Webinars

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

September webinars:

• Radicalisation and early identification
  This webinar provides an awareness overview of the Prevent Duty. Delegates will review the legal context, signs and indicators, response and referral to the challenge of radicalisation. 
• Pre-inspection self-assessment audit tips and recommendations
  The session will give an overview of how to audit boarding provision, whether for internal processes or for an external verification or inspection. 
• Enrolment: Right to study checks for international students                                                          Whether you are part of the pastoral team responsible for welcoming your international students or are one of your sponsor licence Key Personnel, now is a critical time to ensure all due checks are complete and that your sponsor licence compliance duties are met. 
• E-safety compliance: keeping up with developments
  This webinar will support knowledge and confidence of practitioners and leaders responsible for oversight of safeguarding and online safety, including those involved in risk assessment, delivering online safety interventions and curriculum. The event is suitable for colleagues working in education, health, youth services, early help, private, charity and third sector organisations.
• The Switch to eVisas
  UKVI are developing a digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical documents with an online record of an immigration status. Join our upcoming free webinar where we will explore the transition from traditional visas to the new eVisa System.
• Part 1 of 3 – Supporting New Student Wellbeing – The Value of Extending the Induction Programme 
  This webinar explores the reasons behind this phenomenon, reframes existing conceptualisations of the induction period, and discusses ways in which the induction programme can be extended and optimised to better reflect the full school transition process and ensure that transition-specific student wellbeing needs continue to be met.
• Vaping
  We know that the prevalence of children and young people involved in vaping is a growing concern and regulation of vaping products does not support harm reduction. Young people are growing up in a world where they are very likely to encounter and could experiment with vaping or other substances. They need to know the facts, dangers, and myths about what they might encounter, and how to access advice and support for their vaping use. This webinar is designed to improve the knowledge of those who are teaching, and supporting, young people to navigate through these issues. Attendees will receive a full update on current facts and figures surrounding vaping concerns along with information on current Government strategies to combat the sale and promotion of these devices, in particular to teenagers. Options and advice to offer students and their parents with concerns around vape addiction will be provided so attendees can share these more broadly across their school, as well as options on how to deter the current epidemic use of vapes, even on site.
• Managing the Single Central Register (SCR)
  Is your Single Central Register compliant? Schools and colleges must keep a Single Central Record in line with statutory guidance and associated legislation. However, inaccuracies and missing data in the single central register remains a key area of compliance concern resulting in poor regulatory inspection outcomes which are reflected in judgements on safeguarding leadership. This webinar is developed to support colleagues who have operational and oversight responsibility for the Single Central Record.
• NMS considerations for 2024-25
  This webinar is suitable for those new to boarding and those who wish to improve their knowledge of the standards in England.
• Visa & Immigration Sponsor Licence Compliance: A refresher
  Do you understand your school’s duties as an international student sponsor? Compliance with sponsor licence duties is a school-wide responsibility which goes far beyond the Child Student Visa application itself. Ensuring staff members understand what it means to be a UKVI sponsor, and the wider risks and consequences of non-compliance, is essential. Whether you are new to international student sponsorship, or whether you are looking to refresh your knowledge, this session will provide the overview you need to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Promoting engagement and activity around Black History Month
  The aim of the session is to provide information and resources for boarding staff to use in their Houses to promote awareness of Black History Month. Ensuring the young people in our care are equipped with cultural awareness and knowledge beyond their ‘normal’ is vital in preparing them for life beyond school. It will also suggest steps that can be taken to promote Black History throughout the year.
• Safeguarding update
  The session will discuss current trends and developments in safeguarding. There will be a particular focus on the changes in the updated Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance for England (September 2024) but the content will be relevant to all safeguarding practitioners.
• Boarding induction for residential tutors and supporting staff/visitors
  This webinar will provide a concise induction addressing the usual processes and policies that practitioners need to be aware of to ensure the safety of boarders within their Houses.
• Educational Visits – Risk and Responsibilities for Senior Leaders
  Risk assessment, safeguarding and compliance are essential components of running a school and taking care of children and young people. You know what these mean in your school setting and how to keep your staff and students safe. But what about when children are off-site on visits, residentials, co-curricular activities and sporting events? Have you considered that routine and regular events such as going out to eat or social activities on evenings and weekends are also trips – and could be considered as such by authorities?

October webinars:

• Supporting boarders with homesickness
  This webinar will consider how to identify homesickness, explore proven strategies and resources to support individuals experiencing homesickness and discuss best practice for creating a supportive boarding environment that fosters emotional wellbeing for all.
• Managing the Single Central Register (SCR)
  Is your Single Central Register compliant? Schools and colleges must keep a Single Central Record in line with statutory guidance and associated legislation. However, inaccuracies and missing data in the single central register remains a key area of compliance concern resulting in poor regulatory inspection outcomes which are reflected in judgements on safeguarding leadership. This webinar is developed to support colleagues who have operational and oversight responsibility for the Single Central Record.
• Boarding box set – sector overview and market analysis 
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
• How to achieve meaningful pupil voice in House and across school
  Not only is pupil voice a key focus in inspection frameworks but effective pupil voice is also one of the hallmarks of a thriving school community. Meaningful pupil voice leads to increased pupil engagement and improved relationships and overall school improvement. Recommendations from this webinar will also support compliance with Standard 13 of the National Minimum standards.

November webinars:

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

September webinars:

• NMS considerations for 2023-24
  This webinar is suitable for those new to boarding and those who wish to improve their knowledge of the standards in England.
• Pre-inspection self-assessment audit tips and recommendations
  The session will give an overview of how to audit boarding provision, whether for internal processes or for an external verification or inspection.
• Enrolment: Right to study checks for international students.
  Term has begun and your international students are enrolling with you, but have you fulfilled your sponsor licence duties to ensure your students can commence their studies? Are you clear on how to check whether your international students have the right to study in the UK? Do you know what documents to check, what information you are looking for and what to keep records of? Conducting right to study checks is a core requirement for sponsors in order to support immigration control. Whether you are part of the pastoral team responsible for welcoming your international students or are one of your sponsor licence Key Personnel, now is a critical time to ensure all due checks are complete and that your sponsor licence compliance duties are met.
• Promoting engagement and activity around Black History Month
  The aim of the session is to provide information and resources for boarding staff to use in their Houses to promote awareness of Black History Month. Ensuring the young people in our care are equipped with cultural awareness and knowledge beyond their ‘normal’ is vital in preparing them for life beyond school. It will also suggest steps that can be taken to promote cultural awareness throughout the year.
• Managing the Single Central Register (SCR) in boarding schools
  Is your Single Central Register compliant?
  Schools and colleges must keep a single central record in line with statutory guidance and associated legislation. However, inaccuracies and missing data in the Single Central Register remains a key area of compliance concern resulting in poor regulatory inspection outcomes which are reflected in judgements on safeguarding leadership.
• Vaping
  We know that the prevalence of children and young people involved in vaping is a growing concern and regulation of vaping products does not support harm reduction. Young people are growing up in a world in which they are very likely to encounter and experiment with vaping along with use of other substances. They need to know the facts about what they might encounter, what the dangers are, what the myths are and how to access advice and support for their vaping use. This seminar is designed to improve the knowledge of those who are teaching, and supporting, young people to navigate through these issues. Attendees will receive a full update on current facts and figures surrounding vaping concerns along with information on current Government strategies to combat the sale and promotion of these devices, in particular to teenagers. Options and advice to offer students and their parents with concerns around vape addiction will be provided so attendees can share these more broadly across their school, as well as options on how to deter the current epidemic use of vapes, even on site.
• Visa & Immigration Sponsor Licence Compliance: A refresher
  Do you understand your school’s duties as an international student sponsor? Compliance with sponsor licence duties is a school-wide responsibility which goes far beyond the Child Student Visa application itself. Ensuring staff members understand what it means to be a UKVI sponsor, and the wider risks and consequences of non-compliance, is essential. Whether you are new to international student sponsorship, or whether you are looking to refresh your knowledge, this session will provide the overview you need to ensure ongoing compliance.

