www.boarding.org.uk No images? Click here Dear Members,Welcome to this week's edition of the BSA member newsletter. I'd like to start by saying a big thank you to George Vance and his team at Rockport School in Belfast for hosting our Irish Boarding conference on Wednesday (November 24). It was lovely to see our boarding colleagues from Ireland and Northern Ireland in person for the first time since 2019. Next year's Irish Boarding conference will take place on November 23, 2022, at the King's Hospital School, Dublin, so please do save the date in your diaries. That was our final conference of this calendar year, but there are still plenty of events left between now and the end of term, more of which you can read about below. Looking ahead to 2022, earlier this week, we published the full programme for our Annual BSA Boarding Conference, which takes place from February 1-2, 2022, in person at the Hilton, London Heathrow. It promises to be an action-packed and informative two days, and we've got some excellent guest speakers and panellists lined up for you, so do click on the link above to check that out, or book your place if you haven't done so already. Formal invites have also been arriving this week with our delegates and guests for our Annual Conference for Heads, sponsored by Innermedia and Schoolblazer, which will be held on May 3-4, 2022 at Oxford Town Hall. You can also now book places at the Sacpa-led Digital safeguarding conference on February 9, and the BSA / BAISIS International conference 2022 on March 8, by clicking on the course links. COVID – red list updateFollowing the emergence of a new variant in South Africa, the UK Government and devolved administrations have updated advice related to affected regions. England: 'Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19)' guidance has been updated. From 12:00 (midday) Friday, November 26, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe will move onto the red list. A temporary flight ban will be in place and all travellers who have been in these countries must quarantine and take tests. The updated guidance can be read in full by clicking here. The red list protocols for boarding school pupils will apply for any such arrivals, and schools are advised to also consider contingency plans in case other countries are added to the list before the return to school in January. Scotland: ‘Self-isolation for all travellers returning from six African countries’ guidance has been released. All travellers returning to Scotland from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana will be required to self-isolate and take two PCR tests from 12:00 on Friday (26 November), regardless of their vaccination status. The guidance can be read in full by clicking here. Northern Ireland and Wales: Specific guidance has yet to be updated but rules apply related to the Common Travel Area (CTA) and can be found here for Northern Ireland and here for Wales. Members in other countries are advised to check government websites carefully and monitor for updates. International students – Christmas holiday arrangementsWe would like to thank school members for the support they are giving to international students and to highlight the importance of contingency planning for COVID-19 positive pupils for the Christmas holidays and communicating these plans as soon as possible to parents, guardians and students. We appreciate the difficulty of staffing at this time but would remind all schools that their duty of care for self-isolating students extends to holidays where the pupil is already in school at the relevant time. Therefore schools need a contingency plan for the end of term. As always, if you need any advice or support please do contact the BSA Team via bsa@boarding.org.uk. Scottish Government letter responseEarlier this month, working with our colleagues at SCIS, we drafted a joint open letter to the Scottish Government, urging it to work with the Canadian, German and Dutch governments to find a solution allowing pupils based in those countries to return home at Christmas. We have now received a response from Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. A full copy of the reply can be viewed by clicking here. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has also published an updated version of its 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on reducing the risks in schools', which can be viewed by clicking here. Consultation by Professor Muir on Education Reform – Closing Date November 26We've been asked by the Scottish Government to share information about the following consultation, which closes later today:
BSA Group Immigration support servicesWith some recent changes to the UK immigration system and Brexit transitional period coming to an end on December 31, 2021, we have seen an increase in student sponsor licence and compliance related queries from school members. To support our members, BSA Group will be offering a range of consultancy services including:
