Dear Members,

Welcome to this week's edition of the BSA member newsletter. The situation in Afghanistan continues to dominate the headlines around the world this week, and our thoughts are very much with everyone affected by the ongoing events in the country. 

As we've been hearing from members who've contacted us, the boarding community has been quick to offer its help. With this in mind, our colleagues at ISC have asked us to share the following update on how you can provide support to those affected if you are able to do so:

ISC, alongside associations, are continuing to work with the Home Office and Department for Education to understand central Government policy, and fit schools’ offers into any developments. The Government has launched ‘Operation Warm Welcome’ (press release here) to support resettlement. We are discussing how offers from the sector can co-ordinate with this work.

In the meantime, I’ve collated all the information we have so far, in the hope of making some progress towards matching your goodwill with those who need it:

If you can offer fully funded place(s) to refugees

If you know that you can offer one or more places to resettled Afghan refugees, our advice is to contact your local council – they will be the ones currently dealing with the logistics of resettlement. You will want to be clear what level of support you can provide – e.g. if you can provide a boarding place, a day place, and what level of English-language learning you could offer (if needed).

We expect that the Director of Children’s Services will be best placed to help. In case you don’t already have contact details, you can find these in the directory of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, here: https://adcs.org.uk/contacts/directors-of-childrens-services. It is possible that your local council has not had refugees resettled – if so, you may wish to contact neighbouring councils to see if they require assistance.

Policies are still developing daily, and we expect Directors of Children’s Services to have a number of competing concerns at present. Please don’t worry if there is a delay in their response – or if they direct you to a more appropriate officer in their council. However, if you do run into serious barriers, or barriers which you think might affect multiple schools, please do get in touch with me – our contacts with central Government may be able to overcome these barriers.

If you are looking for more information on offering fully funded place(s) to refugees

We also expect that local councils to be the best source of information on what would be involved in supporting a resettled refugee. It is likely that local councils will have, or will be forming, a detailed understanding of the need in their area – including the levels of English spoken, any need for specialist support, etc.

Again, we would suggest contacting the Director of Children’s Services in the first instance – whose contact details you can find here (https://adcs.org.uk/contacts/directors-of-childrens-services) if you do not already have them.

ISC is continuing to talk to Government contacts about any national schemes and will pass on more detailed information when it is available.

If you can provide other assistance

We understand all schools’ capacities will differ, so if you looking to offer support which does not involve fully funded places, there are other ways you can assist:

You may be able to help the education of resettled refugees via partnership if they are placed in another local school (state or independent). If you have specialism in pastoral support, enrichment activities, university support, or other areas, these could complement what councils are able to offer. Again, local authorities may be able to advise on what education arrangements have been made for resettled refugees locally – though this is expected to take time, and conversations with local heads may be the best approach.

If the school, pupil-led groups, or the wider school community would like to make other donations to support resettled refugees, this link can match your offer to councils nearby in need of donations.

Visa and immigration update

In last week's edition of the newsletter (Issue 219, 3/9/21), we advised we were seeking clarification on on whether the updated 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents', released September 1, 2021, applies to students outside the UK, as well as those already in the UK.

The Home Office has responded confirming that the concession applies only to people who are allowed to switch in the UK, so someone here as a visitor would not benefit from being able to start the course for which they had made an overseas visa application, and would need to leave the UK and re-enter once that visa had been issued.

They have also clarified and confirmed the following:

“We definitely do not want students to enter as visitors whilst they have an outstanding visa application for Student or Child Student routes, as they would be in breach of their conditions if they remained in the UK.

“Our COVID-19 concessions guidance allowed for some students to start their course when switching, but this would only be the case for those making an in-country application and who met validity requirements on switching.“

CPD, training and events

Our CPD, training and events is continuing at pace, with a wide range of webinars, virtual seminars, conferences and training all taking place in September and beyond. 

Highlights for the coming week include a selection of seminars: the BSA-led Boarding essentials on September 14, and Induction training for Graduate and GAP assistants and Leading a Boarding Team, both on September 16. Sacpa will also be running Cultural competence - safeguarding the needs of the individual on September 14, while on the following day (September 15), you can join the Hieda team for Medications management.

