Boarding essentials

• Date: June 13, 2025
• Time: 10:30 – 15: 30
• Cost: BSA Member Rate: £175, BSA Affiliate Member Delegate Fee: £250, Non-member Rate: £350*
• Audience: All staff new to boarding and anyone considering a move to boarding in their school
• Platform: Zoom (online) – webinar

Course outline:

Improved regulation and increased parental expectation have raised the level of professionalism in boarding supervision. This seminar will complement a school-based induction and provide a wider context for staff new to boarding. The sooner staff new to boarding have a real understanding of the basic principles and expectations of their role, the sooner the school will have effective staff members and teams who enjoy their duties, feel able to support the young people in their care and deal with any challenges.

This seminar will cover the Duty of Care framework, the legal context, roles and boundaries, and meeting boarders’ needs. By the end of the session, delegates should feel more confident and be looking forward to enjoying their time on duty in their boarding house. In advance of the seminar, it is recommended that delegates familiarise themselves with their schools’ boarding handbook and/or visited the boarding section of their school’s website and boarding promotional material.

Training topics will include:

• Safeguarding and the National Minimum Standards for Boarding in England – this session will explore current boarding practice with particular focus on safeguarding and the legal and inspection requirements of pastoral care in our schools
• Meeting the needs of the boarders – practical case studies will be used to explore the issues that arise every day in boarding, and suggest ways in which these issues can be dealt with effectively and with confidence by the pastoral team
• Understanding your role in boarding – in this session the group will discuss and explore the expectations of the school, the boarding house, parents along with your own expectations with regards your boarding role in the school
• Working safely and looking after yourself – some hints and tips on keeping yourself healthy, safe and enjoying your role in boarding!

Learning outcomes:

• An understanding of the principles and expectations of boarding, and their role within that
• An increased confidence to be able to support the young people in your care
• Increased awareness of the legal context, safeguarding and National Minimum Standards for Boarding in England.

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Mark Robinson, BSA Senior Consultant

Mark has a Product Design Degree from Brunel University and a PGCE. His first post in independent education was as Assistant Master at Christ’s Hospital in Horsham where he held several positions including Assistant Housemaster to a junior boy’s boarding house. After five years he moved on to Ardingly College in West Sussex as a Head of Department and Housemaster to a joint day and boarding house. Mark has been an inspector on boarding inspections, an Assistant Housemaster to a girls’ boarding house and fully involved in teaching up to ‘A‘ Level.

In 2002 Mark gave up teaching to set up Mentor Education Services Ltd, a business offering education-related consultancy services to the independent sector, initially training, interview coaching and professional development but also marketing and pre-inspection to schools both in the independent and maintained sector.

Mark was appointed as Assistant Director of Training for the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2010, where he continued offering training and consultancy to independent and state schools both in the UK and around the world. In 2017 he was appointed as Deputy Head Pastoral at Collège du Léman in Switzerland, a large international boarding and day school. After gaining some further, valuable international experience, Mark returned to the UK to continue his training and consultancy in the Independent and state school sectors.