Boarding School THE MAGAZINE OF THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION
Libby Purves OBE
‘Boarding: a rare kind of freedom’
Barnaby Lenon
‘Boarding and the political landscape’
Mark Ronan
‘The revolution of modern boarding’
Autumn 2017
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“Can you feel
happy and sad at the same time
“
Taken from Ian Gilbert’s The Little Book of Thunks the above quote probably describes that ‘start of term’ feeling staff and pupils are experiencing about now. Whilst many of us may mourn for the summer break, as I gathered content for this issue of Boarding School magazine I became increasingly excited and happy about the academic year ahead. Having been at BSA for two and a half years I am struck by how far BSA and the sector has come in such a short space of time. BSA has once again increased the number of boarding staff undertaking BSA training - a nod to the need for well-qualified and professional staff caring for our boarding pupils. We launched our ‘Commitment to Care’ charter and worked hard to ensure our sector is delivering the highest possible standard in child protection and safeguarding. The next revision of the charter will be launched in September 2017 is not only backed by DfE, IICSA inquiry, survivors and child protection charities but also every ISC association, including the affiliate members, who fully support our work in this area. You can read more from Robin on page 4 and from our new Head of Safeguarding and Standards, Dale Wilkins, on page 29.
Alongside this vital work we have set up our first regional forums (page 50), conducted research into the sector’s buying habits and completed a yearlong project to promote the benefits of boarding schools to the UK market (read more on page 35). This issue contains many leadership pieces aimed at challenging traditional thinking. Lisa Kerr tells us about the radical new leadership model at Gordonstoun on page 58, whilst Simon Smith of Rydal Penrhos looks at the lessons learned from his first year in post on page 62. Our sector is ever-changing and as Mark Ronan, headmaster of Pocklington School puts it, our sector is experiencing a ‘quiet revolution’ (page 12). Author, journalist and former boarding school parent, Libby Purves OBE concurs in her article on page 24 ‘Boarding a rare kind of freedom’. The changes in our sector are often not within our control so we asked ISC Chair, Barnaby Lenon to examine the political landscape in the UK and how it will affect the future of our sector on page 18.
Whilst looking forward to the academic year ahead, it was with great sadness that we learned former Rugby pupil and recipient of an Arnold Foundation grant, Khadija Saye and her mother, lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire in London. In her honour BSA have launched a photography award to celebrate the life and work of all the wonderful boarding pupils in our schools, see page 42 for details.
In the year ahead BSA endeavours to happily continue to ‘champion boarding and promote boarding excellence’.
Aileen Kane Director of Operations, BSA
The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) champions boarding and promotes boarding excellence. The BSA represents over 550 B independent and state boarding schools in the UK and overseas. BSA services include professional development, government relations, communications, media, publications, conferences and events.
Bang
the board The most valuable brands in the world last year, according to Forbes magazine, were Apple, Google, Microsoft and Coca Cola.
Coca Cola was founded in 1892, Microsoft and Apple in the 1970s and Google in 1998. Each of these brands is very well known, each worth a fortune, and each sells a range of products or services. This snapshot offers several insights, including that while what you are selling might vary from time to time, improve, expand or even radically change, it is possible to establish an enduring, valuable brand that essentially remains unaltered.
There will be many who feel boarding is not a brand, like the maker of electronic products or tins of beans. How can you possibly commoditize something as personal as pastoral care? But just as BSA’s 550 members are all brands, each with their own logo, uniform, colour schemes, identity, motto and ethos, so the combination of all these schools is, if you like, the boarding sector brand. Which leads to the key question: if boarding is a brand then what is the best way to communicate it? There are countless marketing and promotion models that suggest templated approaches. AIDA for instance stands for Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action while DRIP stands for Differentiate, Reinforce, Inform and Persuade.
Using one of these models is in some respects the easy bit. The subtler challenge is defining the message, the target audience, where they are and what channels to use to get the best return on
investment (or bang for your buck). It was the US retail pioneer John Wanamaker who once wrote: ‘Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”
While Wanamaker was quoted over a century ago, his essential point remains true today. Because it is one thing a school investing £50,000 a year in promotion to recruit pupils, but another to know how best to invest that money. And beware the marketer who repeats an idea which worked well in one school, because a golden rule of marketing is that the same trick rarely succeeds twice.
When the BSA board agreed to spend £200,000 from reserves to invest in a campaign to promote boarding in the UK this year, there was considerable debate about how best to do this, and more specifically what the money would actually buy.
One board member not unreasonably wanted to know exactly how many new boarders would be recruited for every pound spent, although it was soon agreed collectively that making a lot of noise to attract attention was one thing, but physically measuring that against new ‘heads in beds’ would be much harder.
5
ing
ing drum Faced with the challenge of ‘making noise’ therefore, the BSA looked at employing a broad mix of print, digital and ambient channels so that any audience, regardless of geography, income or age could be reached in some way.
But did it any of it work, I hear you ask? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe a school who joined us at a show got some leads to follow up and had more website hits. Maybe, one or two parents were so persuaded that they reached a decision about boarding there and then and their children will start boarding this autumn. .
Print covered mini brochures, a boarding guide for parents and adverts in regional magazines and county show guides. Digital covered boarding videos, Google and Facebook adverts and social media messages under the #iloveboarding campaign banner. And ambient marketing was ‘driven’ by taking the BSA boarding bus to more than 20 schools and over a dozen trade and county shows across the UK. So did we make a lot of noise? Yes, undoubtedly. We reached, conservatively, more than 2.5m ABC1 adults. Our #iloveboarding hashtag at one point, on one day, was trending number one in the UK. We spoke to hundreds of parents and gave away boxes and boxes of fluffy boarding bugs to children. And more than 50 schools used the BSA show stand to market their own brands to prospective customers.
Going back to Coca Cola and Apple however, these organisations invest billions of dollars every year in the general promotion of their brands and probably realise that just because consumers have been either informed or reminded of their brand existence, it does not mean they are going to rush out immediately to buy a can of coke or spend £300 on an iphone. But better to keep the drum beat of brand awareness playing in the background than stay silent while others make their own noise.
Robin Fletcher Chief Executive, BSA
One way or another, more people are aware of boarding as a brand and service than they were a year ago and some know a little more about what 21st century boarding is actually about. If that has helped express a positive message about boarding that might endure beyond the cost of a marketing campaign then B something positive has been achieved.
Contents Can you feel happy and sad at the same time?
3
Banging the boarding drum
4
From the Chair
8
Aileen Kane, Director of Operations, BSA Robin Fletcher, Chief Executive, BSA
Leo Winkley, Chair, BSA and Head Master, St Peter’s, York Heads on the move
11
The revolution of modern boarding
12
Boarding and the political landscape
18
Boarding: a rare kind of freedom
24
Commitment to care
29
Boarding School Partnerships
30
Focus: The medical team
32
National Boarding Week
35
Getting ready for GDPR
36
Tribute: Khadija Saye
42
Mark Ronan, Headmaster, Pocklington School Barnaby Lenon, Chairman, ISC
Libby Purves OBE, Author, journalist and former boarding school parent
Dale Wilkins, Head of Safeguarding and Standards, BSA Colin Morrison, Chair, Boarding School Partnership Dr Jim Ropner, Medical Officer, Cheltenham College Aileen Kane, Director of Operations, BSA Kristine Scott, Head of Education, Harrison, Clark, Rickerbys Copy courtesy of Rugby School
Front cover image: Stamford Endowed Schools
Adventure Week
46
Who runs BSA?
50
Customer service: a guide to marketing boarding
54
Leadership with a difference
58
My first ‘100 days’
62
#iloveboarding
64
The importance of CPD in boarding
66
BSA member list
68
A warm welcome
70
Sophie Mckain, Director of Communications, Old Swinford Hospital Robin Fletcher, Chief Executive, BSA March 2017, 23 May 2017
Hannah Hamilton, Director of External Relations, St Peter’s, York Lisa Kerr, Principal, Gordonstoun Simon Smith, Headmaster, Rydal Penrhos Aileen Kane, Director of Operations, BSA Andrew Lewin, Director of Training, BSA
Boarding School Magazine Jan 2017, 24 May 2017
To subscribe: T. +44 (0)207 798 1580 E. bsa@boarding.org.uk
Editor Aileen Kane, Director of Operations aileen@boarding.org.uk
Advertising Amy Wilson, Events and Commercial Manager amy@boarding.org.uk Boarding Schools’ Association 4th Floor, 134 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SA
www.boarding.org.uk
shelleys.co
ThERE hAs nEvER BEEn A MORE iMPORTAnT TiME fOR BsA MEMBER sChOOLs TO fOCus On ThE wELLBEing And sAfEguARding Of BOARdERs...
Picture courtesy of Stamford Endowed Schools
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... and to be able to demonstrate this clearly to parents, pupils, regulators, inspectors, campaigners and the media.
ThE The UK already has the most stringent regulations for boarding schools of any territory in the world. But that does mean there is any room for complacency.
The inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales is now making genuine progress under the stewardship of Professor Alexis Jay, moving slightly behind Scotland’s Lady Smith Inquiry. Whilst the IICSA residential schools strand is still in the information-gathering phase, we are aware that several member schools have been contacted or called by the Inquiry already. The BSA has been working with the IICSA research team looking at how safeguarding is managed in the sector today. In Spring 2016, the BSA published its Commitment to Care Charter, a groundbreaking initiative placing welfare and safeguarding of students, and the external reporting of any suspicions of abuse, at the very heart of being a BSA member. The Charter has already had a positive and constructive impact. Members are now keeping BSA better informed of safeguarding issues. This has given us, for the first time, an ongoing perspective on safeguarding across the sector. All ISC education associations have endorsed the Charter and it has been positively noted by both the DfE and the IICSA inquiry. At the start of this new academic year, BSA will issue an updated version of the Charter, the principal change being for members to report safeguarding issues to the BSA as a membership requirement, rather than voluntarily.
There may be some who feel that this is an unwelcome extra responsibility to remember; or who view it as an unnecessary or intrusive step. However, the BSA believes firmly that having as much awareness as possible of what is happening on safeguarding in member schools is the most effective way to build knowledge, understand common trends and offer guidance, advice and support. The new version of the Charter is just one of many things the BSA is doing on safeguarding. At our annual Heads’ conference in York in May 2017, I reiterated the BSA’s call for the government to introduce the mandatory reporting of abuse. In June, we created the new role of Head of Safeguarding and Standards and were delighted to welcome Dale Wilkins, former Deputy Head of Old Swinford Hospital School, to this important fulltime role. Dale is an experienced DSL, inspector and BSA senior tutor. He will lead on all safeguarding and inspection activity for BSA and be a valuable source of expert advice and guidance for all BSA members.