October webinars:

• Foundations for boarding school Governors – roles, responsibilities and collective governance
  This webinar, led by Cheryl Connelly, Director of Training & Membership (Deputy CEO), AGBIS, will review the roles and responsibilities of Governors of boarding schools and discuss how governors demonstrate collective governance. Best practice recommendations as to the development of the role of Governor, fulfilling responsibilities and ensuring successful governance will be discussed. There will be opportunity for delegates to put any questions they may have about being a Governor of a boarding school, understanding the role and current issues to Cheryl.

• Key findings from the boarding staff survey 2023
  In the Spring term of 2022/23, the BSA launched its boarding staff survey. Over a thousand boarding practitioners responded. We are grateful to all BSA members who took the time to participate. This webinar will go over the key findings from the survey and provide insights on current opportunities, challenges for boarding staff.  We will cover the following topics: demographics, compensation, staff benefits, current stressors, data about time off and timetable reduction, recruitment and retention as well as current stressors.

• How to achieve meaningful pupil voice in House and across school
  Not only is pupil voice a key focus in inspection frameworks but effective pupil voice is also one of the hallmarks of a thriving school community. Meaningful pupil voice leads to increased pupil engagement and improved relationships and overall school improvement. Recommendations from this webinar will also support compliance with Standard 13 of the National Minimum standards.

November webinars:

• Key findings medical staff survey
  In the summer term of 2022/23, the BSA launched its first ever survey for medical staff in boarding schools. We are grateful to all BSA and HIEDA members who took the time to participate. This webinar will go over the key findings from the survey and provide insights on current provision, practice and difficulties for medical centres.

• Developing a culture of belonging
  This webinar will consider the importance of developing a culture of belonging in your boarding community and across your school. Strategies to foster a culture of belonging and community identity for students and staff will be shared, looking beyond diversity and into embedding belonging into your school ethos.

• Boarding box set – Inspection

  The session will give an overview of how to prepare for inspection, and is suitable for those being inspected under any of the UK or international frameworks. Key principles of auditing and assessing boarding provision will be discussed, which delegates will be able to reference against their specific inspection and auditing requirements.

• BSA/AGBIS – Foundations for boarding school Governors – how to question and challenge
  This webinar will talk delegates through how individual Governors and Governing bodies can provide schools with a robust degree of challenge and offer best practice suggestions for how to develop suitable audit models with school leadership teams.

• HIEDA/BSA – Nitrous Oxide
  Nitrous Oxide is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs by young people. The law has recently changed regarding its possession. Nitrous Oxide is now classified as a Class C drug and possession could carry a sentence of up to two years in prison. Attendees will receive a full update on current facts and figures surrounding Nitrous Oxide and its misuse by young people.

• AI and Assistive Technology to support pupils with SEND
  Assistive technology and Artificial Intelligence open a world of possibilities in education. Lessons supported by AI and Assistive Technology can foster independence, engagement and meaningful participation for pupils with additional needs.  In this webinar, Lucy Pelling will talk about the use of Assistive Technology and how it can be used to remove barriers for pupils with Special Educational Needs. She will also explore how AI could transform teaching and learning for pupils with SEND. Lucy will give examples of programmes she is using and the difference they make to workload.

December webinars:

• Boarding box set – Safeguarding

  This webinar will explore how to understand and evaluate the safeguarding “culture” in schools. It will consider how to develop and promote appropriate practice and to evaluate the key indicators.

• BSA/AGBIS – Foundations for boarding school Governors – inclusion and support
  This webinar will outline equality, diversity and inclusion and the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks for boarding schools, paying particular attention to how the role of the Governor fits within this. Ensuring EDI is embedded within the culture of the whole school, including pupils and staff, is an important part of the role of Governor. This webinar will consider how to implement change at strategic level, involve SLT and have effective oversight.

January webinars:

• Boarding induction for residential tutors and supporting staff/visitors
  Boarding Houses are often dynamic and busy venues, welcoming visitors to support the boarders who call the House ‘home’. Whilst permanent members of the boarding team receive clear information on the policies and processes that keep each House safe, how much information do supporting staff and regular visitors receive? This webinar will provide a concise induction addressing the usual processes and policies that practitioners need to be aware of to ensure the safety of boarders within their Houses.
• Safeguarding duties for Child Students: Care arrangements, absences and holidays
  UKVI has – rightly – intensified its focus on the welfare and safeguarding of Child Students. Scrutiny is being applied both at in-person inspections and remotely through sponsor record reviews. So, do you understand what is expected of you as a Student sponsor? How do you assess whether a care arrangement is appropriate? How does a sponsored student’s absence impact your sponsor licence? What records do you need to make for holidays and travel plans? A review of the duties listed in the Student sponsor guidance is simply not sufficient to equip you with the answers to these questions; a deeper understanding of the sector risks involved and the reasoning behind such compliance responsibilities is key. If this is an area of confusion or concern for you, or if you want assurance that you are getting it right, please join us and rest-assured you are not alone. We’ll be providing risk-assessment questionnaires, practical solutions and best practice tips in this jam-packed 1-hour training session, along with a live Q&A.
• What about the boys? Modern masculinity
  This half day seminar will look at masculinity and the current issues affecting young men including mental health, dating and relationships, pornography, status and physical appearance. We will then move on to look at performance enhancing drugs and how these are currently used.
• Supporting pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
  Our schools are ever more neurodiverse. This webinar will focus on best practice when supporting young people with Autism Spectrum Condition and how to ensure our school environment and boarding houses are safe, inclusive spaces fostering a sense of belonging.

February webinars:

• Boarding box set – Marketing considerations for boarding schools
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
• TIOB/BSA – Political landscape and engagement for boarding schools
  The current political context as well as the potential change in government have significant implications for the independent and boarding sectors. Offering a balanced view can certainly be challenging. In this webinar, we will explore how to effectively advocate for the sector and our schools. We will also focus on how to discuss politics and political engagement with other stakeholders (be they parents, colleagues or boarders) while  staying as neutral and balanced as possible.
• Due Diligence: International Student Recruitment
  This webinar will explore the key risk areas permeating international student recruitment and steps all schools should take to manage associated risks. Our expert speakers are Kate Hollyer, Director of Legal and Public Affairs, BSA Group and Mark Taylor of Verisio Ltd.  The session will be chaired by Caroline Nixon, International & Membership Director, BSA Group, and there will be time to ask questions at the end of the webinar.
• BSA & BAISIS – Marketing considerations for international families
  Join us as we delve into the world of marketing considerations for international families and consider how schools can stay ahead of the curve and connect with the global community of international families looking to benefit from a British education for their child(ren). This webinar will provide valuable strategies and approaches to engage with prospective parents and students in today’s competitive landscape.

March webinars:

• Boarding box set – EDI in boarding BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
• What about the boys? Modern masculinity
  This half day seminar will look at masculinity and the current issues affecting young men including mental health, dating and relationships, pornography, status and physical appearance. We will then move on to look at performance enhancing drugs and how these are currently used.
• Are you UKVI inspection ready? 
  BSA’s Are you prepared for your next Home Office inspection? UKVI audits can be announced or unannounced, making it imperative that sponsor schools are ready for an inspection from UKVI officers at any time. Establishing systems and processes to ensure continued compliance with UKVI requirements is not just good practice, but essential to prevent licence revocation. For those who have not experienced a UKVI audit recently or at all, equip yourself with insider-knowledge of what to expect, how to prepare and what mistakes to avoid.

