BSA Weekly Newsletter

Issue 187

Dear Members,

Cyber-attack alert

A number of boarding schools have been targeted by cyber criminals and are holding IT systems to ransom in return for money – in some cases paralysing school systems. Members should be aware the sector is being targeted and are urged to review all cyber security settings immediately. If you would like further details on this issue please contact BSA COO, Aileen Kane, for further information.

Visas and immigration

The Government announced on September, 10 2020 that the UK’s new Student and Child Student routes, which are part of the UK's new points-based immigration system, will open for applications on October 5. These routes will replace and improve upon the existing Tier 4 (General) and Tier 4 (Child) student routes.

On September 30, the Home Office rolled out a campaign to help employers prepare for the introduction of the UK’s new points-based immigration system. In response, we've set up a dedicated Visas and Immigration section on our website which members can refer to for guidance.

As part of the campaign, the Home Office has issued an update on hiring from the EU. From January 1, 2021, you will need to be a licensed sponsor to hire eligible people from outside the UK. Becoming a sponsor normally takes eight weeks and fees apply. As a licensed sponsor, you will be able to recruit skilled workers from anywhere in the world, provided they meet certain eligibility requirements. You can find further information, including full details of the sponsorship process on GOV.UK. The Home Office has advised that it will continue to provide further materials and guidance over the coming months ahead of the system’s launch – we will aim to share as much of that with you as possible.

On October 8, we will be running a day conference, Tier 4, and the new immigration pathway, to help members prepare for the new immigration system. You can find out more about that session

Survey

We've now had responses from 146 member schools to our survey on the numbers of boarders returning this term. There’s still time to complete it, so please could I encourage you to do so if you haven’t had chance to as yet.

To access the survey, please click here – we will summarise, anonymise, and share the data with our members as soon as it is available.

Testing and COVID-19 cases

We continue to share with the DfE experiences from schools on testing and dealing with Covid cases. In conjunction with ISC and ISA we have also submitted this week a range of questions to the DfE to get clarity on areas such as boarders staying with guardians, staying open over half term or Christmas and pupils/students receiving alerts on the NHS app. We will share any fresh guidance or answers we receive as soon as possible, and would welcome still hearing queries or experiences from members to robin@boarding.org.uk.

BSA Certified Guardian and Agent Schemes

The BSA Certified Guardian and Agent Schemes continue to grow, providing reassurance for schools and families.

The schemes' training and certiﬁcation programmes assure BSA boarding schools that they are dealing with educational guardians and agents who have the highest standards in the safeguarding of children, safer recruitment and training of staﬀ and host families, and careful liaison with parents and schools. The schemes are a clear demonstration to BSA boarding schools of the quality and intention of the educational guardians and agents who reach certiﬁed status. More information about the schemes is available on our website.

We have also had a number of requests from schools for our BSA Certified Guardian logo to use on admissions information or school websites - you can access a copy of the logo by clicking here.

Conferences

Sacpa webinar: What's new - online safety update
October 06, 2020
More and more of our dealings with people, businesses, even education, now take place online. Staying current with what’s new online, especially for children and teens, and the associated risks and safety guidance, is of vital importance. Led by e-safety expert Karl Hopwood, this session will make sure that you are as up to date as possible with latest developments in a fast moving space and will share what we actually know about the challenges children and young people are facing online as well as the benefits they have from using tech.

Tier 4, and the new immigration pathway
October 08, 2020
This event, sponsored by Password, will cover the key changes and issues to consider when recruiting international, including EU, students, following the announcement that the UK's new Student and Child routes will open for applications in October 2020, in preparation for the new immigration system which will be active from January 01, 2021.

Diversity and Inclusion in Boarding conference
October 14, 2020
Taking place this month will be our Diversity and Inclusion in Boarding conference. More information on the event, plus details on how to secure your place, can be found in the Virtual Day Seminars section below.

Sacpa conference: Peer-on-peer abuse: spotting the signs
October 19, 2020
A key safeguarding area, peer-on-peer abuse, is being considered in a one-day conference organised by partner association Sacpa. The conference convers when peer relationships go wrong, spotting the signs, children as abusers and how we can support all parties. For more information, and to book your place, please visit the Sacpa website.

School Places

We’ve teamed up with Bulldog Publishing to launch Schoolplaces.org, a dedicated live information resource for schools, parents, and education agents. Schoolplaces.org is designed to help agents and families easily find available school places, all in one location. And it’s also the ideal platform for schools to showcase themselves and let parents and agents know what they are offering. If you’re interested in getting your school listed on Schoolplaces.org, please email hello@schoolplaces.org.