The BSA Safeguarding Advisory Forum, which meets each term and comprises representatives from member schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is doing valuable work together, keeping pace with safeguarding and child protection issues and developments. And on October 17, the second BSA Safeguarding Conference will be held in London, with expert speakers sharing their experience and expertise. Last year’s inaugural event attracted more than 80
delegates and we expect even greater demand for places this year.
My time as Chair as BSA finishes at the end of this term and I would like to express my warmest thanks to everyone who has supported me and the BSA throughout my term of office. We have a terrific team in place at BSA headquarters and they continue to do great work to promote and guide our sector.
It has been an exciting year. More than 180 Heads who attended the York conference enjoyed a rich array of speakers, from the Archbishop of York through to England football manager Gareth Southgate. And our £200,000 #iloveboarding marketing campaign, led by the BSA boarding bus touring the length and breadth of the UK, has helped spread the boarding message to more people than ever before.
Martin Reader, Headmaster of Cranleigh School, takes over at Chair in January 2018 and I look forward to working with him and colleagues on the national executive, and the fantastic team at BSA, as they continue in our shared mission to ‘champion boarding and promote boarding excellence’.
B
Leo Winkley Chair, BSA Head Master, St Peter’s School, York
on
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HEADS ON THE MOVE
The Prebendal School New Head: Louise Salmond-Smith Louise, former Head of Junior School at Tormead School joins The Perbendal School in September. She previously worked at Hall Grove School in Bagshot.
Hazlegrove Prep School New Head: Mark White, Headmaster Mark was educated at Eton College and Edinburgh University where he read Politics and Modern History. Former Deputy Head (Academic) at the Dragon School for 12 years.
Wellesley House School New Head: Gavin Franklin, Headmaster Gavin was previously a Housemaster at Wellington College, Berkshire. He was educated at Malvern College and Durham University, and is a former professional cricketer with Warwickshire and ECB Level 4 coach.
Ripon Grammar School New Head: Jonathan Webb Jonathan was previously deputy head at Durham School. A history graduate from Christ’s College, Cambridge he has worked at Pocklington School, The Manchester Grammar School and Giggleswick School.
Barnard Castle School New Head: Tony Jackson, Headmaster Tony attended Bradford Grammar School before studying Politics and History of the Middle East at Durham University. He did his PGCE teaching qualification at Oxford University, where he gained a rugby blue, later joining Radley College as a History teacher and latterly spending five years as a house master.
Strathallan School New Head: Mark Lauder Mark was previously Headmaster of Ashville College from 2010. Before that he was Deputy Headmaster and Head of Boarding at Felsted School in Essex.
Burgess Hill School for Girls New Head: Liz Laybourn Liz joined Burgess Hill as a newly qualified teacher in 1986, and also served as Deputy Head and Interim Head.
D’overbroeck, Oxford New Head: Emma-Kate Henry, Principal Emma-Kate was previously Head at a 2-18 years’ co-educational independent school in Hampshire.
Christ’s Hospital School New Head: Simon Reid Simon Reid, previously Principal of Gordonstoun School, succeeds John Franklin as Head Master of Christ’s Hospital from September 2017.
Dragon School New Head: Crispin Hyde-Dunn, Headmaster Dr Crispin Hyde-Dunn joins Dragon School from Abingdon Preparatory School, where was Headmaster since April 2011. Crispin read History at St. Catherine’s College Oxford, before completing a PGCE. B
The Revolution of modern boarding
Picture courtesy of Pocklington School
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Mark Ronan, headmaster of Pocklington School, takes an in-depth look at the quiet revolution taking place in our schools. When you think about boarding schools, what images spring to mind? St Trinian’s, Malory Towers, Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, or your own memories of boarding?
It’s fair to say too many parents and grandparents’ boarding experiences were not entirely positive. Speak to today’s students, though, and a very different picture emerges. A pleasant rhythm of close friendships, ordered days, supervised study and exciting activities. There’s been a quiet revolution in attitudes to boarding, and it’s been pupil led. More and more of our pupils are taking advantage of flexi boarding and extended day options, and enjoy it so much, they ask to increase their stays.
The big advantage, they tell us, is the continuity. There’s no long commute, and no adjustment to and from the stresses of modern family life. They can walk across to their boarding house after school, enjoy a drink and a snack while chatting about their day, then spend some time on homework before relaxing for the evening.
B
The buzz of our boarding houses after school reflects the warm community within. I’m proud that we really do have the most dedicated and caring boarding staff. Our Housemasters, Housemistresses and their teams provide a warm and homely nest, and delight in being available to share the ups and downs of the day.
They’re not boarders’ parents and would never try to be. But they do offer daily individual attention and guidance that’s even more important in what can be a demanding and sometimes hectic world for families. After-school activities are on the doorstep, so there’s none of the endless stress of late-afternoon shuttles.
The necessary routine, consistent boundaries and positive atmosphere promoted in all our boarding houses provide an ideal setting for growing minds to thrive. Boarders can concentrate on being young, studying, playing, and building peer relationships.
Because we have supervised prep, pupils don’t fall prey to tempting home distractions, especially if they return to an empty house, or are tired after a long journey. Switching off for boarders simply isn’t an option with tutors – they have to knuckle down, but having teachers on hand can also be useful if they’re faced with a difficult assignment.
Each one of our boarding houses (two for boys and two for girls) has its own identity. The houses are all large enough for genuine friendship groups to form, yet sufficiently small for everyone to feel valued.
Full-time junior boarders enjoy a packed schedule of weekend activities, all conceived and planned with enjoyment in mind. Whether it’s baking, a seaside excursion or a football match, a barbecue in the grounds, a shopping trip or hosting a social event, there’s always something going on.
Pictures courtesy of Pocklington School
Older pupils don’t have to join in, as we understand they increasingly value their personal space and independence – but in practice they come up with their own ideas! Mr Dare, Housemaster of Fenwick-Smith House, has developed an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the current music scene, for example, after supervising trips to big-name concerts.
We are tremendously fortunate in the school’s beautiful setting, backing on to fields but on the edge of a compact and friendly market town. This means pupils can experience independence by walking with friends to the shops or a café as soon as we (and their parents) see that they’re ready.
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Long before they leave for university or the workplace, boarders’ self-confidence, resilience, emotional maturity and leadership skills, along with a respectful attitude to others
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Picture courtesy of Pocklington School
Long before they leave for university or the workplace, boarders’ selfconfidence, resilience, emotional maturity and leadership skills, along with a respectful attitude to others, are nurtured as a result of living alongside each other harmoniously and learning how to deal maturely with any conflicts of personality or opinion.
Our priority is on promoting individual wellbeing, on prizing each child for their particular strengths and nurturing their confidence, and that ethos is evident in our boarding houses. The staff’s focus is on helping each child achieve their potential, in and out of the classroom.
Any upsets are handled sensitively and effectively. Pupils know staff are always on hand if they need to chat in confidence, and medical needs are met by three school nurses (who work in our onsite medical centre) and two local doctors. One of the advantages of modern boarding is the ease of communication with home. Younger boarders
especially are encouraged to ring their families, and everyone can Skype, Facetime and use age-appropriate social media to keep in touch. The boarding community also tweets regularly about events.
Overseas boarders quickly settle in and thrive in the home-from-home boarding house atmosphere. All boarders benefit from mixing with people from different countries and cultures, which will serve them well in the modern workplace. A photograph on one of our boarding house walls shows a picture of Dorm 1 of Pocklington School House in around 1950: rows of single metal beds in stark, impersonal surroundings. That room is now a comfortable Sixth Form common room. Modern boarding has come a long, long way in recent years and I think Pocklington School, like so many other British boarding schools, is a beacon, illuminating boarding as an attractive and flexible option for today’s busy families.
Mark Ronan Headmaster Pocklington School B
Picture courtesy of St Mary’s, Shaftesbury
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BOARding And ThE POLiTiCAL LAndsCAPE
ISC Chairman, Barnaby Lenon, examines the impact of the recent election upon the UK boarding sector. B
The Conservative Party is traditionally less likely to want to damage independent schools than other political parties. In fact ministers like Lord Nash and Nick Gibb have been keen to use us to help raise standards nationally while maintaining our independence. The new Boarding School Partnerships www.boardingschoolpartnerships.org.uk website in conjuction with BSA and DfE which aims to advertise the opportunities boarding schools offer local authorities seeking to educate vulnerable children is an example. With no majority, the Conservatives’ election manifesto is now different. The manifesto maintained the promise that a Conservative government would require ‘100 leading schools’ in England to sponsor Academies and, if they did not, there could be tax penalties (the business rates relief all charities receive would be stripped from independent schools). Following the election however, the new government wishes us to extend partnerships with state schools on a voluntary basis. This is entirely reasonable and we will do what we can. In return the DfE needs to identify geographical areas of greatest need. We have noted and appreciated comments in the House of Commons on June 27 by the Secretary of State for Education in England, Justine Greening, recognising the good work of the independent sector. “As part of the Government's commitment to create more good school places, last September we published the consultation document: Schools that work for everyone. This asked how we could harness the resources and expertise of those in our independent schools to work in partnership to lift attainment across the wider school system.
Picture courtesy of Clayesmore School
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“The Government has welcomed the way that our independent schools have actively considered and proposed what more they could do to raise attainment in state schools, in recognition of their responsibility to their own local communities. Over this Parliament, we intend to build on the positive and constructive conversations we have had with the sector to agree how they could do more to improve attainment for children from all backgrounds, and increase the number of good school places. “Officials will continue to work with the Independent Schools Council to agree how best to take forward the proposals for more independent schools to support state schools.”
The threat posed by VAT on school fees
The Labour Party is greatly strengthened by the results of the election and could win next time, whenever that is. The current shadow cabinet seems determined to damage independent schools and is committed to imposing VAT on school fees in England. Schools could probably reclaim some of the VAT spent on capital projects, but it might still push up fees by a considerable amount. Some smaller schools might find this an unbearable extra cost and close. Some of these could well be feeder schools to larger boarding schools. It is possible to believe that if a Labour government was to scrap university tuition fees, some parents might feel they have more money available to spend on schooling.
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Why so much hostility? Politicians on the left and right in this country have decided that talking about social mobility is a vote winner. That was especially evident in Theresa May’s first statement after having been elected leader of the Conservative Party, evident in her subsequent speeches, evident in the September 2016 education Green Paper and in the Conservative’s manifesto with its claims that she would create a Great Meritocracy. We all agree that social mobility is a good thing. People with ability should succeed whatever their background. Where it gets complicated is when this simple proposition gets wrapped up with cynical point-scoring. The Social Mobility Commission does not appear to recognise that income disparities are narrowing not growing in England and social mobility has not stalled as it often claims, The Office For Fair Access seemingly pushes universities to discriminate against independent schools. This fails to understand that a meritocracy entrenches the position of the most able at the top of a social and economic hierarchy. It also cements the position of the less able at the bottom, and fails to accept that a high proportion of the difference in outcomes of different children has nothing to do with their school but with the behaviour of their parents and their genetic academic ability. It seems that most members of the public have inaccurate or unfair perceptions of independent schools, and therefore do not like them – so attacking independent schools is a vote winner.
