Unifrog for Parents and Carers.pptx
One-to-one Meetings/ FETN Quality Standard Accreditation
We believe that personalised support is essential in supporting our 16-19 students to be the best they can, and all students can expect a minimum of two one-to-one meetings in an academic year. In July 2023, we achieved a FETN (Further Education Tutorial Network) Quality Standard Award which recognised how our Senior Tutors provide excellent individual support to students in pursuit of their learning and development goals.
