BSA Weekly Newsletter

Issue 193

Dear Members,

Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we've taken the decision to make all of our residential conferences scheduled for the remainder of this academic year online only. Delegates who have already booked are currently being contacted to advise that these events will be virtual.

The next of these events is our two-day BSA Boarding Conference, which takes place on February 2-3. The theme of this year's event, chaired by Millfield School headmaster Gavin Horgan, will be 'sharpening our focus'. Over the two days, we'll be hearing from a range of guest speakers and looking at a variety of topics including compliance and safeguarding, supporting international students, supporting younger boarders, guardianship and inclusion.

For more information about the event, or to book a place, please click on the image below.

Revised national guidance for child protection in Scotland - consultation

A 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.

BSA office move

On Tuesday (December 1), BSA Group will be moving to new offices sharing quarters with colleagues at the ISC. Our new address will be:

27 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9BU.

Our main contact telephone number, +44 (0)207 798 1580, will remain the same.

BN(O) families

The DfE has now confirmed the guidance for BSA state boarding members (SBF schools) and BN(O) applications:

State-funded schools are maintained schools or academy schools. Boarding schools can be maintained schools, academy schools or independent schools.
Information on the rights of overseas pupils to access schools can be viewed here.
You will need no special provisions in your admission arrangements. The dependants of HK BN(O)s living in the UK have the same rights as EEA (e.g. EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Swiss children currently living in the UK: they can access a school on the same basis as anyone else resident here. Please note EU/EEA nationals must follow EUSS guidance if living in the UK before December 31, 2020 (e.g. apply to the EUSS before the end of June 2021 if they want to remain). If they come to the UK from January 1, 2021 they will be subject to immigration controls, and that includes a rule that they cannot study at state-funded schools unless they are the dependant children of a parent who is either permanently resident in the UK or who is in the UK on a work or study visa.
HK BN(O)s are Hong Kongers who were granted a special status in 1985. Consequently, it is their dependant children who will be seeking a school place.
Only those BN(O) families who are either living in the UK before the end of the year and apply for the immigration route for HK BN(O)s and their families after the start of 2021 or those that move here after that date and apply are eligible, under immigration law, to access a state-funded school place.
Even before the start of the scheme, those BN(O) families living in the UK are eligible to apply for and be admitted to a state-funded school.
Those BN(O)s living overseas are not entitled to apply for a state-funded school for their children in the UK (they can obtain a study visa and enter to attend a sponsor independent school). Schools should not, therefore, recruit boarders from Hong Kong.
The ‘overseas pupils’ website has been updated to provide information on foreign national dependant children.

Short-term study visa: Following a number of enquiries from SBF schools intending to use the short-term study visa route, this is not open to SBF schools.

The guidance states entrants cannot study at a ‘state-funded school’. View the guidance here.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, including changes to schools’ guidance from December 2, please see the next section of the newsletter.

Events and training

With the end of the year fast approaching, we still have a selection of events taking place next week, which you can read more about below. On Friday (4/12), I will be leading a session on Key boarding themes for 2021 and hope to see many of you virtually there.

On Accredited Training, places are also still available for our latest Pastoral Care course, which begins on Monday (30/11). Further details can be found in the BSA Academy section 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 news

Thank 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.

New BSA website

We're currently building a new BSA website which will be going live in early 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.

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

Testing update

Some schools have been using Oncologica as a supplier of COVID-19 pre-flight tests. As highlighted in last week’s newsletter, they have requested for their UKAS accreditation to be temporarily suspended, so it is highly likely that Oncologica tests will not currently be accepted as appropriate evidence of fitness to fly: https://www.ukas.com/services/other-services/sanctions/organisations-under-sanction/.

As confirmed on GOV.UK, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that there will be a programme of testing available for those arriving at the UK border from mid-December for whom a 14-day quarantine is currently required. The current list of countries from which travellers will be exempt from testing will remain, and this currently includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. From 15 December 2020 those arriving from countries not on the list will be able to book a test at a Government approved facility, which must then be stated on the passenger locator form prior to arrival. A negative test result would release them from self-isolation after five days. Further detail will be available shortly, as will confirmation of the arrangements for the devolved administrations.

We have posted updated advice around testing for pupils returning home to Hong Kong and China on our website. To view the updated advice, please click on the links below:

England

Changes to schools’ guidance from December 2

The DfE has updated its main guidance document for schools to reflect minor changes resulting from the move to a strengthened tier system from December 2 onward.

