Induction training for GAP assistants

Name: Induction training for GAP assistants
Start: 2025-01-17T10:30:00+00:00
End: 2025-01-17T15:30:00+00:00
Location: Online – Zoom

17 January 2025 @ 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Date: January 17, 2025
Time: 10:30 – 15:30
Cost: HIEDA Full Member – £175, BSA Affiliate Member – £ 250, Non-member – £350
Audience: GAP assistants
Platform: Zoom (online) – seminar

Course outline:

The level of professionalism in boarding supervision has risen dramatically in recent years, due in part, to improve lead regulation and increased parental expectation. The sooner your new GAP assistants have a real understanding of the basic principles and expectations of their role in boarding and understand their safeguarding responsibilities, the sooner the school will have effective staff members and teams who enjoy their duties, feel able to support young people in their care and deal with any challenges.

This seminar will compliment a school-based induction and enable your new GAP assistants to have the knowledge and skills to make the best possible start to their boarding role. As young people themselves, it is crucial schools recruiting GAP assistants support with a quality induction and training to get their GAP assistants settled.

This seminar will cover relevant aspects of the Duty of Care framework, legal context, roles and boundaries, and ways in which delegates can meet the emotional needs of the boarders in their care. By the end of the session, delegates should feel more confident in their role and be looking forward to enjoying their time on duty in their boarding house.

Delegates will be provided with a workbook including core information relating to boarding and safeguarding for their year involved in the boarding sector. It is recommended that delegates have familiarised themselves with their schools’ boarding handbook and/or visited the pages relating to boarding on the schools’ website.

Training topics will include:

The legal framework and Duty of Care – 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 those in a Graduate or GAP assistant position
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, stake holders, and the role of the GAP assistant within that
An increased confidence to be able to support their boarding team in meeting the needs of the boarders in their care
Increased awareness of the legal context and country-specific compliance framework
Recommendations and reasons for best practice and looking after yourself, setting professional boundaries and working as a team.

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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.