The week closes with our webinar, Black History Month and beyond – recommended resources and activities, on September 17.

Looking slightly further ahead, you can also still secure your spots for our first conferences of the new academic year, the Sacpa-led Mental Health and Safeguarding conference, on September 20, and our second Equity, diversity and inclusion conference (INDEX): identity, belonging and connectedness, taking place on September 28.

Open for bookings too is our full Accredited Training Programme, with our first course of the new academic year, Online BSA Certificate in Professional Practice - Mental Health & Wellbeing, getting under way on September 22. 

For more information on our forthcoming CPD, training and events, please scroll down to the BSA Academy section.

COVID update

The Department for Education's Schools COVID-19 operational guidance was last updated on August 27, 2021. This guidance explains the actions school leaders should take to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their school. This includes public health advice, endorsed by Public Health England (PHE).

Following enquiries received from some of our members, a reminder regarding ‘control measures’ and the actions school leaders should take include:

Follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19

• When an individual develops COVID-19 symptoms or has a positive test, pupils, staff and other adults should follow public health advice on when to self-isolate and what to do. They should not come into school if they have symptoms, have had a positive test result or other reasons requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (for example, they are required to quarantine).
• If anyone in your school develops COVID-19 symptoms, however mild, you should send them home and they should follow public health advice.
• If a pupil in a boarding school shows symptoms, they should usually self-isolate in their residential setting so that their usual support can continue, others may then benefit from self-isolating in their family home.
• For everyone with symptoms, they should avoid using public transport and, wherever possible, be collected by a member of their family or household.
• If a pupil is awaiting collection, they should be left in a room on their own if possible and safe to do so. A window should be opened for fresh air ventilation if possible. Appropriate PPE should also be used if close contact is necessary. Further information on this can be found in the use of PPE in education, childcare and children’s social care settings guidance. Any rooms they use should be cleaned after they have left.
• The household (including any siblings) should follow the PHE stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

Immigration legal advice

For the start of the new academic year, we've welcomed a new addition to the BSA team. Sabrina Kadi has joined us as our new In-House Legal Counsel to support members on immigration advice.

The service will include five hours pro bono immigration legal advice time per week for BSA member schools during term time (approx. one hour per day). Maximum call times are limited to 15 minutes and member schools are entitled to up to three free calls per term. Anything over 15 minutes or over three free calls per term will be chargeable by agreement and free calls cannot be banked to carry over to future terms or academic years.

For more information about the new service, please email Sabrina at Sabrina.Kadi@bsagroup.org.uk.

International Student University Fair, September 29, 2021

Book now for our International Student University Fair, a free online event taking place from 11:00-17:00 on Wednesday, September 29, for international students in Years 11, 12 and 13 and the staff who support their university applications, e.g. Heads of Careers and EAL.

This event addresses feedback from over 30 BSA and BAISIS schools who attended a forum earlier this year on how to best support international and ex-pat students as they make the transition from school to higher education.

The fair offers:

• 23 UK Universities (both high and low tariff) at virtual booths to meet prospective students individually and answer their questions
• Presentations addressing key challenges faced by international students and schools, including Q&A sessions with current international undergraduates and reviews of course options
• 1:1 high-quality advice sessions for pupils on topics such as personal statement development, IELTS and general university advice.

Please book now by clicking here, and further details will follow on booking in as many international and ex-pat students as you wish.

School site security

As part of our consultancy service, we can now offer a physical security health check to our member schools. This includes a site visit to assess access and egress control, perimeter resilience and supporting technologies, focusing particularly on boarding houses and procedures, and will include an optional resilience check on unauthorised site access by an ex-police officer as well as our recommendations. For more details please contact Bethan Waddington, Head of CPD, Events and Consultancy.

BSA Magazine autumn edition - send us your content

Lastly this week, another reminder that the autumn edition of the BSA Magazine is currently in production, with publication due in October. If you would like to send any contributions for this edition, please email them to Andrew Gray, Communications and Partnerships Manager, no later than close of play on Friday, September 17.

Best wishes, 

Robin Fletcher
CEO, BSA and BSA Group 

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.

We are delighted to announce that bookings are now open for the 2021-22 accredited training courses!

