Dear Members,

Welcome to this week's edition of the newsletter - I hope those of you who were on half-term last week managed to get at least some rest. 

Yesterday (June 10) Ofsted published its Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. Although this focuses on schools and colleges in England, abuse knows no boundaries, and BSA believes that the findings of the review are relevant and pertinent to all BSA member schools worldwide:

• School and college leaders should create a culture where sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are not tolerated, and where they identify issues and intervene early to better protect children and young people.
• In order to do this, they should assume that sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are happening in their setting, even when there are no specific reports, and put in place a whole-school approach to address them. 

The report goes on to make ten further recommendations for schools. as well as others for multi-agency partners, government and the inspectorates. Actions for schools include reinforcing a culture where sexual abuse and sexual harassment are not tolerated, strengthening the RSHE curriculum and providing high-quality training for teachers delivering RSHE, more support for DSLs, closer working with local safeguarding partnerships and appropriate training for all staff and governors.

The review included speaking to over 900 children and young people, and it reveals how prevalent such abuse is. For some children “incidents are so commonplace that [children] see no point in reporting them”. Indeed the issue is so widespread that it needs addressing for all children and young people. BSA urges member schools, therefore, to heed the review’s call that we should “act as though sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are happening, even where there are no specific reports.”

BSA has been well aware for quite some time that cases of peer-on-peer abuse are far more common than many people believe, and has tried to respond to this through our training programmes and through our Commitment to Care Charter. However, the actual scale of the abuse uncovered by Ofsted is truly shocking, with 90% of girls reporting that they had been sent explicit pictures and videos of things they did not want to see. 92% of girls also reported sexist name-calling. The figures for boys were lower (50% and 74%) but still very significant.

It is clear that many of the incidents of sexual violence took place outside school, but some girls also reported unwanted sexual touching in school corridors. The report highlights the difficulties schools face when dealing with such issues and allegations, particularly when these have happened beyond the school gates. However the report also highlights that some teachers and leaders underestimate the scale of the problem.  Young people also said that RSHE was “too little too late” and that they had to turn to peers or social media for advice.

BSA will work with member schools and with the ISC associations to formulate our longer-term response, and will ensure appropriate content is embedded within all our future professional development programmes.

In the meantime we shall be hosting a free webinar for members, Responding to the Ofsted review of sexual abuse, next Friday (18/6) at 10.30am, which will be in conjunction with Sacpa and GSA, and will explore the review’s findings in more detail. Please click on the link above to book your place.

UK Immigration

Following our immigration one-day conference yesterday and several meetings with the Home Office we can now confirm:

• CAS allocations: BSA is working with the Home Office regarding CAS allocation delays. The service delivery standard is 18 weeks and it is currently reporting a nine week turn-around. If you have reached nine weeks the Home Office will take a look at individual cases via BSA, please contact aileen@boarding.org.uk or caroline.nixon@boarding.org.uk and they will escalate it for you. Schools which have requested a CAS allocation increase to account for EU students are advised to provide as much information as possible to make the case including, capacity, profile of student body as described by Educational Oversight (e.g. ISI), % of nationalities and why you need the increase.
• EUSS: as the June 30 deadline approaches, if pupils/staff experience difficulties with processing their application please contact aileen@boarding.org.uk or caroline.nixon@boarding.org.uk who will raise with the Home Office.
• IHS for one-year visas: The Home Office is looking at the wording on the IHS applications so it is clear that students will pay £750 (vs the £470 advertised) which will cover the student for their leave to remain (one year study, plus four months) rather than their course. Until this wording is updated, BSA advises members to alert students to the full cost during application.
• Helplines: The Home Office is looking into reports some visa helpline numbers are not working.
• Verification codes: The Home Office reports that certain carriers are unable to receive verification codes for visa applicants. It is working on a solution but until resolved, members should see if an alternative UK mobile number can be used.
• COVID concessions: are due to end September 27. Should concessions be extended we will alert members in our newsletter.

Download: Right to Work Checks from 1 July 2021
Download: Viewing and proving your immigration status

One-day conferences - bookings open

A number of one-day conferences are scheduled between now and the end of term and there's still time for you to secure places at them if you haven't already booked. Next up is our Boarding Future Project Conference on June 15. The following day (June 16), Sacpa and BAISIS will be jointly hosting Safeguarding International Students, with Sacpa leading our first-ever Safeguarding in Sport conference on June 24.