April webinars:

• Safeguarding duties for Child Students: Care arrangements, absences and holidays
  UKVI has – rightly – intensified its focus on the welfare and safeguarding of Child Students. Scrutiny is being applied both at in-person inspections and remotely through sponsor record reviews. So, do you understand what is expected of you as a Student sponsor? How do you assess whether a care arrangement is appropriate? How does a sponsored student’s absence impact your sponsor licence? What records do you need to make for holidays and travel plans? A review of the duties listed in the Student sponsor guidance is simply not sufficient to equip you with the answers to these questions; a deeper understanding of the sector risks involved and the reasoning behind such compliance responsibilities is key.
• BSA/SACPA – Managing the Single Central Register (SCR) in boarding school
  Schools and colleges must keep a Single Central Record in line with statutory guidance and associated legislation. However, inaccuracies and missing data in the single central register remains a key area of compliance concern resulting in poor regulatory inspection outcomes which are reflected in judgements on safeguarding leadership.
• Boarding box set – Wellbeing and Staff Support
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’
• Mental health management in the modern world
  Anxiety, depression, ADHD and dyslexia are at an all-time highs. Why is this the case and what can we do to help manage and mitigate these issues? In this webinar, nutritionist and neuroscientist, Inder Singh Virdi will share his story after struggling with undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia. He will also share techniques we can use to support these conditions based on the latest research.
• Child student and student visas: what you need to know
  The offer letter has been sent and CAS issued, what next? Improve your school’s ‘international student journey’ by increasing your knowledge of the visa application process. Understanding this vital next step will enable you to support your student before they’ve walked through the school gates, whilst helping prevent unnecessary mistakes that could easily lead to a visa refusal.

May webinars:

• Managing Microaggressions and “banter”
  In this webinar, we will explore the pervasive issue of microaggressions and banter. We will focus on the knowledge, tools, and skills to create a more inclusive and respectful environment. We will also look at how work on microaggressions and banter fit within a whole school anti-bullying strategy. The webinar will give insights about the impact of microaggressions on individuals and wider groups. You will learn to recognise and address microaggressions effectively, fostering empathy, and promoting positive interactions.
• Cass Review: Analysis, summary and next steps
  The long-awaited final report of the Cass Review was published in April. The near 400-page report provides an in-depth review of gender identity services for children and young people in England. The comprehensive review covers contextual factors and vulnerabilities, the clinical care received by children as well as views on hormone treatments and proposals for future care. This webinar will provide an in-depth summary of the findings as well as responses to the review, and an opportunity to consider the implications for schools and the young people in their care.
• Supporting Prep pupils with SEND
  With a documented rise in the number of pupils with diagnosed Special Educational Needs, this webinar will explore how we can effectively support them in the early stages of their school careers. Our speaker will use examples from their practice to discuss common challenges as well as successful strategies and how to implement them.
• Young carers: Supporting a hidden group of pupils
  78% of schools recorded in the 2023 school census that they had zero young carers in their pupil population. We know this can’t be true, even within independent schools, especially when research indicates there may be around 1 million young carers nationally. Young carers are typically a hidden group of children and young people, and may be even harder to identify within boarding school environments. The Carers Trust and The Children’s Society are on a mission to help all schools improve their identification of young carers and ensure young carers get the crucial support they need. Research indicates that caring responsibilities hinders both attainment and attendance for children and young people. By schools identifying these pupils and putting in place better support mechanism we can help level out the playing field. All schools are now required to record their young carers as part of the school census/school-level annual school census as of January this year. Join us for this webinar to find out more about who young carers are, why it’s important to identify young carers in your schools and how our free of charge schools programme (https://youngcarersinschools.com/) can help support your school to improve the outcomes for young carers.
• Prep to Senior School Transition – Supporting Student Wellbeing and Facilitating Future Success
  Moving up into senior education is often considered as an inevitability that will work out in the end “because everyone goes through it”. This webinar explores the complexities of school transition, offering insights to the psychological processes involved, the challenges that may arise, and practical guidance on how to support students in each phase of their transition to senior school. Early transition experiences are known to bear influence well beyond childhood, setting the tone for future experiences of life transitions, academic and professional success, as well as shaping self-esteem and identity. Recognising that everyone has a unique set of experiences, personality factors and perspectives, we explore strategies that can contribute to building resilience, a strong sense of belonging and authenticity, all of which bolster and protect wellbeing while facilitating school transition.

June webinars:

• Student Sponsorship: Summer Essentials
  With the end of the academic term, a new phase of your school’s ongoing sponsor licence compliance journey commences. Now is the time to ensure that key visa and immigration checks are being made. This 1-hour webinar will provide colleagues with current guidance and top tips to ensure ongoing sponsor licence compliance and avoid common pitfalls during the school holidays.
• Boarding box set – boarding house management
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
• The three Rs of boarding – roles, ratios and rotas: practical tips for getting these right for your school
  This course focuses on three key components for the successful management of boarding. It looks at the variety of roles within a boarding school and boarding house, from Director of Boarding to house support staff, and how this works in different types of boarding schools. It will then consider the practical and legal requirements of staff/student ratios and the importance of creating clear rotas to ensure appropriate staff cover for boarding at all times.

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

September webinars:

• KCSIE Part 1 update for staff
  A new version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) will come into force on 1 September. 2022Trustees, Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that those staff who work directly with children read and demonstrate an understanding of the content of Part one of KCSIE and that staff who do not work directly with children read either Part one or Annex A. This webinar covers the content of Part 1 of KCSIE22 using case study examples.  A scenario-based learning evidence pack is available for delegates to complete and to be retained by DSL’s to evidence understanding of content and application and to identify any areas of development.
• Pre-inspection self-assessment audit tips and recommendations

The session will give an overview of how to audit boarding provision, whether for internal processes or for an external verification or inspection.

• Safeguarding highlights for Governors
  This webinar will give Governors an overview regarding their safeguarding responsibilities and will focus on recent updates relevant to the sector. There will also be a focus on ensuring appropriate responses to the safeguarding situation post-COVID. This webinar will cover the new additions to KCSIE. For Governors with an interest in boarding, comment will be made on the proposed updates to the National Minimum Standards, which are likely to be implemented during the course of the academic year.
• Black History Month & Beyond
  
  The aim of the session is to provide information and resources for boarding staff to use in their Houses to promote awareness of Black History Month. Ensuring the young people in our care are equipped with cultural awareness and knowledge beyond their ‘normal’ is vital in preparing them for life beyond school. It will also suggest steps that can be taken to promote cultural awareness throughout the year.
• Safeguarding updateThe session will discuss current trends and developments in safeguarding. There will be a particular focus on the changes in the updated Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance for England (September 2022) but the content will be relevant to all safeguarding practitioners

• Curiouser and Curiouser: Why Research Matters

  This one-day online conference will focus on the importance of research culture in helping us explore the complexities of EDI Issues and seeks to challenge our thinking and to drive effective strategy forward in our schools. As well as signposting recent research across a wide range of areas linked to EDI, speakers will consider research as an opportunity and tool that can deepen understanding, challenge perceptions and celebrate creative and critical thinking.
  

• Boarding induction for residential tutors and supporting staff/visitors
  Boarding Houses are often dynamic and busy venues, welcoming visitors to support the boarders who call the House ‘home’. Whilst permanent members of the boarding team receive clear information on the policies and processes that keep each House safe, how much information do supporting staff and regular visitors receive? This webinar will provide a concise induction addressing the usual processes and policies that practitioners need to be aware of to ensure the safety of boarders within their Houses.
  
• HomesicknessThis webinar will discuss homesickness and aim to discuss strategies to support. There will be an open forum to discuss best practice with Q&A. 

October webinars:

• Boarding box set: market overview and strategic considerationsBSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
• Foundations for boarding school Governors – roles, responsibilities and collective governance
  This webinar, led by Richard Harman, Chief Executive, AGBIS, will review the roles and responsibilities of Governors of boarding schools and discuss how governors demonstrate collective governance. Best practice recommendations as to the development of the role of Governor, fulfilling responsibilities and ensuring successful governance will be discussed. There will be opportunity for delegates to put any questions they may have about being a Governor of a boarding school, understanding the role and current issues to Richard.
  

November webinars:

• Gender Identity: Pupils in Boarding SchoolsThe aim of the session is to support delegates in understanding the current legal frameworks that apply to boarding schools and how this might be applied in practice.  The session will focus on unpacking the BSA’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Briefing Paper to support and assist schools to navigate an area of legal and practical complexity.
  
  
• Boarding box set: an introduction to equity, diversity and inclusionBSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
  
• Foundations for boarding school Governors – how to question and challenge
  
  This webinar will talk delegates through how individual Governors and Governing bodies can provide schools with a robust degree of challenge and offer best practice suggestions for how to develop suitable audit models with school leadership teams.  Delegates will be able to put questions to the speakers and Chair to raise specific issues or challenges they are facing.

