The National Boarding Standards were the result of three years' work by the National Boarding Standards Committee. The Committee was convened by the Independent Schools Council and the Boarding Schools' Association to draw up a set of national standards for boarding to be submitted to the Government in response to the Care Standards Bill. This submission was made in June 2000.

The GOVERNMENT VERSION designed for use from April 2002 by the National Care Standards Commission, the new regulatory body for all residential organisations, was published by the Department for Health in March 2002 and can be accessed by clicking here.

For those who are not able to download the Standards, a paper copy of the Standards is obtainable from:-

www.the-stationery-office.co.uk

The National Boarding Standards cover the full range of welfare, health and policy issues. They are the product of a unique Committee, convened jointly by the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and the Boarding Schools' Association (BSA), which brought together all the independent school associations along with representatives of state boarding schools, social services inspectors, OFSTED, the two Government departments (Education and Health) with responsibilities for child welfare, Service Children's Education, and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) - the inspection arm of ISC.

Three years of work produced an agreed set of minimum standards for sound practice in independent and state boarding schools. The Government Version of the Standards contained no substantive changes. Thus, the National Committee, which developed the standards, reflected true partnership and can feel gratified by the way this exercise was undertaken and the positive response of schools to the Standards.

The new National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools to come into effect from September 2010

Ministers have agreed to revisions to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools to come into effect from September 2010. The welfare standards are minimum standards, in the sense that they provide minimum standards below which no school is expected to fall in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of boarders. Many schools already meet these standards or exceed them.

The document contains a statement of national minimum standards published by the Secretary of State under section 87C of the Children Act 1989. This statement is applicable to any school (within the meaning in the Education Act 1996) which provides accommodation but is not a special school (within the meaning in the 1996 Act), a children's home or a care home (within the meanings in the Care Standards Act 2000).

Each individual standard is numbered and consists of the numbered heading and numbered paragraphs. Each standard is, for explanatory purposes only, preceded by a title and an indication of the intended outcome in relation to that standard.

You can download a copy of this from our download page on the left hand side.