Certificate Course
You can now reserve your place on the 2021-2022 Advanced Certificate Course. These courses are run online, and give practitioners all the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in a boarding environment. This is a two-year modular course is aimed specifically at staff working in and around boarding. Over the last 20 years approximately 3,000 House Tutors, Matrons, Support Staff, School Nurses, Assistants and Houseparents have completed this Award. Find out more or reserve your place here.

FIVE PLACES LEFT: Online BSA Certificate in Professional Practice - Mental Health & Wellbeing
Study dates for this course are: September 22, 2021 / November 23, 2021 / May 14, 2022

This module is comprised of three tutor-led study days featuring guest speakers, interactive morning and afternoon sessions. Breakout groups allow for discussion and time with the course tutors.

Study day sessions will include:

• Understanding the impact of trauma and adverse life experiences, Dr Hayley Watson Clinical Psychologist PhD Clin Psych, MA Clin Psych, MA Transpersonal Psych, PG Dip Psych, BA Criminology
• Looking after yourself: building personal resilience and wellbeing 
• First Aid for Mental Health, Jane Graham, MSc, BSc, Dip Ed., R.S.C.N, BSA Nursing Advisor                                    
• Looking after the team : building healthy high performance
• Positive psychology : developing an emotional literacy toolkit, Dr Jody Walshe, Educational and Child Psychologist
• Managing resilience and wellbeing in the boarding context. 

 Click here to reserve your place.            

TWO PLACES LEFT: BSA / Hieda Advanced Certificate in Boarding Practice (School Nurses)
Study dates for this course are: November 03, 2021 / January 11, 2022 / March 08 2022 / May 16, 2022 

The course is tutor-led and will consist of four separate live online study days spread over a full academic year. The sessions on each study day will be a mixture of presentations often with an external expert, and group discussions. Find out more or reserve your place here.​

BSA Certificate in International Boarding
Study dates for this course are: December 08, 2021 / January 26, 2022 / March 17, 2022
This three-day course will cover key elements in International Boarding, including the strategic nature and importance of the international boarding market, why international students seek a British education, induction, culture shock and integration as well as considering cultural identity, values, and differences. All of this contributes to identifying and meeting the pastoral and academic needs of international students. Find out more or reserve your place here.

BSA Certificate in Professional Practice - Inclusion Lead Training
Study dates for this course are: Tuesday, November 09, 2021 and Thursday, November 25, 2021, 10:00-16:15
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.

Autumn Diploma in Boarding Practice (Leadership) - 2021 - 2022
This diploma level course is recommended for senior boarding staff and is now open for booking.
Dates:

• Day 1: November 10, 2021
• Day 2: March 09, 2022
• Day 3: May 17, 2022.

This is comprised of three, tutor-led study days, with interactive morning and afternoon sessions that allow for discussion. Find out more or reserve your place here.

BSA Certificate in Professional Practice for Pupil Welfare & Support 2021-2022
Study dates for this course are: November 19, 2021 / January 13, 2022 / March 22, 2022 / May 12, 2022

Sessions for this course include:

• Perspectives on Pastoral Care  
• An Afternoon on Disordered Eating, Guest Speaker TBC
• Understanding Adolescence & Meeting the Needs of Children & Young People
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Ammy Davies-Potter, Director of Guardianship and Inclusion, BSA Group
• Emotional Health Issues & Building Resilience
• Promoting well-being
• Partnership with Parents
• Communication skills  
• Conflict management
• Supporting Vulnerable young people; what works
• Safeguarding and information sharing, Dale Wilkins, Director of Safeguarding Professional Development and Accreditation
• Putting into practice what you’ve learned, moving forward
• Assignment and course reflection.

Click here to reserve your place

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 - 2021-22

We look forward to welcoming you at our range of virtual conferences, running throughout the year. To help with CPD planning, here are the events we are running in the autumn term:

• Mental health and safeguarding (organised by Sacpa): September 20, 2021, 09:00-16:30
• Equity, diversity and inclusion conference (INDEX): identity, belonging and connectedness: September 28, 2021, 09:00-16:30
• Visa and immigration conference: considerations and updates: October 12, 2021, 09:30-16:30
• Sports Injury management (organised by Hieda): October 13, 2021, 09:30-15:30
• BSA and Sacpa Annual safeguarding conference: November 18, 2021, 09:00-17:30
• Irish boarding conference: November 24, 2021, 09:00-16:30.

