College-specific information

Training

The Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning offers a practical programme of supervision training, designed for those who are scheduled to be supervising in the next few months. 

• Supervising Undergraduates | Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning 

Deadlines

We ask that reports should be submitted at least a week before the end of each term. This is essential if they are to be used at end of term meetings with Directors of Studies and Tutors as the basis for a proper review of progress and for advice on vacation study. In the Easter Term they are important for discussion of course options for the following year, or in a few cases as
part of the basis for an appeal.

The timing means, of course, that reports must often be submitted before the last supervisions of the term have taken place, and supervisors are strongly encouraged to notify Directors of Studies of any significant change or fresh concern arising after the report has been submitted. Reports need not be long when work is satisfactory, but should be detailed enough in all cases to give students a sense of particular strengths or weaknesses as well as any recommendations for further work and an indication of their overall level of performance. The fields to record a student’s academic quality (Industry, Progress, Interest, Class) should always be completed
where possible, as this information may be needed as evidence for Examination Access and Mitigation Committee applications. The content of the report should only provide information about the individual student’s work, any other matters should be raised directly with the student’s Director of Studies or the Deputy Senior Tutor for Teaching and Learning, as appropriate.

If there are grounds for concern or the work is unsatisfactory Colleges are grateful for as full a report as possible (see also the ‘Exceptional reporting’ sections below). 

Reports must be submitted before payment can be processed within Colleges. Colleges undertake to process supervision claims as speedily as possible. If there seems to be an unreasonable delay over payment contact the College, preferably via supervisions@girton.cam.ac.uk 

Payment

The Deputy Senior Tutor has created a guidance document for supervisors with regarding to being paid for supervisions. 

The rate of payment per supervision for freelance supervisors is set by the Colleges individually. This is typically derived from the ‘intercollegiate re-charge rates’, which are used between Colleges when their employed staff or Fellows offer their supervision services to other Colleges. Do contact hr@girton.cam.ac.uk if you wish to confirm what your payment rate is, when you arrange to supervise.

Data Protection information

Your personal data
In accordance with the provisions of current data protection legislation, Girton wishes to notify supervisors that the personal data supplied on their claim forms will be held on a database within the College and that the processing of this data will take place only for the proper purposes of Girton as an educational institution.

Personal data supplied to CamCORS will also be held in a central database managed jointly by the College and the Office of Intercollegiate Services and hosted on behalf of the Colleges by the University's Management Information Services Division. All of your personal data is retained by the College as the data controller.

The personal data of your students
As a supervisor, you will be managing information that constitutes personal data of the students you supervise. As you are doing this work on behalf of Girton, the data you manage – and the data you create when you write your reports on your students – is owned by Girton College. (For clarity, you are acting as a “data processor” for Girton and we remain the data controller of any and all personal data you process or create in relation to the undergraduate students you supervise.) You should therefore abide by our data protection policies and systems, which are available to you on request. If your students complain about your management of their personal data, you should alert us as soon as possible to obtain advice.

Our approach to supervisions is dependant to the specific requirements of each Tripos and to individual student circumstances. Our fundamental advice is to foster active student engagement, prioritise answering their questions, and tailor support to the unique needs of each supervision group, all while maintaining a balance between subject exploration and Tripos preparation.

We aim to ensure that neither supervisors nor students take on unnecessary work, thereby allowing the system to operate smoothly and effectively. If there are any doubts or concerns about workload, we encourage seeking guidance from the appropriate Director of Studies or the Senior Tutor.

• Supervisor Expectations from the University of Cambridge

Your commitment as a supervisor

If a student engages with the spirit of supervisions as set out in this document, they may generally expect the following from you as a supervisor. You will: 

• teach in an appropriately sized group in which they have the opportunity to participate fully.
• schedule supervisions with a good and appropriate length (typically one hour) and will normally last the full scheduled time.
• be aware of the content of the course and will provide teaching that is relevant to it.
• set sufficient work, of a challenging but reasonable nature, within an appropriate time-frame.
• mark it within a reasonable time frame (ordinarily in advance of the supervision and only if work has been handed in on time).
• give constructive feedback.
• respond to questions that they raise during the supervision.
• show consideration and respect (see “Expected behaviour and conduct of supervisors” below).
• provide your students with the opportunity to discuss in private with you any problems with the supervisions if they request it.
• respond in a reasonable timescale to all of their correspondence.

Your supervisee’s commitment to you as a supervisor

Students are advised that attendance at supervisions is one of the most central requirements for all undergraduates. For supervision teaching to work effectively as a key part of the Cambridge experience, a student is normally expected to 

• hand in all set work that you assign to them, completed to the best of their ability within the time-frame available, by the agreed deadlines.
• attend supervisions promptly, and give as much notice as possible to you of any unavoidable absence or delay.
• note and respond to the advice and guidance given by you on their work.
• engage pro-actively with questions and discussion during supervisions.
• show consideration and respect for the opinions of both you as their supervisor and other students.
• respond promptly to all correspondence from you.