December webinars:

• ADHD – systems and strategies to support pupils in boarding schoolsThis presentation will demystify the term ADHD and co-existing conditions in terms of learning, behaviour and socialisation issues. Focusing on traits and not labels we will provide delegates with an understanding of the developmental differences of ADHD in order to support children in terms of living and learning.
• Boarding box set: inspection considerationsBSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

January webinars:

• Visa & Immigration Sponsor Licence Compliance: A refresher
  Do you understand your school’s duties as an international student sponsor? Compliance with sponsor licence duties is a school-wide responsibility which goes far beyond the Child Student Visa application itself. Ensuring staff members understand what it means to be a UKVI sponsor, and the wider risks and consequences of non-compliance, is essential. Whether you are new to international student sponsorship, or whether you are looking to refresh your knowledge, this session will provide the overview you need to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Foundations for boarding school Governors – Ensuring all pupils are included and supportedThis webinar will explore, from a Governor’s perspective, the duty to ensure all pupils are included and supported within the school environment, with a particular focus on boarding. Key considerations will include the need for compliance with key legislation, the impact of statutory and non-statutory guidance and the practical issues faced by schools when managing key concepts relating to equality, diversity and inclusion in a boarding environment.
  
  
• Boarding box set: marketing and admissionsBSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders, giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
  
  
• LGBT+ History Month and beyond
  The webinar aims to empower participants to confidently plan class, boarding house or whole school activities and events around LGBT+ History Month (February) and other key dates. The recommendations from the webinar will support the successful implementation of NMS 16 relating to Equal opportunities and contribute to a culture where diversity is celebrated.
• Checking In – mental health and resilience self-assessmentThe boarding environment, and education sector, are busy places to work and challenging environments in which to maintain a healthy work / life balance. Looking after yourself professionally and personally are key to healthy high performance. This webinar will highlight the importance of a self-awareness of personal and collective resilience and wellbeing and deliver some thoughts and strategies on developing this.

February webinars:

• Money launderingWhere there are fees, there are money laundering risks to be aware of. The potential consequences of being involved in an instance of money laundering may have a severe impact on a fee paying school’s reputation. This webinar will look at money laundering offences and explore how these could impact your school. By the end of the webinar, you will have the knowledge to take reasonable steps to minimise the likelihood of such activities in your setting.
  
• Boarding box set: visas and immigrationA whistle-stop tour of immigration responsibilities for UK boarding schools who are sponsors. All members of SMT/SLT have a duty to understand their sponsor responsibilities and legal obligations. This webinar will provide an overview of key sponsor duties and compliance requirements. Delegates will gain a broad understanding of their responsibilities and will be signposted to key documents critical to recruiting international students.
  
• Women’s History Month and beyond – recommended resources and activitiesWomen’s History Month was established in the UK in 2011 and incorporates International Women’s Day (8th March 2021). Attending this training will give delegates a deeper understanding of why Women’s History month was established and will provide ideas and links to resources that could be used in your school.
  
• Bystanders and Upstanders (antibullying)Every child, and probably every adult, has been a bystander at some point in time. A bystander is someone who witnesses bullying but does not get involved. Being a bystander is easy – they aren’t the perpetrator, and they are not the one outwardly being harmed or the target of the attack. In every situation it’s necessary to have somebody who does something that prevents or reduces the bullying they see – an upstander. Upstanders are people who comes to the aid of another person who is being bullied and shows them kindness. Moving from being a bystander to becoming an upstander will not happen overnight. This webinar will give you the tools needed to support your staff and pupils on their journey to becoming an upstander.

March webinars:

• Verisio service launch (FOC)BSA in partnership with Verisio is delighted to launch a bespoke service for UK boarding schools. We will carry out due diligence on the key risk areas permeating international student recruitment to provide clarity and peace of mind on source of funds and emerging relationships. This free of charge webinar explains how, and is essential for all schools which recruit international students.
  
• Are you UKVI audit-ready? Common pitfalls and current trendsAre you prepared for your next Home Office inspection? UKVI audits can be announced or unannounced, making it imperative that sponsor schools are ready for an inspection from UKVI officers at any time. Establishing systems and processes to ensure continued compliance with UKVI requirements is not just good practice, but essential to prevent licence revocation. For those who have not experienced a UKVI audit recently or at all, equip yourself with insider-knowledge of what to expect, how to prepare and what mistakes to avoid.
  
• Boarding box set: promoting a culture of safeguarding
  This webinar will explore how to understand and evaluate the safeguarding “culture” in schools. It will consider how to develop and promote appropriate practice and to evaluate the key indicators.
  
  
• Ensuring best medical practice in boarding schools
  In any environment we should be ensuring that medical practices are met, but how do we meet the needs of young people in boarding schools. This webinar will look at latest guidance, key considerations and how this applies in practice. This session will consider both physical and mental health, illness and health promotion.

April webinars:

• Child Student and Student Visas: What you need to know
  The offer letter has been sent and CAS issued, what next? Improve your school’s ‘international student journey’ by increasing your knowledge of the visa application process. Understanding this vital next step will enable you to support your student before they’ve walked through the school gates, whilst helping prevent unnecessary mistakes that could easily lead to a visa refusal.

• Supporting strategies for homesickness in boarding
  Pupils can experience homesickness at any age and any time but more so at the start of a new term. This webinar will explore the signs and symptoms of homesickness, discuss best practice, and provide strategies to support those in the boarding environment.

• Boarding box set: boarding house management
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.

May webinars:

• Boarding box set: staff support and wellbeing
  In this webinar, delegates will be introduced to a robustly researched framework that can help to build resilience and wellbeing amongst individuals, teams, and throughout an organisation. The webinar will offer an insight into how an organisation can support staff to achieve healthy high performance.

• Out of hours medical provision in boarding
  Whilst most boarding schools are fortunate to have onsite medical provisions during the day, it’s important to consider the provisions available ‘out of hours’ too. This webinar will look at risk assessing the out of hours service provision alongside activities and scenarios that may require support from a variety of medically trained personnel. Led by Rosie McManus, Head of Boarding, St John’s College School, this webinar will look at supporting both mental and physical health out of hours.
  

• Supporting Pride and Disability Pride Months
  The webinar aims to empower participants to plan class, boarding house or whole school activities and events confidently around Pride and Disability Pride Months (June and July respectively). The recommendations from the webinar will support the successful implementation of NMS 16 relating to Equal opportunities and contribute to a whole-school culture where diversity is celebrated. As usual, Jonathan’s webinar will give delegates a wealth of practical strategies to put into action in school.

June webinars:

• Managing stress and anxiety in pupils and staff
  Experiencing anxiety and stress is all part of being human. This webinar will look at the function of the brain and how we cope day to day with the “normal” stressors of life. Subconsciously many of us naturally develop coping strategies to manage emotional turbulence but what can we learn from this and why do these strategies help?

• Boarding box set: Getting it right for international students
  BSA’s Boarding box set series is designed for boarding staff and school leaders giving them a broad overview series of a range of key topics relating to boarding. This series would be ideal for staff moving into senior positions in boarding, preparing for Deputy Headship and consolidating their understanding on the wider sector ‘headlines’.
  

• Inclusion in the boarding environment
  BSA and GSA have come together with a short series of joint webinars considering the specific needs of both boarding schools, and girls’ schools. In this webinar, colleagues will share their experiences with various Inclusion topics such as issues around transgender students and neurodiversity within the boarding environment.

  There is a requirement for clear, unambiguous guidance within our organisation for how to support and include Non-Binary and Trans students whilst remaining compliant with legislation, and taking into account the needs and rights of all of our stakeholders. After a 3 month research project, Ceri will report back her findings on how schools have approached this successfully and any pitfalls they have found as well as what recommendations she has concluded from this research.

  This webinar will support all stakeholders including Non-Binary and Trans Students.

