www.boarding.org.uk No images? Click here Dear Members,Consultation on revised national minimum standards for boarding schools in EnglandThe DfE has launched the consultation on the revised standards which closes on February 23. BSA and ISC will be submitting separate but coordinated responses, and schools are also welcome to respond individually. If you have any comments on the DfE’s proposals please contact Dale Wilkins (Dale@boarding.org.uk) and Simon Nathan (simon.nathan@isc.co.uk) by the end of January. Important information on the EU Settlement SchemeThe Home Office has released an update on the EU Settlement Scheme. EU citizens and their family members (including non-EU citizens) need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) to continue living in the UK after June 30, 2021. For further information on this, please visit the Visas and Immigration section of our website. Points-based immigration system go liveOn December 1, visa applications opened for workers who want to come to the UK from January 1, 2021 under the UK’s new points-based immigration system. For further information on this, please visit the Visas and Immigration section of our website. IICSA Residential Schools hearingThe IICSA hearing into Residential Schools in England and Wales concluded last week. Teaching unions, DfE, Ofsted and ISI all gave evidence during the online proceedings, and there was also an entire day dedicated to considerations relating to Wales, including testimony from Welsh Government, Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales. BSA will shortly issue a safeguarding newsletter highlighting the key points for the sector. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry will look at residential schools at the end of January 2021. Revised national guidance for child protection in Scotland - consultationA reminder that the Scottish Government has launched a consultation into the revised National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland which runs until January 17. The guidance references independent schools, boarding, and both SCIS and BSA. For the latest COVID-19 updates, please see the next section of the newsletter. INDEX launchFollowing our inaugural inclusion conference in October, BSA Group today launches INDEX (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence), a programme of support to help members in this area. This includes the new BSA INDEX Framework, a guidance document to promote the values of equity, diversity and inclusion which seeks to assist schools to be more effective and thus provide a better service as both educational establishments and employers. The BSA INDEX Framework can be accessed in our members' area under Guidance (BSA website username and password required). Examples of other activity in our INDEX programme include:
This week BSA joined Andrew Lewer MP and ISC CEO Julie Robinson for a one-hour video call with Kemi Badenoch, Equalities Minister for England, to discuss inclusion in schools. Kemi supported the sector doing more to increase inclusion and BSA briefed her on its INDEX programme. A copy of the INDEX framework has also been passed to the DfE. If your school would like to find more about the BSA INDEX Framework or the INDEX programme, email ammy.davies-potter@boarding.org.uk. BSA office moveOn Tuesday (December 1), BSA Group moved to new offices, sharing quarters with colleagues at the ISC. Our new address is:
Events and trainingOur programme of CPD, events and training is already looking busy for 2021. As mentioned in last week's newsletter, all of our residential conferences scheduled for the remainder of this academic year will be online only. This includes our two-day BSA Boarding Conference, which takes place on February 2-3, and our BSA Annual Conference for Heads 2020-21 on May 4-5, both of which are already open for bookings. Please see the BSA Academy section below for more of the highlights taking place early next year, and you can also see our full 2020/21 training calendar for an up-to-date list of all our events. Boarding School Magazine, Spring 2021 - send us your newsThank you to everyone who has sent in contributions for the spring 2021 edition of Boarding School magazine, due for publication in February 2021. If you would like to submit an article for the next edition, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with your contributions by Friday January 8, 2021. GovernanceRebecca Tear, Headmistress of Badminton School, will succeed Mark Lauder, Headmaster of Strathallan School, as BSA Chair 2021 from January 1 and incoming BAISIS Chair Andrew Rattue, Principal of St Clare’s, Oxford, will become Vice Chair (Chair Elect). On behalf of all members, BSA would like to thank Mark Lauder for his hard work and commitment as BSA Chair during 2020. New BSA websiteWe're currently building a new BSA website which will be going live in Spring 2021. As part of this project, please be aware that you may be contacted on our behalf by our colleagues at Inner Media, who are helping us to develop the new site. They will be in touch to check that your existing school profile information is up-to-date, ahead of it being transferred over to our new site. A big thank you to all member schools which have sent in photos for the project. Best wishes,