On July 6, we do hope you can join us for our long-running Annual Health and Wellbeing Conference. The programme for the event is developed in collaboration with our Nurse Advisors and the conference content will be relevant to pastoral staff specifically tasked with student wellbeing, Matrons and School Nurses, so please do let any of your team members know who may be interested.

And don't forget, if you can't join us live at any of the conferences, remember you can make a booking to receive the recordings to review at your convenience.

Please click on the links to book your places. For more information on our forthcoming CPD, training and events - including dates for our Accredited Training programme in 2021/22 - please scroll down to the BSA Academy section.

COVID update: Hong Kong

Please note that the quarantine period for those returning to Hong Kong from the UK is now 14 days in a hotel for anyone who has had the COVID vaccine. Anyone who is unvaccinated still needs to do 21 days quarantine, which for now obviously includes pupils at member schools. If there is any change on this we will keep you updated. 

Home office open consultation: Protect Duty

The Home Office is seeking views on how the Protect Duty can make the public safer at publicly accessible locations. 

This is a UK-wide consultation and is targeted at venues, organisations, businesses, local authorities, public authorities and individuals who own or operate at publicly accessible locations or others that a ‘Protect Duty’ would potentially affect.

More on the consultation can be found by clicking here - the deadline for responding is Friday, July 2.

Scotland: Childhood and School Flu Immunisation Programme

Our thanks to SCIS for sharing the following update with us

Please find attached a letter from Scotland's Chief Medical Officer confirming, as intimated in the SCIS Report to Members in April, the Government has accepted the JCVI recommendation to extend seasonal 'flu vaccinations to:

• All children aged two-five* years (not yet at school) (*children must be aged two years or above on 1 September 2021); and
• All primary school children (primary one to primary seven) at school
• All secondary school pupils (years one to six).

There is no news yet on a suggested extension of 'flu vaccinations to frontline school staff.

National Boarding Week - June 21-27

It's almost time for this year's National Boarding Week, which takes place from June 21-27. Now in its fifth year, this year's event will focus on the importance of health and wellbeing and we'd love to see as many people as possible getting involved.

In addition to our Boarders Go Green Challenge (see below), some of the activities you could undertake to support National Boarding Week might include:

• 2k run challenge – run for a charity of your choice
• Kindness challenge – send us your videos and images of charity work
• Fitness challenge – inter-house press-up and keepie-uppie competitions
• Inter-house zoom bake-off – can you rise to the challenge?
• The boarding zoom choir – sing together during lockdown and share your videos with BSA
• Audiobook challenge – record your favourite story, poem or book to share with fellow boarders.

If you do complete any challenges for National Boarding Week, don't forget to post them on social media, tagging us and using the hashtags #nationalboardingweek and #iloveboarding.

You can download a copy of this year's National Boarding Week flyer by clicking on the image below. You can also visit the National Boarding Week page on our website for more information.

Limitless Challenge: #boardersgogreen

In the run-up to National Boarding Week, many of you have been taking part in our Boarders Go Green Challenge, which launched at our Annual Conference for Heads. In partnership with Limitless, a unique brand that offers high-quality sportswear to many of our member schools, we've challenged schools to join together to walk the equivalent of the distance across Africa - approximately 7,500km. Schools can contribute to this by undertaking a series of tasks and completing them will equate to a distance walked.

We've made an excellent start to the challenge, with more than 9,600km already covered. A massive thank you goes to staff and students at all of the schools who've helped us reach that figure.

But that's not the end of the challenge - we want to keep going and see how far we can walk together by the end of National Boarding Week (June 21-27, 2021) and we'd love to see as many of you getting involved as possible.

For more information, please visit our #boardersgogreen webpage.

School Sport Research Foundation (SSRF)

We're lending our support to the School Sport Research Foundation (SSRF), a newly formed non-profit research foundation set up to promote and facilitate research into the physical, mental and social aspects of school sport. 

Membership of SSRF is open to all schools who have a desire to influence the direction this research takes. Schools who choose to become members of SSRF will be showing their commitment to engage with research that will allow continued improvement in their sector. Members will be able to propose research projects, seek the support of SSRF to run studies and have early results from research so that they can start implementing change. As part of this initiative, BSA will be undertaking a research project into sports injuries in schools.

If you are interested in hearing more about SSRF and the potential of your school being involved, please complete the form that can be found here, or please contact Mr Richard Finch, Director of Sport at Harrow School and Head of School Partnerships at SSRF by emailing richard.finch@ssrf.org.uk.