• Vaping
  We know that the prevalence of children and young people involved in vaping is a growing concern and regulation of vaping products does not support harm reduction. Young people are growing up in a world in which they are very likely to encounter and experiment with vaping along with use of other substances. They need to know the facts about what they might encounter, what the dangers are, what the myths are and how to access advice and support for their vaping use. This seminar is designed to improve the knowledge of those who are teaching, and supporting, young people to navigate through these issues. Attendees will receive a full update on current facts and figures surrounding vaping concerns along with information on current Government strategies to combat the sale and promotion of these devices, in particular to teenagers. Options and advice to offer students and their parents with concerns around vape addiction will be provided so attendees can share these more broadly across their school, as well as options on how to deter the current epidemic use of vapes, even on site.

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

September webinars:

• Sacpa KCSIE 2021 and sexual violence update

This session looked at the changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education for 2021 and highlighted the management and compliance implications.

• BSA & AGBIS Safeguarding highlights for Governors

This webinar provided Governors with an overview regarding their safeguarding responsibilities and focused on recent updates relevant to the sector. 

• BSA Black History Month and beyond – recommended resources & activities

• BSA Sponsor license duties for sponsors of students

This webinar explored the duties that sponsors of students must adhere to, highlighted key compliance risks and provided tips on the measures sponsors can take to continue to protect their licenses.

• BAISIS Promoting Oracy in the classroom

This webinar focused on the importance of oracy for the international student and explored the links between meaningful talk and academic writing, cognitive gains, enhanced self-esteem and civic engagement and empowerment. 

• BSA Boarding induction for residential tutors and supporting staff/visitors

This webinar provided a concise induction addressing the usual processes and policies that practitioners need to be aware of to ensure the safety of boarders within their Houses.

• BSA Boarding box set: market overview

• BSA & GSA Developing more inclusive schools in practice

In this webinar, colleagues provided context and experience of developing a whole-school approach to diversity and inclusion, using case study examples to demonstrate implementation.

October webinars:

• BAISIS Developing academic language for EAL students (CALP) [FOC for BAISIS members]

This webinar explored the concepts of BIC and CALP. It considered why students need CALP and provided resources & strategies to help students move from BICS to CALP.

• BSA & AGBIS Foundations for boarding school Governors – roles, responsibilities and collective governance

This webinar, led by Richard Harman, Chief Executive, AGBIS, reviewed the roles and responsibilities of Governors of boarding schools and discussed how governors demonstrate collective governance. Best practice recommendations as to the development of the role of Governor, fulfilling responsibilities and ensuring successful governance will be discussed.

• BSA Boarding box set: inspection

The webinar gives an overview of how to prepare for inspection, and is suitable for those being inspected under any of the UK or international frameworks. Key principles of auditing and assessing boarding provision were discussed, for you to be able to reference against your specific inspection and auditing requirements

• BSA Pre-inspection self-assessment audit tips and recommendations (am)

This webinar provided an overview of how to audit boarding provision, whether for internal processes or for an external verification or inspection.

• BSA ADHD – systems and strategies to support pupils in boarding schools

This presentation demystified the term ADHD and co-existing conditions in terms of learning, behaviour and socialisation issues. Focussing on traits and not labels we provided delegates with an understanding of the developmental differences of ADHD in order to support children in terms of living and learning.

• BSA & GSA Staff wellbeing

In this webinar, delegates were introduced to a robustly researched framework that can help to build resilience and wellbeing amongst individuals, teams, and throughout an organisation. The webinar offered an insight into how an organisation can support staff to achieve healthy high performance.

November webinars:

• Sacpa Managing volunteers – supporting their understanding of safer recruitment and safeguarding issues

• Hieda Could you support student nurses in your school? An overview of what is involved

• BSA Understanding and supporting boarders with Dyslexia

This webinar aimed to help delegates understand more about what dyslexia is and how to provide effective support to pupils within a boarding school environment.

• BSA The 5 step: solutions to personal wellbeing for prep pupils

This fun and interactive, ‘Train the Trainer’ pastoral care programme, aimed to equip professionals helping to build pupils’ self-identity and wellbeing by providing a supportive framework and practical steps to build resilience, self-identity and wellbeing. The webinar addressed tackling tricky modern-day situations and present-day scenarios, such as friendship skills, bully defence tools and top tips for positive mental health.

• BAISIS EAL in the mainstream classroom

This was a practical course which helped delegates to consider how to support their pupils with both language acquisition and concept development in the mainstream classroom.

• Sacpa / BSA Junior gaming: the good, the bad and the safeguarding

This session looked at online gaming for the under 13s. It highlighted the benefits that are to be gained from online gaming and also looked at the challenges and risks in a balanced way. The latest research was shared along with some strategies to educate and empower children and young people to manage their gaming effectively.

• BSA ABSA webinar – Living with COVID in the Boarding House (BSA supporting)

• Hieda Standing your ground: having the confidence to discuss medical boundaries

• BSA Understanding and celebrating religions and beliefs in boarding schools

The webinar aimed to empower participants to confidently plan class, boarding house or whole school activities and events around diverse beliefs and religions in preparation for the Summer Term 2021.

• BSA Boarding box set: an introduction to equity, diversity and inclusion

The webinar unpacked the BSA Index Framework, providing support to delegates in moving forward with EDI work in their schools.

• Sacpa Managing digital disclosure

• BSA & AGBIS Foundations for boarding school Governors – how to question and challenge

This webinar talked delegates through how individual Governors and Governing bodies can provide schools with a robust degree of challenge and offered best practice suggestions for how to develop suitable audit models with school leadership teams.

December webinars:

• BAISIS Understanding English Language qualifications and subsequent planning of EAL provision

Understanding an international pupil’s level of English language proficiency and whether they will be able to fully participate academically and socially impacts everyone, from the learner themselves, to their classroom peers and teachers, through pastoral, administrative and support staff.  Making sure your school is in the best position to help your international learners thrive depends on being EAL aware – right from the moment the pupil and parent engage with your marketing materials and admissions teams.   This session is aimed to equip you with the basic knowledge required to become an ‘EAL informed’ community.

• Sacpa Working with your LADO or local council

• BSA & AGBIS Foundations for boarding school Governors – the international market, working with Agents and Guardians

This webinar provided an update on the international market for recruitment and marketing, and also provided best practice suggestions for working with Agents, and Guardians.

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

January webinars:

• BSA & GSA Safeguarding

This webinar explored key and emerging safeguarding themes and considered how best to safeguard and promote the welfare of young people in relation to the contemporary risks.

• BSA Boarding box set: marketing and admissions

This webinar provided a strong introduction to the basics of marketing planning and strategy to enable you to drive boarding numbers within your school. Understanding the admissions journey for prospective families helps you scrutinise your processes and improve the customer journey, increasing conversion rates and the brand reputation of your school.

• BAISIS Supporting the mental health of international pupils 

This seminar gave schools and pastoral leaders practical ideas relating to mental health and wellbeing in relation to international students looking at specific ideas for both the school day and more specificly to their boarding lives too.

• BSA LGBT+ History Month and beyond

This webinar, delivered for BSA by Educate & Celebrate, aimed to empower participants to confidently plan class, boarding house or whole school activities and events around LGBT+ History Month (February) and other key dates.

• BSA & SCIS An update on current child protection and safeguarding key issues – Scotland

This webinar used several safeguarding case studies, with each scenario being discussed in detail.

• Sacpa & BSA The convergence between Gambling and Online Gaming

Delivered by Patrick Foster, Director, EPIC Risk Management and former professional cricketer, insurance broker and independent school teacher.  He told how his life was torn to shreds by his pathological gambling addiction.

Drawing on these experiences, and the work he has done to help others since, Patrick’s talk shone a spotlight on gambling, online gaming and the power of being self-aware. He explored the increasingly blurred lines between gambling and gaming, helped young people recognise signs in themselves and others, and explored the impact that these things can have on mental health and areas of life.

• BSA Checking in – mental health and resilience self-assessment

This webinar highlighted the importance of a self-awareness of personal and collective resilience and wellbeing and delivered some thoughts and strategies on developing this.  During the webinar, delegates were equipped with a workplace resilience and wellbeing framework to apply to their lives.

• BSA Boarding box set: getting it right for international students

The webinar gave an overview of how to support international students in boarding schools both in the UK and internationally.  it covered strategies for teaching students whose first language is not English, pastoral strategies for integrating international students into the boarding house and ideas for whole school EAL policies. 