So what can your school do? •
•
• •
We must continue to engage with politicians: please ensure that your local MP comes to your school and witnesses a partnership activity with a state school We must control our fees and maintain or improve bursary provision. There is no point in having great facilities and great results if no one can afford to come We must use our parents to tackle their local MPs on the subject We can all try to develop a great relationship with local state schools (and BSA is a natural forum for linking state school with independent school members) and get them to speak up about the work we do.
But I would also say - don’t allow these wider considerations to distract you from the main task of running a school successfully. Do well in the reformed GCSEs and A levels, maintain the pastoral excellence of your boarding school, keep reminding parents that success in life goes beyond exam grades – if you do that, you will still attract pupils.
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The ISC are going to try to ensure MPs understand that every year the number of state sector partnerships has been growing and if they cannot treat our schools fairly these things are less likely to happen not more likely. We will hold a conference for MPs in September.
to come and live and work in the UK if they can send their children to our schools, as many already do. As for our families who live abroad, it is obvious that our boarding schools open up links with other countries which will be important post-Brexit. We will try to resist government interference with our schools because although the government sometimes does good things – like holding down grade inflation, promoting phonics and making GCSEs more demanding – it often does things which are less good and which don’t always lead to the best outcomes for schools as a whole. So our independence from government is important. Since the 1970s there has been growing involvement by central government in the education system, something which before that date was left in good measure to local authorities.
We are also going to try to make sure MPs realise that VAT will drive some of our pupils into the state sector at great cost to the Exchequer and will, by pushing fees up and bursaries down, entrench privilege for the highest earners. Our schools save the Treasury £3 billion a year from the education budget. We will continue to emphasise that we have under 1,000 schools in ISC with charitable status and the average school has 400 pupils and makes a very, very small surplus each year. We will continue to make the point that we are charities and are therefore controlled in law by the Charity Commission. We don’t expect government to interfere with charities other than through the Charity Commission.
Picture courtesy of Farlington School
Independent schools have faced political challenges in the past. Once again we have entered a period of uncertainty – not as great as that of the 1970s, perhaps, but still one which requires careful planning and management. Please engage with your local MP over the next academic year.
Many of your pupils are the children of foreign businessmen and women who have only agreed to come and work in Britain because we have this cadre of very good boarding schools for their children... and post-Brexit this may be even more important. Our schools are central to promoting future trading relationships. American and Chinese business leaders are only going to be happy B
Barnaby Lenon Chairman, ISC
BOARding
By Libby Purves OBE Journalist, Author and Former Boarding School Parent
Boarding often suffers a bad reputation these days. You’d think the huge Harry Potter saga would have mitigated it, with all those tales of warm friendships, flowering maturity, responsibility and exciting learning, not to mention highjinks and Quidditch matches and sneaking out for butterbeer. Maybe it has softened the idea, for a few. But a lot of writing and middle-class conversation gives the impression that it is a crime against family life. People carry on as if modern boarding was Dotheboys Hall or a particularly grim first act of Annie, with sobbing mites cringing from a drunken and abusive Miss Hannigan. Or if they’re not alleging emotional abuse, they’re painting boarding school as a luxurious nursery for emotionally stunted toffs, conditioned by the outdated needs of Empire to “send their children away” instead of loving them so that man that can pass on misery to man, as Larkin said, deepening like a coastal shelf. You know that isn’t true, because you’re reading this. You know there are stimulating, pastoral, open-hearted, useful and decent schools, and children who thrive at them. You know that even in the bad old days of grim iron beds and corporal punishment, some of them made lifelong friends and came through it laughing at the worst bits. But you also know - and we all have to admit that the “survivors” stories are sometimes true. There have been some awful schools, because there are some awful people. I should know: I spent three fearful terms in a South African convent where nuns lashed out with rulers and threatened us with hell, and you washed in icy water at dawn before a breakfast of inedible sloppy mealie-porridge. I became expert at faking illness just to get a night on a less lumpy mattress.
f
o
a rare kind
Moreover, we should remember that in the 50s and 60s - perhaps a bit later in some places - children at home too were far more likely than now to be ignored, scolded, misunderstood, hit, seen-and-not heeded. Schools - which today accept mobile phones and parental visits and numerous exeats and flexi-boarding - were inevitably affected by this bygone childrearing culture. So face it: the voices of a generation of survivors of bad boarding cannot be dismissed. Nor can the experiences of more recent boarders who were unhappy, because of their own nature and family circumstances or simply a school quite wrong for them.
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3 25
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee
t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
The BSA was formed just a couple of years
The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes.
boarding in the late 1960s.
To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events.
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding.
freedom Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper.
If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today.
For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes. Fast forward 50 years and what a
Picture courtesy of Old Swinford Hospital
Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron.
So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA? Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
That sounds a bit downbeat. But if we are to talk about the benefits of the boarding school experience, it is crazy not to accept that it has sometimes gone wrong, even today, or been inappropriate for particular children at particular stages. Good schools accept this, and don’t bang the drum with exaggerated optimism, promising universal happiness for all temperaments. When - having been let down badly by a pastorally hopeless day school we took our shy eldest at twelve to Royal Hospital School for interview, the then headmaster and senior master interviewed him thoughtfully, kindly, and perceptively. They told him plainly about the idiosyncrasies of the place and its atmosphere. He met other pupils, and decided it might suit him. After a couple of uncertain months - at one point we had a frank three-way conversation with him and his kind housemaster, drilling down into all the things which bothered him - he settled, and became notably pastorally kind and responsible himself towards the younger children. Later his sister joined him.
But at no point did any of us - staff or parents - fool ourselves that there was no risk of it failing. Some kids don’t take to boarding. Some families don’t suit it. Some schools don’t fit certain individuals (one teenage friend of mine was utterly miserable, misbehaved and got expelled from another school but had a great time at my Kentish convent). As to ages, there are some eight-year-olds excited and happy and confident as boarders (often weekly or flexi) but other kids who at thirteen or fourteen are really not up for it. Just because it’s Dad’s old school, or fashionable, or suited your friend’s child, or would be really convenient for high-powered dual careers, that doesn’t mean it’s going to work. But it does work, very often indeed. If you have hurled the magazine across the room in disgust at my cautious negativity, be assured that I am only doing it because, in approaching any kind of educational or life decision, everyone’s head should be clear. A good choice is a thoughtful choice. And advocates for good boarding can only speak out convincingly if they accept the caveats. Only then can we say that it gives developing young people a rare kind of freedom: a maximum chance for intellectual, sporting, artistic and dramatic development without endless car journeys or smoggy struggles through the London Underground. Only then can we talk about the opportunity for self-development which comes with community living: the give and take and rueful acceptance of diverse (often awkward) companions who are not of your blood or neighbourhood or taste…
Picture courtesy of Farlington School
3 27
Only then can we point out how tediously limited life can be for young day pupils growing up in busy, work-obsessed homes, with tired parents leaving too much to an au pair or nanny. Or how liberating it Tony Little can be to exist, and negotiate BSA Honorary President relationships and triumph inside a world which is not controlled by your close family and their views and circumstances. We can point to the way a good boarding school, with its bustling daily human reality, can be an antidote to the danger of leading a weird, lonely social life through screens and social media. We can point to the way relations of adolescents and parents can be heating, abundant food and wrapconvenor of the boarding family for cheerfully improved when each gets around pastoral from conferences and events. a few24/7 weeks’ breakcare from theboarding other. professionals. And, of course, when the teenager The BSA does all this Picture and, swan-like, much courtesy him or herself has experienced the Andonerous that doesn’t even consider the access more besides, in exchange forHospital a modest of Old Swinford irritations of responsibility annual subscription. for younger ones. We can point out andthat broad co-curricular programmes. We can say that when boarding is a secondary boarder who moves That we needmore the BSA and all its good - and often than not it is on to University will find it less That the change to has great is of valuable beyond as it offersservices a prettyisgood firstdoubt step out intimidating bebeen in a so hall full of course well known to those who work we contemplate the nextAnd, 50 years into the wider world. by of strangers far from home, and may in boarding. The hard is explaining boarding. listening to past and present voices, have a firmer grip part on how to feed theand seismic to the outside world, we can help schools to make it that careleap for themselves without especially The challenges are great and many – good. mum. journalists or sceptical parents. and we don’t know what the boarding Yet throughout all that has changed there landscape will look like in 2065, how many has been a constant, reassuring and boarders we will serve or how many valued presence: the BSA.
Celebrating our Jubilee t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). The BSA was formed just a couple of years boarding in the late 1960s. To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today.
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes.
So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA? Libby Purves OBE Journalist, Author and Professional development, expert Former Boarding School Parent advice, an increasingly strong voice to
Picture courtesy of Old Swinford Hospital Fast forward 50 years and what a
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
329
COMMiTMEnT TO CARE
Through the introduction of the ‘Commitment to Care’ charter in Spring 2016, BSA was BSA Honorary President keen to be in the vanguard of the drive towards responsible, high quality safeguarding practice within our schools, whilst respecting and acknowledging the recurring challenges of historic abuse cases being faced by member schools, and across the sector as a whole. Tony Little
have been, quite rightly, concerned about The first version of the charter was well maintaining a balance between their received by members, by other safeguarding duties locally and their membership organisations and indeed responsibilities as members of BSA. The more widely. My appointment as Head of revised charter is clear food that cases must be Safeguarding and Standards for BSA is t gives me enormous pleasure heating, abundant and wrapreported to BSA in the broadest outline, and intended to bring not only greater capacity to write the foreword to this around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding only at the point at which it is appropriate to this area of the BSA workload, but also celebration marking 50 years of professionals. to do so, and in such a way that individual an opportunity to refocus this aspect of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). situations and circumstances cannot be support to the membership, and to reAnd that doesn’t even consider the access identified. In return, members are asked to emphasise BSA’s commitment, one which is The BSA was formed just a couple of years appreciate that BSA cannot meet crucial shared by the ISC member organisations. and broad co-curricular programmes. obligations to schools if significant boarding in the late 1960s. safeguarding issues remain hidden until As a result of discussions within the That the change has been so great is of such time as they appear as front page Executive, consideration by the BSA To board at Eton wasfrom to say the leastnewscourse known to those who work in the well media. Safeguarding Forum, andthen advice legal a formative The school in boarding. The hard part is explaining experts, the Charter experience. is being improved andwas of course as historic the seismic leap to the outside world, safeguarding is only a part of my relaunched this autumn withand thetraditional following as it Although especially ordifferent sceptical parents. new role, therejournalists are several strands refinements: Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. which will be incorporated into the • Greater relevance to the wider Yet throughout all that has changed there portfolio. These include heading up a new membership, including the regions of If these two worlds were sharply been a constant, reassuring and focushas group across the ISC organisations, the U.K. and overseas contrasting then, contrast them again to monitoring valued the presence: thethe BSA. work of IISCA • A greater focus on the impact of peer on (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual boarding today. peer abuse Abuse) and advising on relevant findings, • Clarification of how schools are expected bespoke safeguarding For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about indeveloping Oxford in July 1965 the BSA hastraining been to follow the charter “responsibly” relevant to boarding practitioners, the ‘white heat’ of change there was little there, rather like a long-serving and and • A procedure foroftackling situations in thattrusted safeguarding a key element evidence that in boarding schools then.ensuring warmly boardingishouse matron. which schools breach the charter of new accreditation initiatives with individual practitioners and when with overseas • An explanation of what must be So what comes to mind one thinks member schools. reported to BSA and what BSA does with dormitories, inadequate heating, poor of the BSA?