Best wishes,

Robin Fletcher
Chief Executive, BSA and BSA Group

COVID-19 update

England

GOV.UK has amended its COVID-19: supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults guidance. It has replaced links to social distancing guidance and easy-read counterpart with updated guidance on staying alert and safe, coronavirus outbreak FAQs and guidance on meeting with others safely. It has also updated links in the document to guidance on both supported living and home care provision.

International

BSA participated in a webinar this week with two of our member schools, organised by BSA certified agent UK Tuition http://www.uk-tuition.com/. The webinar focused on the COVID-Safe Charter and how UK schools are working to create a safe environment for their boarders. This was designed to reassure parents and potential parents that it is safe to send their children to school in the UK. The webinar was watched by 1,331 families.

BSA COVID-19 supplier list

BSA has a list of suppliers of vital equipment on our website, and the list continues to grow. BSA does not officially endorse any of the products listed. Schools are urged to perform their own due diligence checks on any company they plan to approach:

Active Sanitiser & Protection Tunnel: PTC XtraSAN
Branded Face Masks: Funky Face Mask
Goldpro (please see the BSA Supplier page for full details of Goldpro)
Disinfectant: Safe Tech Installations Limited
Liquid hand sanitiser: ClearWater Hygiene
Software: AssetPool Covid19 Safeguarding Compliance & Verification Software who have now also set up a “back-to-school” blog on how to be safe with AssetPool
Testing: Chronomics
Testing: NEW - Sirkka Networks
Testing: COVID-19 Rapid Test: Fortress Diagnostics
Testing and Tracking: NEW - Elite Anglo-Chinese Services
Testing and Tracking: Taylor Education: Covid-19 testing and tracking app
Thermal Temperature Camera System: Eclipse Strategic Security Ltd
Tracking: WerAreWe.

For more detail on each of the suppliers, please visit the BSA COVID supplier page here.

Partner news

BAISIS

The British Association of Independent Schools with International Students (BAISIS) is now a member of the BSA Group. BAISIS’s mission is to define and share best practice in academic and pastoral provision for international students in British independent schools and colleges. To learn more about how BAISIS supports schools with international students, please take a look at our website.

As a member of BSA, we are delighted to offer your school membership of BAISIS at £295 per annum which is a 50% reduction in the annual subscription of £590. To take advantage of this offer, please email chris@boarding.org.uk.

Throughout the year, BAISIS also hosts a number of events designed to share best practice in academic and pastoral provision for international students in British independent schools. The next event will take place on 6 October - please see below for further details.

Assessment for EAL students webinar
October 06, 12:00 – 13:00

This webinar will cover formative and summative assessment, including how supporting EAL pupil language development and tracking their progress can be done utilising a variety of online tools while purely face-to-face teaching models are disrupted. It will also consider how schools can incorporate generic EAL teaching skills into lessons which would allow for a wider range of exams to be taken for university entrance in addition to IELTS. To reserve your place, click here.

Sacpa

Also a member of the BSA Group is The Safeguarding and Child Protection Association (Sacpa), which champions excellence in safeguarding and child protection. Sacpa is the voice of safeguarding, providing a channel to government and other key agencies. The association represents organisations, associations, agencies and individuals involved in safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults in the UK and overseas.

Sacpa offers three different types of membership: Professional, Charity and Organisation. A 50% discount is available to BSA members (schools or individual staff) who wish to join meaning membership prices start from £55 – please email chris@boarding.org.uk if you would like to become a member.

Safeguarding and child protection responsibilities, legislation and guidance vary around the world. Sacpa's Advice and Guidance hub brings together the leading policies from across the globe, as well a list of UK safeguarding partnerships, which are available for all members to view.

Please also take a look at Sacpa’s upcoming webinars and CPD events. The next event on the calendar is What's new: Online safety update, which takes place on October 6. This can be accessed live, or as a recording after the event. BSA members can access this webinar at our member rate by quoting discount code ‘BSAWEB’. To book your place, click here.

For more information on Sacpa events, please visit the Sacpa website.

Other partner news

Royal National Children's Springboard Foundation update: Our colleagues at Royal National Children's Springboard Foundation have asked us to share the following update, further to a bulletin sent to all SBF heads earlier this week:

As mentioned in the alert sent to all SBF Heads earlier in the week, the Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation (“Royal SpringBoard”) has been awarded a contract to increase the number of LAC & CIN in boarding schools (and independent day schools). This contract is NOT limited to independent boarding schools, but includes Royal SpringBoard being asked to recruit more local authorities to understand the benefits of placing pupils in ALL boarding schools (independent and state) as well as extending such placements to independent day schools.
The DfE hopes to announce the launch of this new contract in early 2021 - and we ask that schools treat this information in confidence until this time. BSA is sharing this information with you now to ask you to please let SpringBoard know by email if your school (whether state or independent) currently has LAC on its pupil roll. It is really important to the success of this pilot programme that the sector helps Royal SpringBoard establish a baseline of the number of LAC currently attending boarding schools. Royal SpringBoard already runs impact assessment work on its bursaries and the ISC Board is in favour of supporting the organisation to extend this to a broader-ranging research project on the role that independent schools have played, and conditions for success, in extending educational opportunities to LAC.
You can email Royal SpringBoard via the link above and Ali Henderson, its CEO, will be in touch with you directly with further details of the programme. We thank you for engaging in this important work.

