Another day, another CPD session. In addition to being a tutor, I’m also what is called a practice tutor (PT), where I help to support the school’s apprenticeship programme. On 6 November 2025 I went along to a relatively short session about something called the tripartite apprenticeship meeting. It is called this, since it involves, perhaps unsurprisingly, three parties: the apprentice, their line manager, and the OU practice tutor.
What follows are some notes that reflects both the session, and the role of the practice tutor.
Session summary
During the initial meeting, there is an intention of sharing information about roles and responsibilities. It is an opportunity for the PT to gain an understanding of apprentice’s starting point, and to set initial targets. It is also an important opportunity to offer a useful summary of the apprenticeship programme to both the apprentice and their line manager. It is also important to introduce the Knowledge Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) which are integral to an apprenticeship standard.
All the other tripartite meetings will be progress meetings with a priority on making sure the apprentice feels supported. A key objective is to set discuss progress regarding existing objectives, set new objectives, and to address any issues that may have arisen. Like with the first meeting, an important focus is the KSBs, and finding practical ways to evidence their attainment.
During the session, we were asked to reflect on:
- What steps did we follow to prepare for our meeting?
- How did I manage the timing and organisation of the meeting?
- What was my approach to supporting goal setting (and how they relate to KSBs)?
- What might I do differently next time?
We didn’t really get to discuss our reflections in depth, but there was some sharing of views. One useful tip that I picked up was: do consider sending an apprentice example of goals in advance of a meeting.
We then moved onto the importance of goal setting, which use SMART goals. This is, of course, an abbreviation for: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. When it comes to measurable, this could relate to the completion of a certain number of TMAs by the next review, or uploading certain elements of evidence.
The Skills Scan was mentioned. This is a detailed questionnaire, which should be completed every 6 months, that is used to identify gaps in the apprentice’s KSBs. In turn, the results from the Skills Scan can be used to help to guide the creation of goals.
SMART goal targets can be short term, or long term. A short term goal might be as simple as completing a Skills Scan. A long term goal might be meeting career goals and necessary regulatory standards. They can also be skills based, certification based, professional development, time management, or even team working.
Reflections
I am really very familiar with the notion of SMART goals. By attending this session, I realised that I wasn’t applying the SMART framework as rigorously as I could have been. I found it helpful to think of them in terms of short-term and long-term goals.
In advance of a tripartite meeting, one of the things I always do is I carefully review all the records that I have about an apprentice. It takes me a bit of time: I look at where they are in the programme and what their most recent TMA scores have been. If available, I also have a look at a completed Skills Scan questionnaire that is available through the e-portfolio tool that we used. I also will look at any evidence that has been submitted, to determine whether there is anything I need to sign off. What I really need to do more of is to review the previous objectives that have been set.
I also feel that the objectives need to speak more directly to any gaps that I see, and also the characteristics of the degree apprenticeship programme.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the facilitators Jennifier Hillman and Kelly Guilfoy.