If there is a genuine reason why a student will not be able to make a supervision, they must contact their supervisor well in advance. In the case of sudden illness, students should try to get a message through; if asked, Tutors will always be able to contact your Director of Studies. Students who fail to turn up for a supervision without sufficient warning or explanation will be charged the cost of the missed supervision(s). Persistent failure to attend supervisions should be reported to the Deputy Senior Tutor, where Readiness to Study may be invoked. 

Typically, Directors of Studies provide briefings on students’ details, contact information, any relevant guidance from Student Support Documents, the expected frequency and number of supervisions, as well as the volume and level of work expected from students. It’s important not to deviate from these expectations without consulting the Director of Studies first. Additionally, if the relationship involves a departmental role, it may be necessary to consult course administrators, and relevant Directors of Studies.

Expected behaviour and conduct of supervisors

You are expected to show professionalism, consideration and respect to your students, and to manage the work you perform:

• The University and the Colleges all have various codes of conduct relating to its members, including guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour. You should be mindful of these and note that you may be subject to one of a number of College policies and procedures relating to misconduct, bullying or harassment. Consequently, you should be mindful of your interactions and relationships with your students. For example, you should not consume alcohol during supervisions.
• If you feel there is any conflict of interest in supervising individual students, please contact the College Director of Studies. In particular, you should not have a close personal relationship, or a sexual encounter, with any students that you supervise. You also should not supervise any student with whom you have had a previous close personal relationship, or a previous sexual encounter.
• You should be clear to student(s) of the dates, times and locations of scheduled supervisions and provide sufficient notice. If you are unable to give your supervisions at the time(s) agreed with the student(s), you should wherever possible notify the student(s) who you are supervising no later than 1 hour prior to your agreed starting time. You should seek to rearrange supervision times with the undergraduate students being supervised. Please note that payment is made only for supervisions actually delivered, or for supervisions where
  students failed to attend and you had previously reported it.
• In the case of incapacity likely to last for more than a few days, you should inform the relevant Director(s) of Studies to discuss what arrangements to make to ensure the continuity of the students’ supervision.

Any serious concerns about a student (pastoral or academic) should be raised promptly. Supervisors are not expected to take on duties that are Directors of Studies or Tutorial team are specifically trained and supported to deal with. 

• Our College Safeguarding Lead is our Head of Welfare and Wellbeing, Mr Deji Maxwell. 
• Supervisors should be familiar with the general safeguarding guidance provided by the University. 
• Our College PREVENT Lead is the Senior Tutor, Prof Toni Williams. 
• Supervisors should undertake the university's online PREVENT training module.  Please notify hr@girton.cam.ac.uk when you have completed the module.
• For academic concerns, please contact the Deputy Senior Tutor, Dr Stuart Davis.
• For pastoral concerns, please contact the student's tutor or the Head of Student Services, Mrs Vicky Argent.

Should you need to find a Director of Studies or Tutor, please visit the 'Our Fellows' section of our 'People' pages.

There is a search function by 'person type' that can filter those with 'DoS' or 'Tutor' roles. 

How do I access Camcors?

• CamCORS | Office of Intercollegiate Services

How do I apply to become a Supervisor?

Supervisors must apply for a supervisor account annually. Can can do so by completing an application form available online. 

Can I book a room at Girton to hold supervisions in?

Teaching space is available in Girton and can be booked by email through conferences@girton.cam.ac.uk . Alternatively space may be available in Faculties and Departments. If you have any problem finding an appropriate place in which to supervise contact the Director(s) of Studies of the student(s) you are supervising. 

Non Supervision activity: Can I claim?

Directors of Studies should consult with Deputy Senior Tutor before any non supervision activities are claimed for on CamCORS. Guidance of how to input such work, and the categories available are detailed here. 

I think a student could benefit from extra supervision, how do I arrange this?

All Colleges work within the agreed supervision norms and guidance on group sizes. There are occasions where a student may need extra supervision or support. This could come from a Student Support Document (SSD) recommendation from the Accessibility and disability services team or just where a student is struggling to grasp a particular topic or skill. 

In either cases, please speak to the Director of Studies. Extra supervisions must be approved by the Deputy Senior Tutor or Senior Tutor, but College is committed to support students in such circumstances. It is also important to remember the sessions hosted by the Girton Skills Programme, that could help students skill level and mindset. 

How honest should I be when writing my reports?

Girton encourages honesty in feedback, aiming to strike a balance between positive reinforcement and constructive criticism. Recognising strengths is important, but so is addressing areas for improvement. While most students will receive overwhelmingly positive commentary, in some cases, feedback may not be entirely favourable. Providing open and evidence-based feedback is crucial for student learning and growth.

It’s acknowledged that relentlessly optimistic feedback may not always benefit students, especially if it does not accurately reflect their performance. Unrealistic expectations followed by disappointing results can be particularly challenging for students. Directors of Studies have the opportunity to review reports before they are released to students and can suggest changes or add their own insights.

If there’s uncertainty about what to include or the tone to adopt, it’s encouraged to consult with the Director of Studies. Ultimately, the goal is to provide feedback that supports students in their learning journey and helps them improve their performance.