The full guidance available by clicking here - a summary of updates to the main schools’ guidance is included below:

Face coverings: The government is not recommending universal use of face coverings in all schools. In the medium alert level, schools that teach year 7 and above have discretion” to require face coverings for pupils, staff and visitors in indoor areas outside the classroom where social distancing cannot easily be maintained." This becomes mandatory for schools that teach year 7 and above in high alert or very high alert areas.
Transport: The guidance confirms that children and young people aged 11 and over must wear a face covering when travelling on dedicated transport to secondary school.
Attendance - self isolating and shielding: The guidance states, “The advice for pupils who remain in the clinically extremely vulnerable group is that they should return to school from 2 December at all local restriction tiers unless they are one of the very small number of pupils or students under paediatric or NHS care (such as recent transplant or very immunosuppressed children) and have been advised specifically by their GP or clinician not to attend an education setting”. It also says that, “All staff can continue to attend school in all three local restriction tiers”, although schools may wish to discuss flexibilities with clinically extremely vulnerable staff in very high alert areas such as staggered start times to reduce travel during rush hour.
Educational visits: Schools are still advised not to take pupils on domestic overnight visits, though this will be reviewed in February 2021 with possibility that such visits could resume at Easter.
Sport and physical education: Schools have the flexibility to decide how physical education, sport and physical activity will be provided whilst following the measures in their system of controls. Sports whose national governing bodies have developed guidance under the principles of the Government’s guidance on team sport - and have been approved by the Government - are permitted.

Thanks to our colleagues at ISC for sharing this update with us.

GOV.UK has also updated its 'Actions for schools during the coronavirus outbreak' guidance. The guidance has been revised to reflect local restriction tiers and can be viewed by clicking here.

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)
Cleaning and fogging: Pelsis Group - Hurricane ES
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
NEW - PCR testing services: HealthNet Homecare
Pre-flight test certification: Belgravia Guardians
Testing: Chronomics
Testing: Sirkka Networks
Testing: COVID-19 Rapid Test: Fortress Diagnostics
Testing and Tracking: 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.

Other news

Our colleagues at Royal Springboard have asked us to share the following update:

One donation, twice the impact: Will you help us to give 20 children and young people facing disadvantage or vulnerability the life-transforming opportunity to attend a leading school on a fully-funded bursary?

Royal SpringBoard is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge in which all donations received within the week of December 1-8 will be DOUBLED thanks to match pledges from two generous supporters!

We are aiming to raise £80,000. All the money raised will be used to fund exceptional young people like Esther to study for A-levels at leading boarding schools on 110% bursaries. The schools fund 90% of the costs of the bursary. Your donation helps to leverage this: with every £1 donated leveraging £9 of schools' support.

We are the UK’s largest bursary charity. We work with community-based partners to identify and support children to attend more than 100 schools nationwide. To date we have supported over 800 pupils. Our recent Impact Report describes their incredible journeys and achievements such as:
98% of SpringBoarders achieved two (or more) A-levels this year, compared to the 2019 nationwide figure of 35% of pupils eligible for FSM;
74% secured places at a competitive university, of whom 48% are attending Russell Group institutions, with two studying at Oxford University, two in competitive medical schools and a number of pupils going on to competitive apprenticeship schemes.
By funding deserving young people from some of the UK’s most deprived communities to have the life-transforming opportunity of a boarding education, you can make a tangible difference to social mobility within the UK. All donations provide SpringBoarders with the opportunity to thrive both whilst at school and as alumni; where we continue to support them to realise their ambitions, navigate fulfilling careers, and act as powerful role models in their local communities.

Please do consider donating to help us achieve our target and provide more young people with the life-transforming opportunity of a fully-funded boarding school education.
Next steps: Please donate and spread the word by sharing our message with your friends and family. Remember: One donation, twice the impact.

For your donation to be DOUBLED, you must donate via the Big Give website from when the campaign launches on Tuesday, December 1 at midday (and until it closes on Tuesday, December 8 at midday). All donations must be made by debit or credit card - sorry, we cannot accept cheques, CAF cheques or bank transfers!

Thank you for your support.

Free resource

Hannah Dawes, Head of Learning for Life (PSHE) at Oundle School, has launched a free resource for teenagers and schools across the UK.