Case studies needed for Celebrating Partnerships booklet: ISC has advised that production of the next Celebrating Partnerships booklet is under way. The annual publication is due for release in November to coincide with the social media-focussed partnerships week, which uses the hashtags #schoolstogether and #powerofpartnerships. If you have partnership case studies you would like to be considered for inclusion, please email press@isc.co.uk.

Entries open for i25 Awards: Entries are now open for this year’s i25 Awards. The i25 recognises the independent sector’s leading influencers and innovators who have made an impact in some way: the top 25. The innovation or influence should have captured the imagination of others and had a measurable positive impact on children and/or independent education in the UK and, ideally, be replicable in other schools. The deadline for entries is October 21. For more information, visit www.i25awards.co.uk.

Get Set Global Challenge: This month, Netflix will release A Life on Our Planet, a witness statement from Sir David Attenborough produced with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) that looks back on his 60 year broadcasting career. The film traces the decline in the natural world over his lifetime and also identifies key actions that we can all take to make a difference. Linked to this film, and using some of the amazing footage of the other Netflix series, Our Planet, Itza is working with WWF to stage the 'Get Set Global Challenge', an online quiz where students from up to 100 schools around the world prepare for the competition by learning independently online about the science of sustainability, with 40 schools will be selected from the UK to participate. The quiz is aimed at children in years 5-8 and is being run in collaboration with teachers and academics from the Institute of Education in London who are researching the independent learning of children online.

You can register by clicking here - registration will close on October 16. The final quiz is on Friday, December 4 and can be staged in the classroom as a live event or completed by students in their own time later that day. Children really enjoy doing this quiz online and it is a great way for them to learn about the natural world. If you have any questions, please contact charlotte@getset.school.

Certified Guardian and Agent Schemes

BSA Certified Agents

BSA Certified Guardians

We are delighted to announce that Abby Plumb Education Guardian Service has joined the BSA Certified Guardian Scheme. Welcome to the BSA family!

NEW: Abby Plumb Education Guardian Service
Academic Families (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Amber Education
Belgravia Guardians
Berkeley Guardians
Connexcel (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Cotswold Guardians
Elite Anglo-Chinese Services
English Country Guardians
Guardians International Support
Regent Guardians
St George’s Guardians
Study Links
The Guardian Family Network
UK Guardians
UK Tuition and Services.

BSA Academy

Congratulations to all delegates who have been awarded a pass mark for the BSA Advanced Certificate Course. We recognise the hard work, effort and dedication involved in completing your studies this year. We are sure that your achievement will make a positive difference in your career pathway.

Accredited Training

Advanced Certificate
Our highly respected Advanced Certificate courses are now open for booking. These courses are run at various locations around the country and give practitioners all the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in a boarding environment.

Diploma in Boarding Practice (Leadership) - 2020-2021
A Diploma level course for senior boarding staff:

BSA Certificate in Boarding Practice (Pupil Welfare & Support)
Study dates: November 16, 2020; January 15, 2021; March 16, 2021 and June 16, 2021.

NEW - Live online course: BSA Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice
(School Nurses)
Study dates: November 18, 2020; January 12, 2021; March 10, 2021 and May 11, 2021. This course will link professional practice with current research and best practice to provide a unique opportunity for School Nurses to develop their knowledge, skills and practice across a wide range of the current themes/topics most relevant to their role. Please click here to reserve your place.

BSA Certificate in International Boarding
Dates: December 03, 2020 and March 17, 2021. This event will take place in London (Hotel Melia, Kensington). Please click here to reserve your place.

NEW - Online Certificate in International Boarding
Each study day has one morning and one afternoon session. Morning session: 10:30-12:30. Afternoon Session: 13:30-15:30. Taking place on January 26, 2021 and March 24, 2021 on zoom, please click here to reserve your place.

Webinars

The five steps: solutions to personal wellbeing
Oct 05, 14:00 - 15:00
This webinar will present a comprehensive step-by-step personal wellbeing programme to maximise resilience, and social and academic success. The session will take professionals through the steps to learn the tools and techniques in order to work directly with pupils to find proactive solutions to stress (exam pressure, anxiety, anger management, self-esteem).