These services will be supported by our In-House Legal Counsel, Sabrina Kadi. For more information and to discuss your specific immigration support needs, please contact Sabrina via bsa@boarding.org.uk. BSA physical security health checkAs part of our consultancy services, we now offer a physical security health check, which includes a site visit to assess access and egress control, perimeter resistance and supporting technologies, focusing particularly on boarding houses and procedures. Boarding houses are often sites of high traffic and can be separate from the main school area or site altogether, but security is very important. The security health check can include an optional resilience check on unauthorised site access by an ex-police officer, as well as our recommendations based on the site visit. For more details, please contact Bethan Waddington, Head of Events, CPD and Consultancy, via bethan.waddington@boarding.org.uk. In light of recent events in Liverpool, a reminder that we can also offer consultancy on schools’ policies on evac/invacuation and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. We can also provide a first aid training course titled 'Citizens Aid', a three-hour session designed to cope with medical issues during a terrorist attack. Schools may also find the following related e-learning and guidance useful:
New BSA book to be publishedWe will shortly be publishing a new BSA book, 'A Culture of Care: The Benefits of Boarding School and Future Risks'. The book looks at all the positives of a boarding school education and how the sector may look in the future, and features contributions from many leading figures from across the boarding community. The book is available for pre-order now. A hard copy edition can be purchased for £10 plus postage, with an electronic version available for £5. If you would like to pre-order a copy, please contact the BSA Team via bsa@boarding.org.uk. Educational GuardiansAs mentioned in previous editions of the newsletter, we are grateful to schools who are highlighting the BSA Certified Guardian Scheme to parents and would appreciate if all member schools could now signpost the scheme to current and potential parents. In response to requests from schools regarding safeguarding training for friend or family guardians we have opened up our January 2022 Sacpa (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association) half-day training course (online) which will be run by Dale Wilkins (Director of Safeguarding, Professional Development and Accreditation). Please do send the following information and link to any family or friend guardians of your pupils:
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the BSA Certified Guardian Scheme please do email Ammy Davies-Potter, Director of Guardianship and Inclusion, via ammy.davies-potter@boarding.org.uk. INSET availability - January and April 2022Across BSA Group (BSA, Sacpa, BAISIS and Hieda) we now have limited availability for INSET in January and April 2022. If you are looking to organise your staff training and updates, please do get in touch with BSA Group via bsa@boarding.org.uk soon to secure your session! Across the Group, we can provide bespoke and on-site (or virtual) training for your team relating to boarding, pastoral care, safeguarding, EAL provision, medical treatment and administration of medicines as well as First Aid and Mental Health First Aid. Along with our provision of training, INSET, and other member services, BSA Group can support with specific and specialist needs through our consultancy services. BSA Group can support across a range of areas/themes including:
If you would be interested to discuss how BSA Group could support in these areas, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk and we can arrange a conversation to discuss the specific needs of your organisation. CPD, training and eventsThere's still time to book a place on our webinar, Understanding and celebrating religions and beliefs in boarding schools, which takes place this morning (November 26) at 10am. Recordings will also be available to purchase from this session if you aren't able to attend in person. Next week's programme gets under way with a webinar, Boarding box set: An introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, on Monday (November 29). This will be followed by two events on Tuesday (November 30): the BSA / BAISIS-led virtual day seminar Supporting international boarders in UK schools, and the BSA / AGBIS webinar, Foundations for boarding school Governors – how to question and challenge. BAISIS will be running a webinar, Understanding English Language Qualifications and Subsequent Planning of EAL Provision on Wednesday (December 1), while Thursday (December 2) sees the Hieda-led virtual half-day seminar, The point of a needle: travel health and vaccinations, and the Sacpa webinar, Working with your LADO or local council. We round off the week with the virtual day seminar, Understanding adolescence: teenage girls, and I hope you can join me for the webinar, Looking back, looking forward – autumn/spring end of term review, which both take place on Friday (December 3). And finally, don't forget to check out our ever-popular Accredited Training programme. Our next course, BSA / Hieda Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice (School Nurses), begins on December 7. For more information on our forthcoming CPD, training and events, please scroll down to the BSA Academy section. BSA ForumsPlease see below the dates and times for the remaining forum meetings:
If you haven’t received an invite to any of the forums and would like to join us, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk. A date and time is still to be confirmed for our International Forum and will be announced soon. BSA Group Gold Membership SchemeThe BSA Group Gold Membership scheme for BSA schools which want joint membership of BSA, Sacpa (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association), BAISIS (British Association of Independent Schools with International Students) and Hieda (Health in Education Association) is generating lots of member interest. Schools pay an additional £450 (+ VAT if applicable) for Gold Membership and will automatically be enrolled in Sacpa, BAISIS and Hieda, as well as BSA. Schools joining as Gold Members will also be sent a logo they can use on their websites. Any schools interested in becoming a Gold Member should email Chris Ryan, Head of Membership, via chris@boarding.org.uk. Chris can also discuss how individual schools which would like to upgrade their existing Sacpa, BAISIS or Hieda membership into full Gold Membership. Boarding School Magazine - send us your contentThe Spring 2022 edition of the magazine is now in production, with publication due in February. If you would like to submit content, please email Andrew Gray, Communications and Partnerships Manager, via andrew.gray@boarding.org.uk. The copy deadline is Friday, January 28, 2022. Best wishes,
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. We are delighted to announce that bookings are now open for the 2021-22 accredited training courses! LAST CHANCE TO BOOK FOR 2021: Certificate Course BSA Certificate in Professional Practice - Inclusion Lead Training This bespoke, comprehensive two-day certificate course has been put together to support Inclusion Leads or staff with specific responsibility for equity, diversity and inclusion in boarding schools. Participants will receive high-quality training and support from a range of experts to further develop the skills and confidence needed to establish, embed and sustain equity, diversity and inclusion work in their school. Throughout the two days there will be opportunities to meet, collaborate and discuss with other participants and to learn from case studies and good practice from other schools. Click here to reserve your place. JUST EIGHT PLACES REMAINING BSA / Hieda Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice (School Nurses) Our November module for this course is now fully booked. To begin your qualification in December 2021, please click here. Study dates for the December module are: December 7, 2021 / February 9, 2022 / May 9, 2022 / June 23, 2022. BSA Certificate in International Boarding BSA Diploma in Boarding Practice - Leadership BSA Spring Diploma in Boarding Practice - Leadership This course is comprised of three, online tutor-led study days, with interactive morning and afternoon sessions which allow for discussion. If you need any further information about our Accredited Training programme, please contact Liz McDonald, Head of Accredited Training, at liz@boarding.org.uk. Conferences - 2021-22We look forward to welcoming you at our range of one-day conferences, running throughout 2022. To help with CPD planning, here are the events we are running between January and July 2022:
Please do 'save the dates' in your diaries and if you'd like to register interest, please email us. Safeguarding training - 2021-22Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and it's vital that all staff have received appropriate training relating to safeguarding and their responsibilities. The virtual sessions below will be appropriate for most practitioners working in education settings:
Other training and eventsPlease see below a selection of other upcoming training and events:
To see our latest training programme, click here.Index (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence)Following our inaugural inclusion conference in October 2020, BSA Group launched Index, a programme of support to help members in this area. This includes the BSA Index Framework and Toolkit - guidance documents to promote the values of equity, diversity and inclusion (they can be accessed here via the EDI area). Inclusion Leads/Staff with an EDI Leadership role - we are collating names and email contact details of anyone in a BSA school with an EDI leadership role. Please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with your full name, school and full job title/role. For more information about our Index programme, please email Ammy Davies-Potter, BSA Group Director of Guardianship and Inclusion, via ammy.davies-potter@boarding.org.uk. BSA Certified Supplier SchemeThe organisations below are members of the BSA Certified Supplier Scheme, which aims to connect members and organisations. BSA Gold Certified Suppliers
BSA Certified Suppliers
For more detail on each of the suppliers, please visit the BSA Certified Supplier Scheme page on our website. Please note: The suppliers listed are not endorsed by BSA, nor does the association accept any liability for the quality of the goods/services listed on this page. All suppliers below have entered into a commercial arrangement with the BSA to promote their goods/services. Certified Agent and Guardian schemesThe BSA Certified Agent and Guardian 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 Guardians
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. Other newsUK Education Guide webinar: BSA certified agent and BAISIS supporting member, UK Education Guide, is offering a free webinar on using WeChat for recruitment in China on December 3 at 15:00 GMT. The webinar is one hour long and entitled 'How and why is it important for your institution to develop a strong presence on WeChat to help generate new referrals?' Register in advance via this link and you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Keep in touchWe love hearing from members, so please keep in touch via +44(0) 207 798 1580 or bsa@boarding.org.uk. You can also contact the team directly:
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