Digital Boarding Conference

Conference outline:

The Digital Boarding Conference 2025 is an in-person event hosted at Eton College, bringing together educators, pastoral leaders, and safeguarding professionals to explore the complex realities of young people’s digital lives within boarding environments. The conference will feature expert-led sessions on pressing topics such as online safety, the rise of radical online ideologies like the manosphere, and the ongoing debate around the role of smartphones in childhood—spotlighting the Phone-Free Childhood movement. Attendees will also have the chance will take part in interactive breakout sessions designed to foster meaningful dialogue and practical strategies for managing digital challenges in school communities.

Training topics include:

• Identifying and responding to digital safeguarding risks
• Managing screen time and device use in boarding settings
• Communicating effectively with students and parents about online behaviour

Learning outcomes:

• Greater confidence in identifying online risks and responding appropriately
• Enhanced understanding of the manosphere and how it influences young people
• Practical strategies for managing devices in boarding schools
• Tools for creating a balanced, safe digital environment for students

Whether you’re a school leader, houseparent, or safeguarding lead, this conference offers timely, practical insights to help shape your school’s digital approach.