• BSA In detail: Boarding sector update for Scotland

February webinars:

• Sacpa Responding to concerns and allegations within your organisation

Responding to and managing concerns and allegations appropriately is an essential process and responsibility. From ensuring that the whole organisation community are aware of the processes and cultural/behavioural expectations relating to safeguarding and child protection, to managing difficult conversations and making referrals to external agencies, it is important to get this right and keep all safeguarding person-centric. This webinar provided an overview of the core topics relating to responding to concerns and allegations.

• Sacpa & BAISIS Supporting international students: audit development

This webinar looked at the safeguarding and mental health issues international students face,how to assess the needs of your school and the impact of an audit and action plan.

• Hieda & BSA The power of pets for emotional support; what you should know

This webinar was collated in response to schools’ increased interest in having animals on site to support children and young people, be it medical or emotional support. It addressed some of the practicalities when considering this addition to the school community. Historically, many schools have welcomed animals on site and the “house pet” is a common feature, but what must we have in place to meet the law and guidance and welcome support animals into the community officially?

• BSA & AGBIS Foundations for boarding school Governors – safeguarding

This webinar took delegates through the latest developments, recommendations and actions relating to ensuring excellent safeguarding and child protection provision in their schools. Focusing notably on boarding schools and the boarding community, the session covered areas that Governors should be focusing their interest and oversight on to ensure that policy is built into practice and culture.

• Sacpa Practical tips to prioritise mental wellbeing for you and those around you

This webinar, delivered by AnxietyUK, provided tips, techniques and tools that can be used by individuals to prioritise and look after their mental wellbeing and address symptoms of anxiety, but also be passed on to those around us, be it those we’re supporting professionally, colleagues, friends or family.

• BSA Boarding box set: visas and immigration

This webinar provided an overview of key sponsor duties and compliance requirements. Delegates gained a broad understanding of their responsibilities and were signposted to key documents critical to recruiting international students.

• BAISIS School-wide identity: crossing the nationality divide

This webinar explained how culture has been defined and how it is being redefined.  It provided some tools to evaluate your school culture, developed an awareness of critical perspectives on culture and identity and demonstrated how to develop a school-wide culture where international students can build positive identities

• HIEDA Clinical supervision – raising the standards (joint webinar with SAPHNA)

This webinar looked at why school nursing standards are so varied and inconsistent. It covers the law, guidance, NMC code of conduct and insurance criteria that govern where we should be. Lastly it looked at formal models of supervision, how this can ensure best practice, raise the standards, how you can access this and, crucially, where this fits into the role of the school nurse.

March webinars:

• HIEDA Medical indemnity (joint webinar with SAPHNA)

This webinar, led jointly by Hieda and SAPHNA, covered professional indemnity relating to the medical centre and medical workforce, how to assess that the care given is of a high standard, regulations to be adhered to in inspections to excel, and also discussed the measures required to ensure best practice is being provided to the school community by its medical provision.

• Sacpa First thoughts on the IICSA investigation report into residential schools

Sacpa, in association with Marcus Erooga, independent safeguarding expert and contributor to the Inquiry, ran this webinar to share initial thoughts about the report and highlight key areas of focus for residential schools to reflect on, develop and improve their practices.

• Sacpa Scrutinising your safeguarding policies, procedures – conducting an organisational safeguarding risk assessment

This webinar considered some of the key principles around developing and reviewing safeguarding policies and procedures in organisations, and how to relate these to relevant guidance and legislation. There was also be consideration of how to conduct and record a safeguarding risk assessment appropriate to the circumstances within the setting.

• BSA The 5 step: solutions to stress and anger

This interactive, resource filled training workshop provided solutions to poor behaviour management, with a range of supporting coping mechanisms for stress and anger.  Practical, confidence building tools and techniques install positive self-identity, increase personal resilience, and provide a clear foundation of life skills for happy, healthy pupils.

• BSA Boarding box set: safeguarding culture

This webinar explored how to understand and evaluate the safeguarding “culture” in schools. It considered how to develop and promote appropriate practice and to evaluate the key indicators.

• HIEDA Sports nutrition

This webinar explored nutrition in the normal child and teenager to promote healthy growth and development, and then identified the changes that need to be considered when individuals are participating at an elite level of sport. It covered boosting performance and recovery, hydration, sleep, as well as how to manage exceptions of all involved, particularly where illness and injury are concerned.

• BSA Looking back, looking forward – spring/summer

The termly ‘Looking back, looking forward’ webinar, presented by BSA Group Chief Executive Robin Fletcher, provided an update on developments from the current term on the sector and headlines from the boarding sector ‘in tray’ to consider what’s happened and what we’ve learned from these developments and events. In reflecting on what the term has taught us, Robin also considered what we could be considering and implementing as we move into the next term, to ensure that boarding excellence is constantly striven for, and BSA Group members are core to the development of the boarding, and indeed education, sector as a whole.

To request a recording of any of the below webinars, please email bsa@boarding.org.uk with the title of the webinar.

April webinars:

• International Student Research review

• BSA Boarding box set: boarding house management

Managing a boarding house is a complex and sometimes difficult path to follow. This webinar explored some guiding principles for boarding staff and addressed issues that arise in terms of managing the 4 Ps, People, Policies, Procedures and Premises that form the backbone to a happy and content boarding house.

• BAISIS Taking a word for a walk: strategies for teaching academic vocabulary in both depth and breadth

In all stages of education, vocabulary is central to learning content.  Yet knowing which words to teach and how to teach them can feel overwhelming and time-consuming for many subject teachers.  This session began by helping those teachers to identify words that require explicit instruction.  It then explored strategies to develop vocabulary teaching in both depth and breadth.  The webinar concluded with activities focused on developing students as autonomous learners of vocabulary.

May webinars:

• BSA Understanding and supporting Autistic pupils

This presentation demystified autism in terms of learning, behaviour and socialisation issues. Focusing on the traits and not the label we considered the developmental differences of autism in order to support pupils in terms of living and learning.

• BSA School Recruitment with an EDI Lens

The webinar aimed to deliver the top tips to schools on avoiding discrimination and being a more inclusive employer in the recruitment context.

• BSA Boarding box set: Wellbeing and staff support

• Sacpa Adolescent development and risk-taking behaviours

This webinar, delivered by YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health, considered risk taking behaviours in adolescents, including why they take risks, and what forms these risk-taking behaviours can take. 

• BAISIS Writing a robust EAL policy for schools 

This seminar provided an overview of the statutory obligations which may influence a range of school policies which are relevant to students for whom English is an additional language, including an EAL policy.  It explored key considerations when developing a robust EAL policy and linked these to best practice examples from a range of different school contexts.

• Sacpa Understanding ‘reasonable adjustment’ and ‘defensible decisions’

The emphasis on the need for awareness of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in safeguarding guidance continues to grow. It is critical to avoid unlawful discrimination and to discharge the duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 as well as understand evolving government guidance on best practice in supporting children with SEND. Does your organisation understand its legal duties and its approach to making adjustments for the individual needs of its service users and staff?

This webinar highlighted the legal landscape relating to disability discrimination and in particular the duty to make reasonable adjustments.

June webinars:

• BSA Boarding box set: induction and outduction

This webinar explored the issues people might feel when changing jobs and schools and offered some hints and tips on developing an effective Induction / Outduction programme for all concerned, helping them on their way to the next steps in their lives and careers with a positive mindset.

• BAISIS Identifying and assessing additional learning needs in pupils for whom English is a second language

Early identification of additional learning needs is important if pupils are going to be effectively supported in their academic studies. However, it is widely recognised that it can be difficult to distinguish between concerns that arise because of a language learning need and those whose root is a specific learning difficulty. This webinar is aimed at identifying and evaluating approaches to identification and assessment of additional learning needs in EAL pupils.

• BSA & GSA Reflecting on the impact of the past two years; leading and supporting a thriving boarding staff team in 2022

BSA and GSA came together with a short series of joint webinars considering the specific needs of both boarding schools, and girls’ schools. In this webinar, colleagues considered how the demands of the role of boarding staff has changed since March 2020; the current pressures and demands of having an international boarding community and how to retain, look after, and attract a strong boarding staff for the future.