Celebrating our Jubilee
that information. food and pastoral care in the hands of
prefects were common attributes. These latter points are particularly key to the successful implementation and Fast forward 50 years and what a management of the charter. Some schools
The updated Charter will be released in Professional development, expert September 2017. I look forward to sharing advice, an increasingly strong voice to regular updates through the weekly BSA government and journalists, information newsletter. provider for prospective parents and
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription. That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. Dale Wilkins Head of Safeguarding and Standards, BSA The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
Colin Morrison is Chair of Boarding School Partnerships at the Department for Education. He was a former “assisted boarder” who became the longest-serving chairman of the Royal National Children’s Foundation during 2001-2016. Almost exactly 60 years ago, Essex County Council funded my place at boarding school. In September 1957, I became one of about 100 young boarders being supported at various
independent and state boarding schools by that one council. It was nothing exceptional. Local authorities from all over the country routinely funded boarding school places for vulnerable young people. In 1957, there were up to 15,000 such council-
funded “Assisted Boarders” throughout the UK.
Now, all these years later, the total is less than 1,000, mostly supported by the charities RNCF/ SpringBoard, Buttle and Reedham. Fewer than 100 of these are funded by local authorities. That dramatic change in boarding school placements was probably caused by a combination of factors including squeezed budgets, the loss of the assisted places scheme, and a change of attitudes to boarding education itself. The result is that, at a time when there may be many more young people “on the edge” of local authority care through seriously adverse home and family circumstances, relatively few are offered the opportunity of boarding school as they once would have been.
The launch of Boarding School Partnerships is intended to help remedy this. This web-based service gives local authority commissioning
teams and virtual schools access to the resources and expertise of the charities and boarding schools who know best how “assisted boarding” can work for vulnerable young people. We want to put this expertise at the fingertips of these children’s services professionals, so they can evaluate boarding school
options with confidence, no matter howinfrequently they might need to do so. The service will include conferences, training, research and also annual awards to recognise the achievements of boarding schools and local authorities in this area. Boarding School Partnerships has been launched by the Department for Education with the support of the Boarding Schools’ Association, the charities, boarding schools and local authorities. The launch conference in Westminster last month was attended by more than 20% of the local authorities in England and Wales, with many more having signed up to participate in the service but unable to attend on the day. Lord Nash, Under Secretary of State for Schools, told the conference he had been hugely encouraged by the support from local authorities and boarding schools. Former Schools Minister Lord Adonis
(who was himself funded at boarding school by his local council) voiced his support as an Ambassador of the new service. LAs are being encouraged now to familiarize themselves with the resources available on Boarding School Partnerships and also to build relationships with the boarding schools in their region. Some have already made initial contacts but I would urge boarding school heads themselves to contact their neighbouring local authorities and invite their teams to your school. This new service has been welcomed as an important step in the journey to open up the benefits of boarding to many more of the young people who could benefit from all that it offers. But its success, ultimately, will depend on long-term relationships between schools, local authorities and charities which can achieve so much by working closely together. It’s up to all of us.
331
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
The BSA was formed just a couple of years
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes. boarding in the late 1960s. To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today.
Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
Colin encourages boarding schools
For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been to register on the the ‘white heat’ of change there was little there, rather like a long-serving and Boarding School Partnerships evidence of that in boarding schools then.website, warmly trusted boarding house matron.
and to write to him with any suggestions, comments or problems:
So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA?
colin@boardingschoolpartnerships.org.uk food and pastoral care in the hands of dormitories, inadequate heating, poor prefects were common attributes.
Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
www.boardingschoolpartnerships.org.uk Fast forward 50 years and what a
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016 Pictures courtesy of Stanford School
Focus:
The Medical Team
Picture courtesy of Gordonstoun
3 33
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
As a 13 year old leaving Cheltenham Prep for the last
Celebrating our Jubilee
time, it never
My other role is as an NHS GP, and the school, as well as the chaplain, nurses, t gives me enormous pleasure heating, abundant food and wrapconvenor of the boarding family for variety that the school adds to my and therapists. We focus on the policies to write the foreword to this around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding conferences and events. working day is refreshing. The work is that provide the framework for our celebration marking 50 years of professionals. challenging but extremely rewarding. pastoral care, and discuss how we can the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much Seeing pupils who have been helped by best meet the school’s needs. And that doesn’t even consider the access more besides, in exchange for a modest our work receiving prizes on Speech Day The BSA was formed just a couple of years annual subscription. is some of the best feedback a doctor can The welfare meeting gives each House and broad co-curricular programmes. receive. Parent the time to discuss individuals with boarding in the late 1960s. That we need the BSA and all its specific pastoral needs in detail. The That the change has been so great is of valuable services is beyond doubt as The relationships in the Pastoral Care multidisciplinary team from the Health To board at Eton then was to say the least course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of team are fundamental to the excellent Centre tailors a specific management plan a formative experience. The school was in boarding. The hard part is explaining boarding. care our pupils receive. Communication for each pupil to ensure they and the of course as historic and traditional as it the seismic leap to the outside world, with pupils, parents, and staff is at the House staff are well supported. especially journalists or sceptical parents. The challenges are great and many – heart of my role, and I have worked very Sometimes pupils need time away from Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. and we don’t know what the boarding hard to ensure these relationships are as school, but we do our best only to request Yet throughout all that has changed there landscape will look like in 2065, how many open as possible. The House staff, Nurses, this if we have no other option. If these two worlds were sharply has been a constant, reassuring and boarders we will serve or how many and Welfare Management Team all have a contrasting then, contrast them again to valued presence: the BSA. direct line to me and know they can call By taking a holistic approach we try to boarding today. me at any time for advice. Parents can ensure pupils thrive at Cheltenham But however things unfold, it is an email me directly (and frequently do) College. I strongly believe mental or For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been enormous comfort to know the BSA is which I welcome. I am ‘Dr Jim’ to the physical health problems should not be a the ‘white heat’ of change there was little there, rather like a long-serving and there with us on the journey. pupils, and have tried to strip away much barrier to achieving your potential, and evidence of that in boarding schools then. warmly trusted boarding house matron. of the formality once associated with the am lucky to work as part of a team that role. genuinely cares about finding innovative So what comes to mind when one thinks ways to support our pupils. dormitories, inadequate heating, poor of the BSA? As well as the informal work, we hold food and pastoral care in the hands of weekly meetings that alternate between prefects were common attributes. Professional development, expert the Pastoral and Welfare Management Dr Jim Ropner advice, an increasingly strong voice to Teams. The pastoral group includes senior Medical Officer, Cheltenham College Fast forward 50 years and what a government and journalists, information Tony Little members from the College and Prep provider for prospective parents and BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
dawned on me I
would ever return to work there in any
capacity, let alone as the School Medical Officer. Strangely
though, despite the less-than-obvious
career path that led me here, I often
reflect on how lucky I was to end up working in the
independent school sector.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
ADVERTISING FEATURE
National Boarding Week June 19-25, 2017
Friends Go Green for Barnardo’s
Fun
Boarding
Boarding Family
Big Sing
Party
Competitions
Charity Celebrations Parties
Boarding Bake Off
Boarding Sleep Over
GDP GETTING READY FOR THE
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION
Picture courtesy of Sexey’s School
PR
337
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee
t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
The BSA was formed just a couple of years boarding in the late 1960s.
To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper.
If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today.
For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes. Fast forward 50 years and what a
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals.
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
A current hot topic for
And that doesn’t even consider the access
That we need the BSA and all its schools is GDPR (General valuable services is beyond doubt as
and broad co-curricular programmes.
we contemplate the next 50 years of Data Protection Regulation),
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
which comes into force next
May.
Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
boarding.
The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
GDPR will entirely replace
But however things unfold, it is an our current Data Protection
Act 1998 (DPA). Some of the there with us on the journey.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron.
enormous comfort to know the BSA is
precise detail has yet to be Thank you BSA, and So what comes to mind when one thinks decided, but here’s good lucksome as you plan of the BSA? yourto centenary! advice on steps take to get ready for it.
Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
Step 1 Raise awaReness Key decision makers in schools need to know that data protection law is changing and how those changes will affect how the school is run. schools should use the leadin period to get ready and raise awareness of GDPR.
Step 2 accountabiLity one of the main features of GDPR is that schools will actually have to demonstrate compliance. these measures include Privacy impact assessments (Pias), data protection audits, and policy reviews. the information commissioner’s office (ico) has produced a code of Practice on Pias to help guide schools.
to get started schools should review and document the personal data they hold, identify the source, who it is shared with and the legal basis upon which data is being processed. this exercise is commonly called a data protection audit (or data mapping) and can be deployed across the entire school, or confined to distinct areas within it. unless schools know what personal data is held and how it is being processed, it will be difficult to comply with the GDPR’s accountability principles.
a benefit of a data protection audit is that it maps the flow of personal data in and out of the school, can be used to measure the degree to which the school complies with the law and identify ‘red flags’ for urgent attention. High risk areas are likely to be the issue of demonstrating necessary and clear) consent and the school’s development functions.
schools will continue to be required to take organisationalsteps to keep personal data secure and train staff on data protection. in our view, new starters should receive training before they have access to personal data and existing staff should receive regular refresher training (perhaps annually).
Step 3 communicatinG Data PRotection/PRivacy infoRmation under the DPa, schools are legally required to provide certain minimum information to individuals (including staff, pupils and parents) about how their personal data is processed. this is commonly provided through a Privacy notice which is often incorporated into the school’s Data Protection Policy.
under GDPR, the list of information which has to be provided to individuals will increase significantly. some of the information has to be communicated in all cases (mandatory Privacy notice information). a second subset need only be provided in specific cases eg if the school intends to process the personal data for different purposes than when it was collected.