THE EXCHANGE is a new web series that explores subjects that matter to young people in a direct, engaging and informative way. Topics discussed are linked to the PSHE curriculum and include consent, coming out, body confidence, ‘revenge-porn’ or image-based abuse, period stigma, bullying and lots more. Each episode features a pair of interviews – one with a public figure who has experience of or has spoken out about the issue under discussion, and another with an expert who works in the field in a professional capacity. Guests include: Radio 1 presenter Vick Hope, Ditch the Label’s Liam Hackett, model Emma Breschi, filmmaker and speaker Max Stossel, activist Emma Holten, blogging collective British Bindi, and writer and facilitator Nathaniel Cole. The series will hopefully offer a valuable and much-needed resource to young people and will help inspire and supplement the work of PSHE teachers in schools. With a further three episodes being released in the lead up to Christmas, the hope is that this will be something that can be shared with pupils so that they can access informative conversations over the Christmas break. All episodes are being hosted on our website www.jointheexchange.co.uk and on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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.

BSA Certified Agents

Abby Plumb Education Guardian Service (China and Hong Kong) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Academic Asia (China)
Academic Families (worldwide) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Barbara Glasmacher Internationale (Germany)
Better School! Internatsberatung (Germany)
BOSSS UK (China)
Britannia StudyLink (HK)
Chamberlain Educational Services (Hong Kong and China)
Cherry Education Consultancy (China)
Connexcel (China) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Crest Education (China)
Dickinson School Consulting (Germany and worldwide)
NEW: IQ Consultancy (Russia)
ITEC (Russia)
J3 Group (HK)
Mark Brooks Education (Ghana, Nigeria, worldwide)
Overseas Personal Development Services (China)
Rise Smart Overseas Education Centre (Hong Kong)
School Britannia (France)
The Independent Education Consultants (worldwide)
The Watanabe Office (Japan)
UK Education Guide (Middle East, worldwide)
UK Tuition Services (China) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian).

For more information on the BSA Certified Agent scheme, please visit our website.

BSA Certified Guardians

We are delighted to announce that Clarendon International Education has joined the BSA Certified Guardian scheme. Welcome to the BSA family!

Abby Plumb Education Guardian Service (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Academic Families (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Amber Education
Belgravia Guardians
Berkeley Guardians
Cambridge Guardian Angels
NEW: Clarendon International Education
College Guardians
Connexcel (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Cotswold Guardians
Edinburgh Guardian Angels
Elite Anglo-Chinese Services
English Country Guardians
Guardians International Support
High Schools International
Hostlink UK
Overseas Personal Development Services (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
Regent Guardians
St George’s Guardians
Study Links
The Guardian Family Network
Trusted Guardianship
UK Guardians
UKGuardianship
UK Tuition Services (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian).

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 Academy

Accredited Training

The 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.

LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

BSA Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice (Pastoral Care)
Study dates: November 30, 2020; March 04, 2021; April 27, 2021; June 09, 2021. Guest speakers joining us this year will include award-winning speaker, lecturer and Mental Health consultant Victoria English; independent esafety expert Karl Hopwood, and a representative from children and young people's charity YoungMinds.

MORE COURSES

BSA Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice (Boarding Management)
Study dates: January 14, 2021; March 25, 2021; May 14, 2021; June 15, 2021.
NEW - BSA Diploma in Boarding Practice (Leadership)
Dates: January 18, 2021; March 15, 2021; May 26, 2021
NEW - Online Certificate in International Boarding. Dates: January 26, 2021 and March 24, 2021.

To see the entire 2020-21 training programme, click 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.

For more on forthcoming BAISIS training and events, please see the BSA Academy section below or visit the BAISIS website.

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.

Sacpa runs a comprehensive training programme, inviting experts from across the safeguarding sector to speak on important and current topics relating to safeguarding, child protection and the care of adults at risk. The next Sacpa webinar is 'Keeping children safe in out-of-school settings', which takes place on Thursday (03/12).

For more on forthcoming Sacpa training and events, please see the BSA Academy section below or visit the Sacpa website.

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

Request for help

Wisbech Grammar School have asked us to pass on a message asking for your support:

I am running a boarding survey to help gain a greater insight into boarding best practice in the UK. I would appreciate any input or insight from any BSA member schools in the UK. The below questionnaire only takes around 5-10 minutes to complete. There is no obligation to share the name of your school or college within the survey. Confidentiality will be maintained for those participants who choose to share this information.
I would be delighted to present / share our findings with the BSA group to share best practice within boarding. l for our wider boarding community.
Thank you for your support!

Please click here to complete the survey.

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, Professional Development and Accreditation - 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
Business Support Manager - Ellie Reed
Member Services Co-ordinator - Chantelle Howell-Walker.