In addition to the one-day conferences running in the autumn term, we are delighted to publish the dates for a number of our other conferences for 2021-22. Please do 'save the dates' in your diaries and if you'd like to register interest, please email us.

• BSA Boarding conference: February 1-2, 2022 (Virtual)
• BSA/BAISIS International conference: March 8, 2022 (Virtual)
• BSA Annual conference for Heads: May 3-4, 2022 (Oxford)
• Annual Health and Wellbeing conference: July 6, 2022 (Virtual).

Induction training - 2021-22

Our CPD programme is under way, with induction training options for staff joining boarding for the first time, taking on new responsibilities or joining a new setting, and for senior staff looking to develop their leadership and strategy within boarding. We are running our day seminar programme virtually throughout 2021-22 to ensure training is accessible for all:

• Boarding essentials: September 14, 2021 10:30-15:30 and ​September 24, 2021, 10:30-15:30
• Induction training for Graduate and GAP assistants: September 16, 2021 10:30-15:30
• Leading a Boarding Team: September 16, 2021, 10:30-15:30
• Boarding induction for residential tutors, supporting staff and visitors: September 27, 2021, 14:00-15:00
• Creating a culture of wellbeing
  October 01, 10:30-15:30
• Essentials for new school Matrons (run jointly with Hieda): 

  October 8, 10:30 - 15:30 

Safeguarding training - 2021-22

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and the start of a new academic year provides a clear marker to ensure 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:

• Cultural competence - safeguarding the needs of the individual:
  September 14, 10:00-12:00
• The convergence between gambling and online gaming: September 21, 13:00-1400

Other training and events

Please see below a selection of other training and events taking place this month:

• Half day seminar: Medications management (organised by Hieda): September 15, 10:00-12:30
• Webinar: Black History Month and beyond – recommended resources and activities: September 17, 10:00-11:00
• Training: First aid at work (FAAW) (organised by Hieda): September 21-23 (three days), 09:00-16:00
• Webinar: Sponsor license duties for sponsors of students: September 22, 10:30-11:30
• Webinar: Promoting Oracy in the Classroom (organised by BAISIS): September 22, 12:30-13:30
• Webinar: Are you ready for…International Pronouns Day? September 22, 14:00-15:00
• Day seminar: Preparing for inspection - ISI: September 29, 10:30-15:30
• International Student University Fair: September 29, 11:00-17:00
• Half day seminar: Mental health awareness (organised by Hieda): September 30, 10:00-12:30
• Webinar: Boarding Box Set: Market overview: September 30, 12:00-13:00
• Webinar: Developing more inclusive schools in practice: September 30, 16:00-17:00

To see our latest training programme, click here.

Index (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence)

Following our inaugural inclusion conference in October, 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).

Our second Index (EDI) conference will take place on September 28, 2021 – a number of exciting speakers have already been confirmed for the event. You can find out the latest by visiting the event page on our website, with more details to be announced soon. 

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.

BSA Certified Supplier Scheme

The organisations below are members of the BSA Certified Supplier Scheme, which aims to connect members and organisations.

BSA Gold Certified Suppliers

• Schoolblazer / Limitless: School uniform and sports kit supplier
• Witley Jones: Designers, manufacturers and installers of quality school furniture for BSA boarding schools
• Engage: A powerful and flexible platform delivering effective communication, control, reporting and insight across your school.

BSA Certified Suppliers

• Boarding software: Boardingware
• Boarding software: Reach
• Careers software: Unifrog
• COVID disinfectant: Safe Tech
• COVID fogging machine: Hurricane
• COVID HK pre-flight certification: Belgravia
• COVID pre-flight certification: Fortress Direct
• COVID Testing and pre-flight certification: Elite Anglo-Chinese Services
• COVID safeguarding software: Assetpool
• COVID sanitiser: Clearwater Hygiene
• COVID sanitiser and tunnels: PTC Xtrasan
• COVID testing: Biograd
• COVID testing: Wren Healthcare
• COVID testing and tracking: Sirkka Networks
• COVID testing and tracking: Taylor Education
• Energy Management: Cost Advice
• Face masks: Funky Face Masks
• Face masks: Goldpro Face Masks
• Face masks: Kaia Trading Ltd
• Financial services: Quantum Advisory
• Maths software: Sparx Maths / Hegarty Maths
• NEW: Renewable energy: Powerful Allies Limited
• Safeguarding: Corporate Safeguarding
• Safeguarding software: MyConcern
• Thermal temperature camera system: Eclipse Strategic Security Ltd.