Step 4 LeGaL GRounDs foR PRocessinG PeRsonaL Data under GDPR, schools will need to know the legal grounds for processing personal data and in some cases explain it to pupils and parents. for example, it is likely that a legal ground for processing pupil images for identification purposes will be because the processing is necessary for the contract. in contrast, the legal ground for using pupil images for school marketing and on the school website is likely to be consent.
schools should look at their different types of data processing out and identify and document the legal basis for doing so via data protection audit.
just as with the DPa, schools can still rely on ‘consent’ as a legal ground to process personal data e.g. to use pupil images on the website, to send fundraising and marketing messages to parents and alumni, or to publish pupil news on social networking platforms. However, satisfying the criteria for valid legal consent will be harder under GDPR.
separate consents must be obtained for different processing operations. it must be distinguishable from other matters and not ‘buried’ in wider written agreements, such as the parent contract which often incorporates consent for a multitude of processing activities. under GDPR, consents should be separable from other written agreements.
to Do List ● Review the school’s terms and conditions of the Parent contract, acceptance forms and consent forms so they meet the higher standards of GDPR. ●
●
●
abandon the use of preticked boxes and carefully consider use of opt-out boxes to ensure they comply with GDPR. the use of an opt-in box is far more likely to result in GDPR compliance.
Get clear consent for different uses of personal data. Don’t ‘bundle-up’ or “bury” consents within broader contracts.
Review your systems for recording consent to ensure you have an effective audit trail to demonstrate consent
GettinG ReaDy foR tHe GeneRaL Data PRotection ReGuLation
Step 5 consent schools should review how they seek and record consent for processing personal data and consider if any changes are required under the GDPR.
Step 6 RiGHt of subject access (saR) as with the DPa, GDPR will continue to allow individuals to ask the school to give them a copy of their personal data together with other information about how it’s being processed by the school. (this is known as an saR).
under GDPR, the main changes are: ● now free in most (but not all) cases (used to be £10) ●
●
●
●
manifestly unfounded or excessive requests can now be charged for or refused
Deadline reduced from 40 calendar days to ‘within 1 month’. this deadline can be extended in certain cases.
additional information to be supplied eg. school data retention periods and the right to have inaccurate data corrected.
if you want to refuse an saR, you will need to have policies and procedures in place to demonstrate why refusal of a request meets these criteria.
Step 7 PeRsonaL Data bReacHes all schools will have to adopt internal procedures for detecting, reporting and investigating a personal data breach. the reason for this is that GDPR introduces mandatory breach notification to the Data Protection authority (the ico) and in some cases also to affected individuals. you should also maintain an internal breach register.
the good news is that there is time to plan for GDPR and as the ico releases further guidance, schools may wish to keep an eye on the ico website for updates.
KRISTINE SCOTT Head of education Harrison clark Rickerbys www.hcrlaw.com
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Khadija saye 1992 - 2017
Khadija Saye, a former boarder at Rugby School and recipient of an Arnold Foundation bursay died with her mother Mary Mendy in the Grenfell Tower fire in London.
term 2008. Every new girl I’m sure, leaving that which is very familiar, and coming to a completely different environment will feel nervous at the big change in her life.
The internationally respected photographer was exhibiting her work entitled ‘Dwelling: in this space we breathe’ at the 57th Venice Biennale at the time of her death.
“For Khadija, the change would have been different to the other new students coming to 6th form at Rugby.
Born in Britain in December 1992 to Gambian parents, Khadija (also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye or Kay) joined Rugby School on an Arnold Foundation bursary in 2008. Her matron Marian Bennett recalled Khadija being ‘likeable and friendly, with a beaming smile’.“Khadija arrived at Stanley (boarding house) in the Advent
“I couldn’t say what was going through her mind as she settled into a new School environment, but one thing is certain if she did feel any trepidation or fear she certainly didn’t show it. “The house photograph of 2009 could almost be a superimposed photograph of the previous year of Khadija, albeit she was standing in a different place. She remained the same girl that arrived the year before.
3 43
“
Khadija is what makes the Arnold foundation so special.
“
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
The BSA was formed just a couple of years
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes. boarding in the late 1960s. To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today. For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes. Fast forward 50 years and what a
Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron. So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA? Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
“I cannot ever remember having to chivvy Khadija along, she had a fine stride on her and she used it with purpose, there was a determination about her, she was going places.” Marian added: “Rugby I imagine would have been quite a culture shock for Khadija, she wasn’t however phased, she had her own culture to celebrate. “Her imagination and photography embraced the world she knew, sadly her ambitions will not come to fruition.” Former Headmaster Patrick Derham said Khadija had left ‘an indelible mark on all of us’. “Khadija is what makes the Arnold Foundation so special. Rachel Carr, the Chief Executive of IntoUniversity, told me before I met her for the first time that here was someone who would enrich the Rugby community and who we would never forget. How true that was. “From the interview where we could see behind the shyness a wonderful human being who wanted to make her mark and to make a difference. She did.
Copy courtesy of Rugby School
“Her creativity was unleashed by her time in the photography department in particular and her teachers spoke of her talent, her passion and her unbridled enthusiasm for the opportunities she was given. The journey she made was remarkable and to see her on the final day of term with a big beaming smile is an image I will never forget. And her mother too on that occasion who was so proud of her wonderful daughter. She had every right to be. “For their lives to be so cruelly ended is hard to comprehend. Her work will surely be a lasting tribute both to her gifts, and to those at IntoUniversity, Rugby and
beyond who recognised and encouraged them.” Her former housemistress Jane Phelps said Khadija had ‘made the best use of her time at Rugby’. “I had left Stanley (boarding house) when Khadija was there but knew her as a sixth former. I…remember her as a very positive, optimistic, full of life young woman trying to find her way with her artistic talent, concentrating on photography and exploring a whole range of approaches. I know she went on to Farnham Art School to do her photography and I remember her excitement when she knew she had got in!”
3
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals.
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
Khadija’s A Level The Arnold Foundation The BSA wasPhotography formed just a teacher couple of years Amy Farrelly, remembered her as a Founded in 2003 the Arnoldprogrammes. and broad co-curricular “’humble and unassuming spirit who Foundation exists to boarding in the late 1960s. That we need the BSA and all its was making a difference in her own transform thechange lives ofhas boys That the been so great is of valuable services is beyond doubt as community’. from some of the To board at Eton then was to say the leastand girls course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of The BSA is establishing most deprived a formative experience. The school was country’s in boarding. The hard part is explaining boarding. the Khadija Saye Photography “She of was incredibly empathetic to by leap providing course as historic and traditional as it communities the seismic to the outside world, Prize worth £250 a year to the others and she was one of my most themespecially with a boarding journalists or sceptical parents. The challenges areagreat and many – best photograph portfolio by talented students in her education at Rugby School. Summer of Love andyear. Sgt Pepper. andAwe don’t know boarding pupil. portfolio of what the boarding www.rugbyschool.co.uk/arn Yet throughout all that has changed nothere less thanlandscape three andwill no look like in 2065, how many She went on to Photography old-foundation If these twostudy worlds were sharplyat has been a constant, reassuring and boarders will serve or how many more than six originalwe and Falmouth and recently had anthem again to contrasting then, contrast valued presence: the BSA. unedited photographs can be exhibition in Venice. IntoUniversity boarding today. She was truly an submitted for entry (by up and coming artist. She has produced IntoUniversity provides local however things unfold, it is an October 31, But 2017), with full a beautiful documentary series on about inlearning centres where For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric Oxford in July 1965 young the BSA has been enormous to know the BSAthey is details of each picture,comfort where, when and why Gambians living London. She was are rather inspired the ‘white heat’ of change theregoing was little people there, liketoaachieve. long-serving and with us on the journey. were taken, there and technical information. to doevidence great things and beloved by then.At each localtrusted centre boarding house matron. of that in was boarding schools warmly all who knew her.” IntoUniversity offers an Entries can be submitted digitally to Aileen Kane, innovative programme that when oneDirector So what comes to mind thinks of Operations via aileen@boarding.org.uk MP David Lammy,inadequate who also knew young dormitories, heating, poor supports of the BSA? people from or delivered hard copy to Boarding Schools’ Khadija, hercare as “ainbeautiful fooddescribed and pastoral the hands of disadvantaged backgrounds to Association, 4th Floor, 134 Buckingham Palace young woman who had blossomed attainProfessional either a university place expert prefects were common attributes. development, Road, London SW1W 9SA. Details of the first prize over the last few years.” or another aspiration. advice,chosen an increasingly strong voice to will be included in the Spring 2018 edition winner And that doesn’t even consider the access
BSA Khadija Saye Photography Award
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
Fast forward 50 years and what a
government and journalists, information Little of Boarding Tony School magazine. provider for prospective parents and BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
45
d e A v
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every pupil should have the opportunity to thrive, be healthy in mind and body and achieve.
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nture e k e W
at Old Swinford Hospital by Sophia Mckain Director of Communications’
DURING the last week of school before the summer holidays, while others are usually winding down, pupils at Old Swinford Hospital are gearing up for a week of adventure, packed full of activities and exciting new experiences.
ADVERTISING FEATURE
3 49 Each year the Director of Co-Curricular Programmes designs a wide ranging and varied Adventure Week programme. The aim is to plan activities that balance fun and participation alongside the development of new skills.
The majority of new pupils join us aged 11 and board in Prospect House
which is specifically for Year 7 boarders. In September 2016 many of the
boys that joined us were new to boarding life. By the time Adventure Week came around the boys had successfully transitioned from their primary
school routine into that of a secondary boarding school. Boys that return in September 2017 will move to their senior house and our overseas students who are here for one year will return home. It is therefore important that
they have the ability to cope in a wide variety of social circumstances, have the skills to work as a team and are able to make new friends.
During Adventure Week the Year 7 boys visited PGL at Boreatton Park. On the evening that they arrived they dived straight into a PGL sports night, which involved Dodgeball and Space Hopper Football. Tuesday was all about the ropes, where groups went off to do abseiling, low and high ropes courses and Aeroball. The evening then led on to Cluedo, which the boys really enjoyed (as a chocolate cake was in store for the winner). At the end of the week the boys took on Jacob’s Ladder, a climbing challenge not for the faint hearted where they t gives me enormous pleasure worked as a team to reach the top! to write the foreword to this “It was amazing to see the groups in celebration marking 50 years of action working together and the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). encouraging others to complete each activity”. Mr Sherwin – Sports The BSA was formed just a couple of years Coach in Residence.