• BSA NMS Update

The session covered all of the updates to the National Minimum Standards for England, highlighting the changes and also indicating the potential impact for management and practice in boarding houses.

• Sacpa Cuckooing – 1

This webinar examined the issue of cuckooing and explored the link between cuckooing and serious organised crime, in particular County Lines Methodology. A complex, problematic issue which is often misunderstood or viewed through a narrow lens, this webinar examined why cuckooing must be explored in the context of safeguarding and child protection. Cuckooing targets the vulnerable and increases the likelihood of exposure to other forms of violence and abuse.

• Hieda NMS 2022 for boarding and residential special schools setting – what this means for medical centres – 52

This webinar discussed the changes to the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for boarding and NMS for residential special schools. It outlined changes to health and medical management in schools, identifying what nurses or staff responsible for medical issues in schools needed to implement from September 2022 in preparation for inspection.

• Sacpa DBS: good practice for safer recruitment – 20

Delivered directly by colleagues within the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), this webinar was aimed at everyone who is involved in ensuring a culture of vigilance and the ongoing maintenance of safer organisation culture weather their role is front-line, operational management, HR and compliance functions or leadership and governance including trustees, board members and governors.

• BSA NMS Update – 103

The webinar covered all of the updates to the National Minimum Standards for England, highlighting the changes and also indicating the potential impact for management and practice in boarding houses.

July webinars:

• BSA Boarding box set: common ‘in house‘ medical questions – 4

In this webinar, we provided an overview of the common medical issues and questions that are often raised and addressed ‘in house’. The webinar also considered the most common types of medication and administration managed ‘in house’ too, looking at storage compliance as well. Some time was also given to the management of medication from overseas, and recommendations on the management of this.

• Sacpa Promoting resilience and mood management – 4

In the current climate, we are searching for more ways in which we can promote resilience and wellbeing in the young people in our care. Increased resilience has a positive impact on your ability to cope with challenging situations and look after yourself better. As Mind observes, we can all improve our resilience through a range of processes. This webinar pulled together suggested strategies and resources that are being used with positive results and shared recommendations to trial in your setting.

• Sacpa Future-proofing safeguarding and child protection policy – 1

This webinar addresses why policy and future-proofing safeguarding and child protection policy is essential and what the key topics for future-proofing are.  It looks at how to avoid the impact of incremental amendment and considers effective oversight, scrutiny and governance to develop and maintain future-proofed safeguarding and child protection policy.

August webinars:

• Sacpa KCSIE – 26

This session looked at the changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education for 2022 and highlighted the management and compliance implications. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022 was released in May and comes into effect from September 01, 2022.

This ‘Looking back, looking forward’ webinar, presented by BSA Group Chief Executive, Robin Fletcher, will provide a termly update on developments from the current term on the sector and headlines from the boarding sector ‘in tray’ to consider what’s happened and what we’ve learned from these developments and events. In reflecting on what the term has taught us, Robin will also consider what we could be considering and implementing as we move into the next term, to ensure that boarding excellence is constantly striven for, and BSA Group members are core to the development of the boarding, and indeed education, sector as a whole.
Robin will be joined by other members of the BSA Group leadership team and other guests depending on what headlines arise over the course of the term, to ensure that the audience hears from expert voices.

Order Here

This webinar aims to empower participants to confidently plan boarding house, classroom or whole school activities and events around diverse beliefs and religions, in preparation for the Summer term 2021.
Lat will present ideas and materials to support and inspire staff. Creating an inclusive school for all protected characteristics is outlined in the Equality Act and feeds into many policies (anti-bullying, equal opportunities, RSE and inclusion). This webinar promotes activities and learning that support these standards. Lat’s approach is to illustrate from some of the challenging areas that religious inclusivity can present how to move – in your own setting – towards practice that affirms young people in their own identities, including a range of religious and non-religious identities.
Participants will gain a range of ideas and feel more confident to develop and plan for the summer term, and beyond, on ways inclusive of all religions and worldviews. A range of practical strategies to adopt or adapt will be described.

Order Here

Foreign language education presents a particularly salient example of how national education systems have, and continue to, perpetuate hegemonic ideologies. Languages are often framed simply as tools for communication, channelling stereotypes of “foreignness” rather than challenging them. The focus on Western European languages establishes a perceived hierarchy, privileging these languages over others. In addition, foreign language curricula seldom reflect the diverse, dynamic and fluid reality of language users. 
This presentation will detail the powerful potential of translation to reinvigorate the role languages play in young people’s education. It will demonstrate how translation can teach students to critically engage with the world around them, question their assumptions and biases and develop their self-awareness. It will detail how translation reframes foreign language education as a valuable life skill, helping students to express and address assumptions as they engage with new languages and cultures, drawing on and sharing their own linguistic backgrounds and skills, ultimately creating an inclusive, mutually nurturing classroom environment. 

Order Here

The boarding environment, and education sector, are busy places to work and challenging environments in which to maintain a healthy work / life balance. Looking after yourself professionally and personally are key to healthy high performance. This webinar will highlight the importance of a self-awareness of personal and collective resilience and wellbeing, and deliver some thoughts and strategies on developing this.

Order Here

1 – the roles and responsibilities

2 – collective governance

3 – how to question and challenge

4 – safeguarding (running live on April 30, 2021)

5 – the international market, working with Agents and Guardians (running live on June 01, 2021)

To order a copy of the complete webinar series for the member rate of £200, please click here. For non-members, the rate is £400.

“Key boarding themes for 2021” reflects on the state of the UK boarding market, how schools have adjusted for COVID-19 up to December 2020, and the main themes and lessons to think about for 2021. The webinar was led by Robin Fletcher, CEO BSA and BSA Group, and Aileen Kane, COO, BSA Group and Director, Sacpa.

Order Here

This webinar, run in association with AGBIS, offers suggestions and strategies that school Governors can use in order to promote a mentally health school for staff and students. Mental health lecturer and consultant, Victoria English, explains why positive action to promote good mental health across the school needs to come from the top, and involve all.

Order Here

Ensuring the quality of your boarding, and planning for the future are vital to the sustainability of your boarding provision for younger pupils. Prep boarding is an area of the sector that caters to a specific need, for both parents and the pupils themselves. This webinar is an opportunity to consider how your school delivers against these needs, and how it can progress to keep up with trends.

Not available to order.

More and more, boarding staff set the tone of a family’s journey with the school from the outset. This webinar will discuss ways in which to build that all important dotted line between home and school ensuring the whole community is kept as one. The webinar will address the importance of creating meaningful relationships with parents to ensure boarding schools really are an extension of the family home. This approach will make communicating with parents easier and more pleasant through routine updates, but also should times of challenge arise.

Order Here

This webinar presents a comprehensive step-by-step personal wellbeing programme to maximise resilience, and social and academic success. Taking professionals through the steps to learn the tools and techniques to support pupils, this webinar will cover modern stressors for young people, promoting listening and questioning skills, use of body language and communication techniques.

Order Here

The aim of the session is to provide information and resources for boarding staff to use in their Houses to promote awareness of Black History Month. Ensuring the young people in our care are equipped with cultural awareness and knowledge beyond their ‘normal’ is vital in preparing them for life beyond school.

Order Here

This webinar focuses on how we can best look after our own mental health and resilience using the latest in neuroscience/positive psychology giving practical strategies which can help to reduce stress and alleviate burn out in education. Mentally well and resilient staff act as role models and examples to the students they live and work with, cultivating a community culture developing mental health resilience and a positive approach to managing the routine ups and downs of life.

Order Here

In association with AGBIS, this webinar covers the new additions to KCSIE 2020 and recent amendments to the Guidance for safer working practice… and online safety Government releases. This webinar provides Governors an overview regarding their safeguarding responsibilities and focuses on recent updates relevant to the sector, with due focus on ensuring appropriate responses to the safeguarding situation post-COVID. Aired live on September 09, 2020.