BSA Forums

All members of the school boarding community are welcome to join our forum meetings. the next dates are:

June

• Wales – June 14, 16:30-17:30
• South East – June 18, 14:00-15:00
• East England – June 28, 14:00-15:00
• South Central – June 29, 14:00-15:00

(*If you have yet to receive an invite and wish to attend please could you email bsa@boarding.org.uk)

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 booking is 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.

Online BSA Certificate in Professional Practice - Mental Health  & Wellbeing
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. Click here to reserve your place.

• Day 1: Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Day 2: Tuesday, November 23, 2021
• Day 3: Friday, May 14, 2022

BSA 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: 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.

If you need any further information about our Accredited Training programme, please contact Liz McDonald, Senior Training Manager, at liz@boarding.org.uk.

Virtual conferences

• Boarding Future Project Conference:  June 15, 2021
• Sacpa / BAISIS Conference: Safeguarding International Students: June 16, 2021
• Sacpa Conference: Safeguarding in Sport: June 24, 2021
• Annual Health & Wellbeing Conference 2020-21: July 06, 2021

Virtual seminars and specialist training

• Taking on a new Boarding House: June 14, 2021
• BAISIS: Meeting the needs of international pupils in the mainstream classroom – a practical guide for teachers: June 18, 2021
• Mental health support for students: June 22, 2021
• Leading a Boarding Team: June 23, 2021
• Boarding essentials: June 25, 2021
• Working with Agents: June 30, 2021

Sacpa DSL Training: This training will enable you to meet statutory responsibilities referenced in Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together to Safeguard Children. The course is suitable for staff in the role of designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy designated safeguarding lead (DDSL).

It is delivered by an NSPCC-accredited trainer and qualified social work manager of 20 years. Date: July 08. 

Webinars

• Sacpa: Safer recruitment lessons from an independent boarding school: June 17, 2021
• BSA / Sacpa / GSA: Responding to the Ofsted review of sexual abuse: June 18, 2021
• Sacpa: Safeguarding and supporting gender diversity: June 22, 2021
• BSA: Looking back, looking forward - summer/autumn: June 28, 2021
• Sacpa: Coercive control, identifying behaviours and its impact: June 29, 2021

To see the entire 2020-21 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 – more details will be available 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

• Password: Providers of world-leading online English language and Maths assessment
• 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
• 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 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

We are delighted to announce that Beyond Education has joined the BSA Certified Agent scheme. Welcome to the BSA family!

• 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)
• 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)
• NEW: Beyond Education (Spain)
• BOSSS UK (China)
• Britannia StudyLink (Hong Kong)
• British United Education Services (Hong Kong)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• Study Links
• ​The Guardian Family Network
• Trusted Guardianship
• UK Guardians
• UKGuardianship
• UK Tuition Services (Certified Agent and Certified Guardian)
• 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

Climate Solutions Conference: Charterhouse is hosting an online Climate Solutions Conference, led by students, which takes place on June 14-16.

The event offers an opportunity to listen, engage, discuss, and learn about different aspects of climate change. For more information, or to register, please click here.

Reach Girls' Summit: Members are invited to join the team at DLD College for the 'Reach Girls' Summit' on June 26. The Summit is open to all girls who are 11- 14 years old, and it will be very much a workshop and discussion format to help girls think about their futures in the ever-changing world that we all now live in.

There are two ways to attend. Either in our COVID-19 safe Atrium at the multi-award winning DLD College London or via the live stream. Please click here to find out more and reserve your complimentary place. 

Virtual Girls’ Boarding School Fair – 15/6/21: GSA is holding a Virtual Girls’ Boarding School Fair on June 15. The event is free and offers an opportunity to meet Heads and key staff from 21 leading UK schools, and discover the boundless opportunities, all-round resilience, confidence, friendships and life chances that girls’ boarding can provide. For more information, or to book a place, please click here.

UK Social Mobility Awards: There's still time to submit an entry for this year's UK Social Mobility Awards. Organised by leading Social Mobility charity Making The Leap, the awards are about making the advancement of social mobility a key part of how organisations are run in this country. The deadline for entering the awards is June 25. For more information, please click here. For any enquiries about entering, please email carmen.antiqueira@mtl.org.uk.

New food and nutrition guide: The British Nutrition Foundation has launched a guide to support teachers in delivering food and nutrition education to pupils with additional needs. A copy of ‘Characteristics of good practice in teaching food and nutrition education to pupils with additional needs’, can be downloaded by clicking here.

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
• Member Services Director - Chris Ryan
• International Director and Director, BAISIS - 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

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