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee
boarding in the late 1960s. Adventure Week also enables students to learn about new board Eton then was to say the least cultures. To This yearat pupils visited a formative experience. The India where they volunteered for theschool was of course as historic and as it charity Deepalya. The charity is traditional an NGO in India working on issues Love and Sgtthe Pepper. affecting Summer the poor.ofThroughout year OSH held non-uniform days If these two worlds were sharply and pupils sold cakes and samosas then, contrast them again to enabling contrasting them to raise over £450 in boardingalso today. funds. Students visited St Lucia
on a cricket tour and the For all Wilson’sand 1960s Netherlands onMr a science artrhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little adventure. evidence of that in boarding schools then. OSH continually encourages pupils to discover who they can be. We believe that with an extensive dormitories, inadequate heating, poor extracurricular programme, peer food and pastoral care in the hands of mentoring and pastoral support prefects were common attributes. structure every pupil should have the opportunity to thrive, be healthy Fast forward 50 years and what a in mind and body and achieve.
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes. That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents. Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron. So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA? Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
Who runs
?
BSA Picture courtesy of Queen Margaret’s
?
BSA’s work is overseen by experienced volunteers who generously give their time to support the boarding sector, as Chief Executive Robin Fletcher explains. Just like schools, BSA has ‘governors’ to make sure it properly supports member schools. BSA is a limited company and its governors are actually a board of directors who meet as an Executive Committee in the last half of each term. All the ISC schools and heads’ associations, plus the BSA State Boarding Forum, have a self-nominated board representative. Overseeing the Executive Committee is the BSA Chair, who serves for one year and also chairs the annual BSA Conference for Heads. The Chair is supported by a Vice Chair (Elect), Vice Chair (Past Chair) and Vice Chair (State Boarding), and the BSA Honorary Treasurer, who is a serving school bursar. The role of the Executive Committee is to oversee the BSA’s strategy, finances, staffing and overall performance. Supporting this is a Management Committee, comprising the Chair, Vice Chairs and Honorary Treasurer. This meets in the first half of term and looks at more operational issues. Most representatives on the Executive Committee are serving Heads, except for the ISBA representative, who is always a bursar, and AGBIS’ representative, who is currently a lawyer. As well as the directors, three guests are also invited to attend meetings – the General Secretary of ISC, a representative of the Scottish Independent Schools Council and former BSA Honorary President Tony Little.
35353
BSA Management Committee and Executive Committee members: Name
Organisation
School/position
BSA role
Management Committee
Executive Committee
Leo Winkley
HMC
Chair and Director
Yes
Yes
Mike Farmer
GSA
Head Master St Peter’s School
Vice Chair (Past Chair) and Director
Yes
Yes
Martin Reader
HMC
Headmaster St Teresa’s School Effingham
Yes
Yes
Irfan Latif
BSA State Boarding Forum
Headmaster Sexey’s School, Bruton
Vice Chair (Chair Elect) HMC representative and Director
Yes
Andrew Ashton
ISBA
Yes
GSA
Honorary Treasurer and Director
Yes
Rhiannon Wilkinson
Bursar Radley College, Abingdon
Vice Chair Yes Tony Little (State Boarding) and BSA Honorary President Director
GSA representative and Director
No
Yes
David Faber
IAPS
IAPS representative and Director
No
Yes
Headmaster Cranleigh School, Surrey
Headmistress Wycombe Abbey School High Wycombe Headmaster Summerfields School Oxford
Celebrating our Jubilee
Christine Cunniffe Society of Heads Headmistress, LVS Ascot IAPS representative No Yes t gives me enormous pleasure heating, abundant food and wrapconvenor of the boarding family for and Director to write the foreword to this around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding conferences and events. Katie Lancaster AGBIS Partner,professionals. Farrers AGBIS representative No Yes celebration marking 50 years of and Director the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much And that doesn’t even consider the access more besides, in exchange for a modest Guy Ralphs ISBA Bursar, Malvern College ISBA representative No Yes The BSA was formed just a couple of years annual subscription. and Director and broad co-curricular programmes. boarding in the late 1960s. That we need the BSA and all its That the change has been so great is of valuable services is beyond doubt as To board at Eton then was to say the least course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of a formative experience. The school was in boarding. The hard part is explaining boarding. BSA also of has four specialist focusing areas leap withto their chairs and members. The Forums have no course as historicForums and traditional as on it particular the seismic the own outside world, legal powers, but decide their own priorities or adviseespecially BSA on specific issues. journalists or sceptical parents. The challenges are great and many – Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. and we don’t know what the boarding The current BSA forums are: Yet throughout all that has changed there landscape will look like in 2065, how many Forum If these two worlds were Role Chairs sharply has been a constant, reassuring and boarders we will serve or how many contrasting then, contrast them again to valued presence: the BSA. Safeguarding Advise and discuss safeguarding issues, Dale Wilkins, Head of Safeguarding and Standards, BSA boarding today. policies, cases and regulations But however things unfold, it is an For all Mr Forum Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in boarding Oxford ininJuly 1965 the BSA has been Carslaw,enormous comfort to know the BSA is Scottish Boarding Discuss and develop Michael Headmaster, St Leonards School the ‘white there was little there, rather like a long-serving and there with us on the journey. in association withheat’ SCIS of change Scotland evidence of that in boarding schools then. warmly trusted boarding house matron. South West Regional Discuss and develop boarding in Richard Biggs, Headmaster, King’s College, Taunton Boarding Forum (SWERB) south west England So what comes to mind when one thinks
Forums
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan Irfan Latif, Headmaster, Sexey’s School your centenary!
dormitories, heating, poor of develop the BSA?state State Boarding ForuminadequateRepresent, support and food and pastoral care boarding in the hands of schools in England prefects were common attributes. Professional development, expert advice, increasingly strong voiceencourage to This year BSA will set up new forums to cover Wales and an prep schools and would members to get involved in these Fast forward 50 years and what a questions government and journalists, information Little or any existing forums. If you have any about how BSA is governed, or would likeTony to get involved, please feel free to provider for prospective parents and BSA Honorary President 2015-2016 email robin@boarding.org.uk.
Customer service
a guide to Marketing
Boarding
Picture courtesy of Farlington School
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3 55
Your current parents, as the driving force behind your word-of-mouth recruitment, are more than incidental ambassadors – they are Tony Little yourBSAmost vital sales tool. Honorary President
“
Celebrating our Jubilee t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wrapconvenor of the boarding family for around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding conferences and events. professionals. Hannah Hamilton The BSA all York this and, swan-like, much Director of External Relations, St does Peter’s, And that doesn’t even consider the access more besides, in exchange for a modest The BSA was formed just a couple of years annual subscription. and broad co-curricular programmes. In our favour is the very real and positive yourThat parents want from in the late 1960s. we need the BSAboarding, and all its and Anyoneboarding involved in marketing impactThat thatthe boarding has on the lives of are you providing it? If there’s a gap as change has been so great is of valuable services is beyond doubt boarding knows that the market is our pupils and their families. Children between need and product, it’s To board at Eton then was to say the least course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of tough –aand, for most of us, getting to expect families to adapt to formative experience. The school was learn teamwork, in boarding.communication The hard part is and explaining unrealistic boarding. resilience, and their parents, many of you. Do you offer flexible options – and a tougher. The cards are stacked of course as historic and traditional as it the seismic leap to the outside world, whom are both working hard in busy pricing structure match thatmany are the especially journalists or sceptical parents. The challengestoare great- and – against us: the cost of fees is steadily careers, can balance the demands on right fit for your families? If you are Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. and we don’t know what the boarding rising, and much more quickly than them to that family is alwaysthere increasingly reliant on like international Yetensure throughout all thattime has changed landscape will look in 2065, how many rates ofIfpay; parents want to see quality time. pupils, are you prepared what these two worlds were sharply has been a constant, reassuring and boarders we will serveto orchange how many you do to accommodate them – perhaps then, contrast them again to valued presence: the BSA. more ofcontrasting their children. Reaching families who aren’t considering with one-year courses, extended EAL boarding today. boarding – but who could afford the fees support, or new things activities or academic But however unfold, it is an The polarised stereotypes of cold is challenging. Much of our marketing subjects? For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been enormous comfort to know the BSA is therefore, to centre on water and draughty dorms, junior the ‘white heat’ of changeor there was littleactivity, there, rather needs like a long-serving and there with us on the journey. converting those who might already of that in boardingare schools warmly trusted boarding house be matron. Are you – and this can be a difficult wizardsevidence swigging butterbeer, still then. thinking about it. question to ask, let alone address – really what many imagine when they good enough at what you do? Is the So what comes to mind when one thinks consider boarding schools – and Two strands of activity need attention if accommodation up to scratch? Are your dormitories, inadequate heating, poor of the BSA? your school is to succeed in getting the house masters communicating as well as food and in the hands few parents feelpastoral eithercare is desirable if of message across. First, and perhaps most they could with parents? Are your prefects were common attributes. Professional development, expert their decisions for their children are importantly, product thatstrong you are activities appealing? How happy are your advice,the an increasingly voice to about ensuring their happiness and offering has to be right. You may know and their parents? If you shy Fast forward 50 years and what a government and journalists, information children Tony Little what you want to offer – but what do away from tackling these kinds of issues, provider for prospective parents and BSA Honorary President 2015-2016 success.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
any external marketing activity will fail as soon as parents start to research your school in earnest. The second key strand of marketing activity revolves around personal relationships. Gone are the days – if they ever existed – when advertising alone could fill dormitories. The Head – and other key staff – need to spend time building relationships with feeder schools, through visits and regular communication. This isn’t something that can be delegated to your marketing team: no matter how talented your marketing director; a visit from them will never flatter your feeder Heads.
Picture courtesy of Queen Margaret’s
Your current parents, as the driving force behind your word-of-mouth recruitment, are more than incidental ambassadors – they are your most vital sales tool. Above anything else that you do, you must keep them happy – not by pandering to them, but by communicating with them and delivering what you’ve promised. New parents, too, will often recruit for you with great zeal. We've all experienced the family who start a trend of pupils coming from their school maximise that by looking after every new pupil and parent, not just until the paperwork is signed, but right through the induction and joining process. Communications are going out from all
Picture courtesy of Farlington School
3 57
Every Head understands that marketing is everyone’s job – but every other member of your staff needs to understand it too. Customer service is too often a dirty word in schools, because we don’t like to think of our pupils and parents in commercial terms. But, however you choose to describe it, customer service is what will make the long-term, sustainable difference to your recruitment. If we cannot persuade those who are already thinking about boarding, we have no chance of persuading those who aren’t.
“
gone are the days – if they ever existed – when advertising alone could fill dormitories. The head – and other key staff – need to spend time building relationships with feeder Tony Little BSA Honorary President schools, through visits and regular communication.
“
sorts of people during this period – when was the last time you looked at the overall picture from the parent’s point of view, or the pupil’s? Do you have pockets of best practice that could be adopted more widely? Are there any easy wins that you just aren’t achieving? In the age of Mumsnet, word of mouth is unlimited in its power, and can be negative as easily as it can be positive – so make it work for you.