Order Here

This webinar will increase familiarity with the impact of KCSIE on boarding practice in schools in England, and update colleagues with the 2020 changes. These changes put a much greater focus on mental health and wellbeing than before, and there is also a concentration of the relevant factors of the post-COVID response. Both of these additional factors are of particular relevance to practice in boarding schools.

Order Here

No one has ever started a school year like this before, which adds dangerous unknowns to the assortment of mental health risk factors for our students. To date, schools have poured tremendous energy and creativity into redesigning their on-site and online curricula, extracurriculars, and campus protocols. But we must not assume that our students will transition easily. This workshop, co-hosted by two boarding school psychologists, will outline the six essential emotional supports that schools must have in place to ensure a smooth start for both on-site and online students.

Order Here

Charlie Lovell from Yondr presents a potted history of social media and the smartphone along with some of the science behind the impact of children and young people. From sleep, attention, mood and mental health, the science behind smartphones and social media has a significant impact on everyone, and notably children. 

Order Here

BSA and Farrer & Co LLP collaborate to share information and issues relating to risk assessments during COVID-19. The hour-long webinar includes contributions from Robin Fletcher, Chief Executive at BSA, Katie Fudakowski, Partner at Farrer & Co LLP and Sophie Beesley from Old Square Chambers. 
Katie covers issues facing schools regarding risk assessments and Sophie addresses PI law relating to risk assessments and how the Courts might approach COVID-19 claims.

Order Here

Lockdown has provided a unique opportunity to reconsider how we can optimise children’s mental health, reduce existing problems and prevent future problems. This webinar cuts to the chase and gives clear updated guidance on factors affecting mental health, including alcohol; exercise; outdoor time and exposure to news, and how they can be incorporated into schools.

Order Here

Educator and consultant Cath Bufton-Green takes school leaders through some processes to address, consider and start to action leadership concerns that have been caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic and widespread closure of boarding. Looking at change, communication, wellbeing and the future, this session gives leaders the opportunity to think about their role in their wider community.

Order Here

Order Here

COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges in the education sector, but there are opportunities arising too. To be able to take advantage of opportunities that exist, one critical factor to consider is whether your school has a clear positioning in the market? Is it easy for prospective parents to see why your offer is really different from the school ‘down the road’ ? Led by Pat Moores, UK Education Guide, this webinar explores how to establish a clear market ‘positioning’ and considers key trends in the sector that may help inform this positioning and help better prepare your school to face future challenges.

Order Here

Good design isn’t enough to make your website rank and convert. Chris Knight, Managing Director of InnerMedia, runs through what Google and your users want from your website and examines what lies under your website hood. The webinar takes real life examples to demonstrate where schools can go wrong, and how to fix them for a boost in rankings.

Order Here

Learn how to blend your #ContentStrategy and technology to deliver a WOW Open Day experience: one that still fits with your wider strategy – and long term goals. This is a real opportunity to try something new and experiment. This webinar will cover how to plan a successful Open Day, considering virtual Admissions, formats, promotion, running the day and then nurturing prospects. Delivered by Interactive Schools.

Order Here

This webinar will cover the latest guidance published by the Home Office and will address the practical issues faced by schools and students. The session will be followed by a Q&A.

Order Here

During a school closure, it is more important than ever to stay connected with families and parents. What information do your parents need to know? What are the best methods for sharing it with them? In this webinar led by former Deputy Head, Rob Eastment, from Firefly shares best practices to strengthen the home and school relationship, without overburdening teachers to ensure students have the support they need.

Order Here

Do you know where your international students really are during exeats and holidays? There are currently no regulations in place around educational guardianship in the UK, and yet guardianship and care when students are away from both their homes and their schools is a crucial part of their wellbeing. This session provides an overview of best practice for guardianship services and provide an update on developments and requirements from schools and their involvement.

Order Here

Designed for staff, governors and parents, this workshop focuses on “the good, the bad”, and the misunderstood in the world of young people and gaming. What are the main issues, should we be worried about gaming habits and dangers of addiction and what is the positive news for educators, including how gaming technology is shaping the future? The training aims to train pastoral staff, teachers and tutors at all levels of knowledge on delivering effective education as part of a PSHE curriculum looking at risk. With the current crisis affecting student time online, it is vital to identify and address the screen habits of different ages to look at a balanced and appropriate message, making this a vital piece of training!

Order Here

The mental health and wellbeing of both students and staff has been of increasing importance to schools in recent years, but the events of 2020 are bringing these to the fore.

To best support young people, the staff in our schools need to feel that their wellbeing is considered, and their mental health a priority. BSA Senior Consultant, Andrew Lewin, also a WRAW Master Practitioner, will give delegates a series of things to think about, as well as presenting the challenge of how to add resilience and wellbeing into the daily lives of themselves, and those around them: what do wellbeing, resilience and happiness mean to you?

Order Here

This webinar, led by psychologist Dr Chris Thurber, addressed the importance of recognising the possible risks of overstepping what can be considered small or inconsequential boundaries in the professional space and with young people. Where major boundary breaches make headlines, if staff are consistently aware of their behaviour, irrespective of setting, and the possible misunderstanding of behaviours, we can reduce the risk of crossing boundaries becoming a concern and risk for the wellbeing of young people, and the professional reputation of staff.

Order Here

Dr Chris Thurber shared the importance of supporting young people in creating a positive and healthy routine, especially in response to the current COVID-19 situation. The impact of social distancing, remote working/learning and fear of the unknown can have a significant impact on the emotional wellbeing of those around us. It is important to recognise and prioritise even small things that can have a positive result.

Order Here

Hosted by Stella James from Gooseberry Planet, this webinar addresses the latest online trends, language and risks to be aware of to best safeguard the children in our care.

As one of the Government’s top 3 priorities, online safeguarding is hugely important and a ‘hot’ topic in education. With children now spending increasingly more time online and with more than half of them using social media before the age of the 10, it is vital that the younger generation are taught how to use the internet responsibly and are aware of the dangers found online. To do this successfully, boarding staff and teachers need to have a good understanding themselves.

Order Here

Positive psychologist Ruth Hughes talked delegates through understanding how mental health issues can be triggered or exacerbated by the current COVID-19 situation. She shared examples of positive psychological interventions and how they can boost wellbeing, promote positive mental health and resilience as well as creating a tailored action plan using the PERMAH framework as a base.

Order Here

Presented by immigration law expert Nichola Carter, who advises numerous schools, universities and other sponsors on Tier 4 compliance, this webinar covers the main duties a sponsor must comply with, how to assign a CAS, UKVI’s rules on parental consent and safeguarding and how to pass a UKVI inspection.

Order Here

Dr Chris Thurber from Prep4School discusses how to use failure as an opportunity for character development. Failure is natural, educational, and essential for character development. Yet despite unambiguous research on the value of gritty learning from persistent failure, our educational system rewards perfection. The result is a cohort of students who lack resilience, who report high levels of stress and burn-out, and who implode under pressure. Transform pedagogy and boost achievement at your school by adopting a growth mindset, teaching perseverance, and mining failures for nuggets of wisdom. Only by teaching students to fail can we ensure true success in life.

Order Here

This webinar examines the principles and details of the ‘sexual violence and sexual harassment’ guidance, the Brook Traffic Light Tool for assessing harmful sexual behaviour and ways to respond, report and record any allegations.

Order Here

Patrick is a former professional cricketer, insurance broker and independent school teacher whose life was torn to shreds by his pathological gambling addiction. Despite his idyllic upbringing and success as a youngster, Patrick’s life become monopolised by gambling from his University days onwards as he found making the transition from playing sport and into the real world a huge challenge. His gambling addiction brought him to the verge of taking his own life in March 2018.
The mist has lifted and he has gained some insight into the nature of the condition that was keeping him so unsettled for such a long time and the impact it has had on his life and that of his family and all around him.

With 500,000 children, aged between 11-15, gambling weekly, and young people aged 16 to 23 three times more likely to develop a gambling problem, problem gambling and gaming addictions amongst young people is a growing concern. With links to low attainment, truancy, mental health issues, anti-social behaviour and, in the extreme, criminal convictions or suicide, problem gambling and gaming among young people is something that schools can simply no longer ignore.

Order Here