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 schemes

The 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

• 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)
• Akademis (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
• Aston Education (Hong Kong)
• @School-in-UK (Russia)
• Baltic Council for International Education (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia & Poland)
• Barbara Glasmacher Internationale (Germany)
• BeGo Education (China)
• Better School! Internatsberatung (Germany)
• Beyond Education (Spain)
• BOSSS UK (China)
• Britannia StudyLink (Hong Kong)
• British United Education Services (Hong Kong)
• Carfax Consultants (Worldwide)
• 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)
• Edukatus (China, Hong Kong, Singapore)
• Genesis Education Planning (China) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Global Education Tumulka (GET) (Germany)
• i-Learner (Hong Kong)
• InterGreat Education Group (China)
• IQ Consultancy (Russia)
• ITEC (Russia)
• J3 Group (HK)
• JD Consultancy (China) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Mark Brooks Education (Ghana, Nigeria, worldwide)
• Meridian Group (Latvia)
• Overseas Personal Development Services (China)
• Panoba (Nigeria and Saudi Arabia)
• QED Education Group (China)​
• Rise Smart Overseas Education Centre (Hong Kong)
• Sarah Jochums Internatsberatung (Germany)
• School Britannia (France)
• Sino-UK Arts & Cultural Bridge Ltd (China)
• The Independent Education Consultants (worldwide)
• The Watanabe Office (Japan) 
• UK Academics & Guardianship (UKAG) (China)
• 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

• Abby Plumb Education Guardian Service (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Academic Families (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Access UK Education
• Alpha Guardians
• Amber Education
• Belgravia Guardians
• Berkeley Guardians
• Boarding Schools Ireland
• Cambridge Guardian Angels
• Clarendon International Education
• College Guardians
• Connexcel (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Cotswold Guardians
• Edinburgh Guardian Angels
• Education and Exchange in Europe (provisional) 
• Elite Anglo-Chinese Services 
• English Country Guardians 
• Gabbitas
• Genesis Education Planning (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Great British Guardians
• Guardians International Support
• High Schools International
• Hostlink UK
• International Student Guardianship Ireland (ISGI) (provisional)
• IQ Consultancy (provisional) (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• JD Consultancy (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Overseas Personal Development Services (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• Redoor Education (provisional)
• Regent Guardians
• St George’s Guardians
• Scottish Overseas Guardianship Association (SOGA) (provisional)
• See World (provisional)
• Study Links
• ​The Guardian Family Network
• Trusted Guardianship
• UKEI (provisional)
• UK Guardians
• UKGuardianship
• UK Tuition Services (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• UM Education (provisional)
• Ying Lang Guardian, Glamour Edu Ltd

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.

Partner news

Online recruitment fair: British Council East Asia Study UK is holding an online fair on October 7-9, which may be of interest to member schools looking to recruit pupils from Hong Kong and Thailand. For more information, please visit the British Council East Asia Study UK website. 

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 and Director, Sacpa - Aileen Kane
• Director of Safeguarding, Professional Development and Accreditation - Dale Wilkins
• International Director and Director, BAISIS - Caroline Nixon

• Director of Guardianship and Inclusion - Ammy Davies-Potter

• Director, Health and Wellbeing and Director, Hieda - Jane Graham

• Head of Membership - Chris Ryan

• Head of CPD, Events and Consultancy - Beth Waddington
• Head of Accredited Training - Liz McDonald
• In-House Legal Counsel - Sabrina Kadi
• Communications and Partnerships Manager - Andrew Gray
• Finance and Administration Manager - Danielle Cuthbert
• Business Support Manager - Ellie Reed
• Business Support Executive - Claire Scrimgeour

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