COVID-19 updateTesting updateTest to Release scheme The UK Government has released details of the “Test to Release” scheme for international travel, whereby those arriving from non-exempt countries can be released from self-isolation after five days rather than the current 14. It is essential that schools should read the full guidance to understand how the scheme will work. In particular please note the following:
BSA has written to DfE to ask for clarity about when the list of approved centres will be published, and whether this list can include those schools which have their own testing facilities. Oncologica Some schools have been using Oncologica as a supplier of COVID-19 pre-flight tests. As highlighted in the last two weeks’ newsletters, Oncologica’s UKAS accreditation has been suspended at their request so their tests are not currently accepted as appropriate evidence of fitness to fly by some countries. Advice on testing for pupils returning home to Hong Kong, China and Spain is on the front page of our website and schools are also advised to keep up to date through relevant Government websites. EnglandContingency framework The Government has now published an update to its contingency framework in instances where additional measures are required to be placed on schools due to high levels of COVID-19 (the guidance applies to independent schools). A copy of the update can be viewed here. The basis of the framework is that: Any restrictions on education would only be as a last resort and may only be initiated following a ministerial decision. This framework is designed to set out how such restrictions would be implemented as a containment measure for the rare circumstances in which they are required to address transmission within education settings and the community. Where additional measures do need to be taken they will apply to different settings as follows: Primary schools: Where the contingency framework is implemented, primary schools should continue allowing all children to attend. In the very unlikely event that evidence supports limiting attendance in primary schools, DfE may advise that only vulnerable children and children of critical workers should be allowed to attend. Middle schools: Where the contingency framework is implemented, middle schools (with some primary and secondary year groups) may be advised to adopt a combined approach such as all pupils in primary year groups attending but only vulnerable children and children of critical workers in older year groups. High-quality remote education should be provided for all other pupils. Secondary schools: Where the contingency framework is implemented, secondary schools should only allow vulnerable children, children of critical workers, pupils in years 11 and 13 and other pupils due to take external exams this academic year, to attend. High-quality remote education should be provided for all other pupils. Boarding schools: Where the contingency framework is implemented, boarding schools should follow the guidance for primary and secondary schools above for determining which children should be taught in the classroom. Children who are not to be taught in classrooms but who cannot return home should receive high-quality remote education in their boarding houses. Thanks to our colleagues at ISC for sharing this update with us. GOV.UK has updated the advice relating to critical workers and vulnerable children who can access education in the event of any future restrictions. The updated guidance can be viewed by clicking here. Our thanks again to our ISC colleagues for sharing this update from DfE regarding independent school sports:
BSA COVID-19 supplier listBSA 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:
For more detail on each of the suppliers, please visit the BSA COVID supplier page here. Other newsOur colleagues at ISC have asked us to share the following update:
Certified Guardian and Agent schemesThe 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. BSA Certified Agents
For more information on the BSA Certified Agent scheme, please visit our website. BSA Certified GuardiansWe are delighted to announce that Hostlink UK, JD Consultancy and Ying Lang Guardian, Glamour Edu Ltd have joined the BSA Certified Guardian scheme. Welcome to the BSA family!
For more information on the BSA Certified Guardian scheme, please visit 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. BSA AcademyAccredited TrainingThe BSA's programme of Professional Development and training is the most comprehensive CPD package offered to staff in boarding schools. It includes a series of professional practice Certificate courses specifically designed to meet the practical needs of boarding staff and provide an internationally-recognised qualification in Boarding Education. For more details on our Certificate courses, please click here. Listed below are a selection of our upcoming courses - to find out more, or to book your place, please click on the course title. If you need any further information about our Accredited Training programme, please contact Liz McDonald, Senior Training Manager, at liz@boarding.org.uk. COURSES
Virtual conferences
Virtual day seminars
Webinars
To see the entire 2020-21 training programme, click here.Become a BSA Accredited Boarding PractitionerBSA 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 Find out more here. Keep in touchPlease 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:
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