Celebrating our Jubilee
t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
The BSA was formed just a couple of years
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events. The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes. boarding in the late 1960s. To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today. For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes. Fast forward 50 years and what a
Yet throughout all that has changed there has been a constant, reassuring and valued presence: the BSA.
Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been there, rather like a long-serving and warmly trusted boarding house matron. So what comes to mind when one thinks of the BSA? Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. The challenges are great and many – and we don’t know what the boarding landscape will look like in 2065, how many boarders we will serve or how many
But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
LEADERSHIP WITH A DIFFERENCE
Picture courtesy of Gordonstoun
g
g
3 59
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Kerr, Principal Celebrating our Lisa Jubilee of Gordonstoun,
t gives me enormous pleasure to write the foreword to this celebration marking 50 years of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
convenor of the boarding family for discusses their
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals.
conferences and events.
progressive new
The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much
leadership structure. more besides, in exchange for a modest
And that doesn’t even consider the access
The BSA was formed just a couple of years
annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes.
boarding in the late 1960s.
To board at Eton then was to say the least a formative experience. The school was of course as historic and traditional as it Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper.
If these two worlds were sharply contrasting then, contrast them again to boarding today.
For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in the ‘white heat’ of change there was little evidence of that in boarding schools then.
dormitories, inadequate heating, poor food and pastoral care in the hands of prefects were common attributes. Fast forward 50 years and what a
Gordonstoun isthe often thought That we need BSA and all its of That the change has been so great is of as anvaluable is beyond doubt as old orservices maybe even rich course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of school, but our beginnings are in boarding. The hard part is explaining boarding. the seismic leap to the outside world, recent and they are humble. Our especially journalists or sceptical parents.beginnings The challenges also are laidgreat theand many – and we don’t know what the boarding foundations of an ethos which Yet throughout all that has changed there landscape will look like in 2065, how many has always has been a constant, reassuring and boardersseen we willGordonstoun serve or how many valued presence: the BSA. being something of a pioneer. But however things unfold, it is an established Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been The school enormouswas comfort to know thein BSA is there, rather like a long-serving and with us on theajourney. 1934there by Kurt Hahn, Jewish warmly trusted boarding house matron.
refugee who fled Nazi Germany Thank you BSA, and So what comes to mind when one thinksand wanted to set up a school good luck as you plan of the BSA? that would teach students from a your centenary! wide range of backgrounds to Professional development, expert advice, an increasingly strong voice to live alongside each other. government and journalists, information provider for prospective parents and
Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
Gordonstoun was amongst the first boarding schools to go co-ed. And the first female firefighter in the UK (other than when women did ‘men’s work’ in WWII) was a Gordonstoun student, as a member of the school’s fire service (still part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service today). Similarly, some of the myths which inaccurately suggest a harsh regime were actually signs of Hahn, and Gordonstoun, being ahead of their time. The infamous cold showers actually always followed hot ones (and were part of a culture which promoted personal hygiene) and which school introducing morning runs (ala ‘The Daily Mile’) today would receive anything other than plaudits?! Hahn weighed and measured pupils regularly (think today’s BMI checks) and eschewed corporal punishment in favour of ‘walking’ punishments. Mind you, if you’ve seen the stunning Moray countryside and coastlines which surround the 200-acre campus, you wouldn’t describe a walk as a punishment!
Pictures courtesy of Gordonstoun
3 61
So, if we’re surprised about anything, perhaps it should be that Gordonstoun took so long to appoint a woman as Principal, and only now is introducing such a progressive leadership structure. Our new School Executive is made up of Headmaster, Titus Edge, our Finance Director, Hugh Brown and me as Principal. If we were a business we’d be Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. But we’ve not introduced this structure because it’s right for business, instead because it’s right for us.
Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee
t givesHeads me enormous pleasure All boarding school know what an theaforeword to this enormous jobto it write is to run school. Add in celebration marking 50 years of a world-wide alumni, an ambitious capital the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). development programme, a global
outreach project and an extremely broad Theand BSAyou’ve was formed a couple of years curriculum, got a just mammoth task.
heating, abundant food and wraparound 24/7 pastoral care from boarding professionals. And that doesn’t even consider the access
approach which is genuinely about a Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. team providing strength in depth and
The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much more besides, in exchange for a modest annual subscription.
and broad co-curricular programmes.
boarding in the late 1960s.
When asked to distil a description of our Towe board Eton thenthe was to say the least approach, say at that I lead school a formative experience. The school and the Headmaster runs the school. But was of course as historic traditional as it that misses the nuance of a and leadership
convenor of the boarding family for conferences and events.
That the change has been so great is of course well known to those who work in boarding. The hard part is explaining the seismic leap to the outside world, especially journalists or sceptical parents.
brilliant teachers who have gone on to Yetbrilliant throughout all that hasthat changed there become Heads shows mutual support, and which brings a wide these two worlds were sharplyto has been aquite constant, and parallel doesn’t workreassuring in education. range of Ifperspectives and experiences contrast them valued presence: theofBSA. is no shortage brilliant decision contrasting making. At then, a practical level it again toAnd there boarding today. educationalists at Gordonstoun. means we can share the extensive
That we need the BSA and all its valuable services is beyond doubt as we contemplate the next 50 years of boarding. The challenges are great and many –
we don’t knowfrom what those the boarding are and not that different faced by landscape lookand likeprivate in 2065,sector how many leaders in the will public boarders every day. we will serve or how many
By putting in place a leadership structure Butcombines however things unfold, it who is an which a Headmaster enormousGordonstoun comfort to know BSA is understands as athe former there withand us on the journey. pupil, parent teacher, a Finance Director with extensive business and worked in health, education, the arts, education experience and a Principal who bank as our Headmaster is talking to the So what comesand to mind when one the thinks is as committed to the school’s founding transport, property media, I know common room. dormitories, inadequate heating, poor day-to-day of thechallenges BSA? of managing principles as she is to the prosperity of its food andidea pastoral care in the hands future, the Governors have recognised And what of the of a non-teacher in of people, property, finances and Professional compliance are notdevelopment, that differentexpert from that strength and understanding come charge? prefects were common attributes. advice, increasingly strong voice to one sector to an another. Gordonstoun’s from diversity of background and forward 50worst years person and what government and journalists, Tony Littleand nothing could be truer to educational ethos may be unique, information but the experience; It may beFast said that the toa for prospective Honorary President 2015-2016 issuesprovider which we face as schoolparents leadersand the BSA ideals of our visionary founder. run an airline is a pilot, but the number of
responsibilities of school life; it means I Forin allthe Mr holidays Wilson’s 1960s about in Oxford July education, 1965 the BSA been But I am clearinthat likehas every am around whenrhetoric teachers the ‘white heat’ of change there was littleother there, like a to long-serving sector,rather has much learn fromand a take a well-earned break; and it means of that intalking boarding schools then. warmly boardingHaving house matron. wide range oftrusted organisations. that I amevidence as comfortable to the
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
E
Everyone involved in education looks forward to the end of another academic year, as they finally reach that well-deserved rest. For me however, the start of this Summer holiday is one of new beginnings, marking my real relocation to North Wales. I have been Head of Rydal Penrhos School since January 2017 but have spent my first ‘100 days’ living at school alone and occasionally weekend commuting to Hertfordshire, where my wife and family remained to finish the school year and more importantly my son’s GCSE exams.
Simon Smith Headmaster, Rydal Penrhos School
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Tony Little BSA Honorary President
Celebrating our Jubilee Of course there have been some advantages totbeing alone pleasure gives home me enormous heating, abundant food and wrapconvenor of the boarding family for particularly atto a time when it is important write the foreword to this around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding conferences and events. to have 100 per cent focusmarking on a new celebration 50role. years of professionals. And obviously no-one is truly alone day or (BSA). the Boarding Schools’ Association The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much night in a boarding school! I have been And that doesn’t even consider the access more besides, in exchange for a modest able to become The BSAfully wasimmersed formed justinathe couple of years annual subscription. boarding life of the school – something and broad co-curricular programmes. absolutely critical in forthe any new Head. I boarding late 1960s. That we need the BSA and all its been able to live the ebb and flow of the That the change has been so great is of valuable services is beyond doubt as full boarding day, at both informally bythe least To board Eton then wasand to say course well known to those who work we contemplate the next 50 years of taking onaadditional duties in House formative experience. The school was in boarding. The hard part is explaining boarding. without the distraction of home leafy in tempered with an array of sometimes of course as historic and traditional as itprevious theschools seismicwere leap to the campuses outside world, commitments. I enjoyed being part of the Home Counties. Rydal Penrhos’ commitments, especially journalists or sceptical parents. unexpected The challenges are greatbut andI’m many – National Summer BoardingofWeek activities and position within the town of Colwyn Bay, pleased to say that for the most part, the Love and Sgt Pepper. and we don’t know what the boarding been able to spend that extra time getting two minutes from the sea and a short 100 day plan (essential to keep at Yet throughout all that has changed there landscape will look like in 2065,hand!) how many to know both staff and pupils. drive from the mountains but still close to has been fulfilled. With the now If these two worlds were sharply has been a constant, reassuring and boarders we will serve orfamily how many as Chester and fully unpacked and the children ready for contrasting then, contrast them again tomajor hubs valuedsuch presence: the BSA. I have spent over 20 years in boarding Manchester was really attractive. I could their new school I am really looking boarding today. schools and when the time came to seek see the possibilities for partnership and forward to them all being fully it involved But however things unfold, is an in a Headship I was looking for a school to service within the town and a really school life and getting stuck into allBSA thatis For all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric about in Oxford in July 1965 the BSA has been enormous comfort to know the lead withthe similar values to the schools I exciting co-curricular programme which Rydal Penrhos has to offer. ‘white heat’ of change there was little there, rather like a long-serving and there with us on the journey. had beenevidence familiarof with. include supports my idea of adventurous thatThese in boarding schools then. warmly trusted boarding house matron. enthusiastic pupils from the local area learning. I am pleased to say that two and further afield, positive relationships, terms in, hopes have beenwhen realised So my what comes to mind one thinks supportive parents, ambitious governors, and my expectations for the future of the dormitories, inadequate heating, poor of the BSA? excellentfood facilities, high academic and coschool are still the same. and pastoral care in the hands of curricularprefects standards potential for wereand common attributes. Professional development, expert further growth. Rydal Penrhos has all of Obviously some my early ambitions advice, an of increasingly strong voice to these. But I was also looking for such as meeting every of staff Fast forward 50 years and what a government andmember journalists, information Tony Little something slightly different too. My within provider a short period of time had to be and for prospective parents BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary!