Building a triangle of trust - keeping in touch with boarding parents
Oct 14, 14:00 - 15:00
This webinar will discuss ways in which to build that all important dotted line between home and school ensuring the whole community is kept as one. The webinar will address the importance of creating meaningful relationships with parents to ensure boarding schools really are an extension of the family home. This approach will make communicating with parents easier and more pleasant through routine updates, but also should times of challenge arise.

Virtual Day Seminars

Essentials for new school Nurses
October 07, 10:30 - 15:30
This virtual seminar is an introduction for new Nurses entering the world of boarding and for practicing School Nurses to broaden their knowledge.
The content is specific to the boarding school environment and focuses on life outside of the NHS or private medical provision. Attending this training will help Nurses in the boarding environment familiarise themselves with processes, procedures and responsibilities unique to the sector.

Shaping strategy
October 15, 10:30 - 15:30
This seminar will guide schools on standard tools used in developing plans and strategies with the view to strengthening leadership confidence and understanding of the future planning for their school. Taking techniques from other organisations and sectors, this is a valuable opportunity for those involved in the strategy and planning of future school developments to reflect and build on their experience and understanding.

Diversity and Inclusion in Boarding conference
October 14, 2020
Recent months have highlighted the complex issues surrounding diversity, and inclusion and so we have put together a programme of knowledgeable and important speakers to challenge and lead our thinking. We see this as a significant opportunity for schools and their staff to learn and understand more about one of the major issues of our time. This conference is fully inclusive and entirely suitable for any member of staff but will be particularly useful for staff in leadership roles. Topics include:

Understanding the diversity and inclusion framework
Diversity in the boarding community
Global inclusiveness
LGBT+
Socio-economic inclusion in boarding
Understanding and supporting the needs of all.

Virtual Conferences

Peer-on-peer abuse: spotting the signs
October 19, 2020
Peer-on-peer abuse is now recognised as a significant growth area of abuse suffered by young people. This is a particularly sensitive issue where both victim and perpetrator are in need of significant support. Included in KCSiE for England and Wales, and in specific sexual harassment guidance for schools, this is a topic professionals need to recognise and understand.

When peer relationships go wrong
Spotting the signs
Children as abusers
Supporting all parties
Responding to issues of peer-on-peer abuse in schools.

BSA Group annual Safeguarding conference
November 12, 2020
Running for the fourth consecutive year, this conference highlights the importance and increasing relevance of safeguarding and child protection in the delivery of care and support for young people. Safeguarding is no longer simply a policy to be written, it is a cultural shift that all organisations and schools need to make, and keep current on. Topics include:

Diversity and inclusion: a safeguarding perspective
Lessons learned: abuse in residential schools
Grooming
LGBT+ and safeguarding
KCSIE updates.

Become a BSA Accredited Boarding Practitioner

BSA Accredited Boarding Practitioner status is an individual recognition of those boarding staff who are making a personal, professional commitment to best boarding practice. To be considered, all applicants are expected to meet the following core commitments:

• Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• Achieving the best boarding practice and the best outcomes for boarders
• Reflecting on practice and undertaking regular training
• Working collaboratively with other boarding colleagues.

Find out more here.

Member Services

State Boarding Schools (SBF)

Thank you to the eight SBF member schools which replied to the short survey about our current services and any improvements needed. We will be sharing the results with the SBF Committee at the next meeting, 24 November.

Regional forum meetings (Virtual)

We are delighted to announce dates for the next round of regional forums. The following have been confirmed and members in these regions will receive calendar invitations and joining instructions:

October 9, 14:00-15:00 – South West (SWERB)
October 12 , 14:00-15:00 – Wales
October 16, 14:00-15:00 – East of England
October 21, 14:00-15:00 (BST) – International
November 5, 10:30-11:30 – Scotland
November 11, 14:00-15:00 – South Central
November 18, 14:00-15:00 – North
November 19 – Ireland (as part of the Irish Conference)
November 27, 14:00-15:00 – London.

To be confirmed: Midlands and South East.

Keep in touch

Please note the BSA office is now closed and the team is working remotely. If you would like further advice from the BSA, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk or contact the team directly:

Chief Executive - Robin Fletcher
Chief Operating Officer - Aileen Kane
Director of Safeguarding, Standards and Training - Dale Wilkins
Member Services Director - Chris Ryan
International Director - Caroline Nixon
Director of Guardianship and Inclusion - Ammy Davies-Potter
Head of Member Services - Beth Waddington
Senior Training Manager - Liz McDonald
Communications and Partnerships Manager - Andrew Gray
Finance and Administration Manager - Danielle Cuthbert
Member Services Co-ordinator - Chantelle Howell-Walker.

T. +44 (0)207 798 1580
E. bsa@boarding.org.uk
W. www.boarding.org.uk