Pictures courtesy of Rydal Penrhos School
o b e v o l #i Underpinning the BSA’s mission to ‘champion boarding and promote boarding excellence’ is the strategic aim to ‘inform and influence.
During 2016-2017 the BSA undertook a year-long £200,000 marketing campaign to promote British Boarding Schools to UK parents. Titled BEAM (Branding Events Advertising Media) the campaign was designed to ‘inform and influence’ parents the length and breadth of the UK.
BEAM - Shining a light on British Boarding
Our reach:
2,432,249 ABC1 households 103 adverts 1,400,000 social media impressions 513% increased traffic to BSA website 15,000 boarding bugs given out #iloveboarding used 1,000s of times by BSA, media, schools & pupils
g n i d r a The Boarding Bus:
6,500 miles Visited 21 schools Joined by over 50 schools at 20 events including: Travelled
12 county shows
Independent Schools Show GSA boarding event
6 BSA conferences
Picture courtesy of Rydal Penrhos School
Three-time Prep Head Andrew Lewin, BSA’s new Director of Training from September 2017, looks at the importance of CPD in the development of boarding in the UK and throughout the world.
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“
The children and young people entrusted to the care of any boarding school deserve the very best
“
It is very clear to me, taking up the reins of organising and delivering BSA’s training services, that a strong and varied CPD programme is vital and plays a crucial role in ensuring high boarding standards. It is a key factor in the development of boarding in individual schools throughout the UK and beyond. The children and young people entrusted to the care of any boarding school deserve the very best.
Tony Little BSA Honorary President Andrew Lewin Director of Training, BSA
In 2017-18, the BSA will continue to offer a broad range of training opportunities specifically dedicated to the needs of boarding schools. This includes accredited training through the BSA t gives me enormous pleasure heating, abundant food and wrapAdvanced Certificate (which Alex will The requirements for boarding staff (in to write the foreword to this around 24/7 pastoral care from boarding continue to lead), the BSA Diploma, the England and Wales) are clearly laid out in celebration marking 50 years of professionals. BSA Certificates in Professional Practice Standard 15 of the National Minimum the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). for School Nurses and School Matrons Standards for Boarding. It states ‘any staff that doesn’t even consider the access and theAnd BSA Certificate in International member or volunteer employed or TheinBSA was formed just a couple Boarding. volunteering a position working with of years and broad co-curricular programmes. boarders has a job description reflecting boarding in the late 1960s. Alongside these the BSA will be running their duties, receives induction training in That 70 theindividual change hasday been so great is of more than seminars on boarding when newly appointed, and To board at Etonofthen was to say the least known toboarding-related those who work a wide course varietywell of specific receives regular reviews their boarding a formative experience. The school wasissues,in boarding. The hard part is explaining from the general principles of practice, with opportunities for training of course as historicdevelopment and traditional as itworking the seismic leap toto the outside world, with boarders more specialist and continual professional especiallyof journalists sceptical parents. understanding current or issues, in boarding’. including medical, mental health, LGBT+, Summer of Love and Sgt Pepper. data protection and on-line safety. There The strength of boarding in the Yet throughout all that has changed there are also conferences aimed at different UK stems from the dedication and If these two worlds were sharply has been a constant, reassuring and boarding staff, including experiencecontrasting of its practitioners. Thethem again to then, contrast valued presence: theHeads BSA. and Deputies, SMT, House Staff and Support continued boarding training today. of these staff plays a Staff, that offer an opportunity for vital part in developing and growing the knowledge as well as has been sector. All For practitioners who work with all Mr Wilson’s 1960s rhetoric aboutspecialist in Oxford in July 1965 the BSA networking and sharing good practice. boarders need to know and understand the ‘white heat’ of change there was little there, rather like a long-serving and The BSA Training Team works very closely what they are doing and there is a evidence of that in boarding schools then. warmly trusted boarding house matron. with many experts in their field and growing demand for our standards to be draws from globally renowned speakers mirrored across the world, with the BSA So what comes to mind when one thinks to deliver a high level of knowledge and right at the forefront. dormitories, inadequate heating, poor of the BSA? understanding. food and pastoral care in the hands of Alex Thomson OBE, who has stepped prefects were common attributes. Professional development, expert The training programme developed by down as Director of Training but increasingly strong voice to BSA, inadvice, many an ways, is very straight thankfully is not stepping away from the Fastleaves forward years and what a government journalists, forward. It involvesand anything and information BSA entirely, an50 already very provider forwith prospective parents and everything to do boarding. The BSA comprehensive CPD programme on is also fully involved in bespoke training which to build.
through INSET and consultancy, as well as offering members a complete support and advice service. This now includes Dale Wilkins, our newly appointed Head of Safeguarding and Standards, who is convenor of the boarding family for right at the forefront of BSA’s work in conferences and events. safeguarding and inspection. Dale will be leading on BSA’s Commitment to Care The BSA does all this and, swan-like, much Charter, Safeguarding Conference and more besides, in exchange for a modest Safeguarding Advisory Forum. He will annual subscription. leading the new BSA initiative for the accreditation of individual boarding That we need thewill BSAcontinue and all itsto practitioners that valuable is beyond as establish a services clear career pathdoubt for those we contemplate the and next introduce 50 years of a new working in boarding, boarding. for boarding overseas. accreditation
Celebrating our Jubilee
are great and many – BSA’s All The this challenges sits very tightly alongside the overarching strategy to ‘inform, influence, and we don’t know what the boarding improve andwill innovate’ I look forward landscape look likeand in 2065, how many to supporting BSA member schools boarders we will serve or how many in the cause of boarding excellence. But however things unfold, it is an enormous comfort to know the BSA is there with us on the journey.
Thank you BSA, and good luck as you plan your centenary! Tony Little BSA Honorary President 2015-2016
BSA MEMBER LIST Abberley Hall School
Casterton Sedbergh Preparatory School
Fulneck School
Loughborough Grammar School
Abbots Bromley School
CATS College Cambridge
Giggleswick Junior School
Lucton School
Abbey College Manchester
Abbotsholme School
Abingdon School
Caterham School
CATS College Canterbury CATS College London
Fyling Hall School Trust LTD Giggleswick School
Luckley House School Ludgrove School
Glenalmond College
LVS Ascot
Godstowe Preparatory School
Malvern College
Godolphin School
Maidwell Hall School
Ackworth School
Chafyn Grove School
Adams' Grammar School
Chase Grammar School
Gordon's School
Chelsea Independent College
Gosfield School
Marlborough College
Great Walstead School
Marymount International School
ACS Cobham International School Al Jamiatul Islamiyyah
Albyn School
Charterhouse School Cheam School
Aldenham School
Cheltenham College
Aldwickbury School
Chetham's School of Music
Aldro School
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Gordonstoun School Great Ballard School
Gresham's School (incl Prep)
Christ Church Cathedral School
Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls
Ardingly College
Christ's Hospital School
Hampshire Collegiate School
Ashby School
Claremont School
Hanford School
Ashfold School
Clayesmore School
Harrow School
Ashville College
Clifton College Preparatory School
Hazlegrove Preparatory School
All Hallows School
Ampleforth College
Appleford School Ardvreck School
Ashdown House School Ashford School
Chigwell School
Christ College Brecon
City of London Freemen's School Clayesmore Preparatory School Clifton College
Ashwicke Hall School
Cobham Hall School
Aysgarth School
Concord College
Barnard Castle School
Cotswold Chine School
Bath Academy
Cranbrook School
Beachborough School
Cranleigh School
Atlantic College
Badminton School
Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School
Battle Abbey School Bedales School
Bede's Preparatory School
Bede's Senior School Bedford School
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Cothill House
Cottesmore School
Cranleigh Preparatory School Culford School
Cumnor House School Cundall Manor School Dallam School
Bedstone College
Dauntsey's School
Beechwood Park School
Dean Close Preparatory School
Beechen Cliff School
Beechwood Sacred Heart School Beeston Hall School
Belhaven Hill School
Bellerbys College Cambridge
Bellerbys College Brighton
Bellerbys College London
Belmont Preparatory School
Benenden School
De Aston School
Dean Close School
Dean Close St John's Denstone College
DLD College London Dollar Academy
Dorset House School Dover College
d'Overbroeck's College
Berkhamsted School
Downe House School
Bilton Grange School
Dragon School
Bethany School
Bishop's Stortford College
Downside School Dulwich College
Bishopstrow College
Dulwich Preparatory School, Cranbrook
Blundell's School
Durand Academy
Bloxham School
Dulwich Preparatory School, London
Bootham School
Durham School
Boundary Oak School
Eastbourne College
Box Hill School
Edgeborough School
Bosworth Independent College Bournemouth Collegiate School Bradfield College
Brambletye School Bredon School
Brentwood School Brighton College
Brockhurst And Marlston House Schools
Eagle House School Edge Grove School
EF Academy Torbay Ellesmere College
Elmhurst Ballet School Elstree School
Epsom College
Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools (ESMS)
Brockwood Park School
Eton College
Brookes Cambridge
Farleigh School
Bruton School for Girls
Farringtons School
Bromsgrove School
Bruern Abbey School Bryanston School
Brymore Academy Burford School
Exeter Cathedral School
Farlington School
Felsted School (incl Prep) Feltonfleet School
Fettes College (incl Prep)
Caldicott School
Foremarke Hall, Repton Preparatory School
Cambridge Tutors College
Framlingham College Preparatory School
Burgess Hill Girls
Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies Campbell College Canford School
Forres Sandle Manor School Frensham Heights School Frewen College
Haileybury
Handcross Park School
Harrogate Ladies' College Hatherop Castle School Headington School
Heath Mount School Heathfield School
Hethersett Old Hall School Highfield School
Hockerill Anglo-European College Holmewood House School
Malvern St James Mark College
Marlborough House School Mayfield School
Merchiston Castle School
Mill Hill School & The Mount, Mill Hill International
Millfield Preparatory School Millfield School
Milton Abbey School Moffats School
Moira House Girls School
Monkton Combe Preparatory School Monkton Combe Senior School Monmouth School
Moor Park Charitable Trust LTD Moorland School
More House School
Moreton Hall Prep School Moreton Hall School
Moulsford Preparatory School
Holmwood House School
Mount Kelly School
Horris Hill School
Mowden Hall School
Holyport College
Hurstpierpoint College
Hurtwood House School Ipswich School
Jamea Al Kauthar & Abrar Academy Junior King's School
Kent College Nursery, Infant and Junior School Kent College Pembury
Kent College, Canterbury Keswick School
Kilgraston School
Kimbolton School
King Edward's School, Witley King William's College Kingham Hill School
Kings Bournemouth
King's College Saint Michael's King's College School
King's College, Taunton King's Hall School
King's School, Bruton King's School, Ely
King's School, Rochester Kingsley School
Kingswood Preparatory School Kingswood School
Kirkham Grammar School Kitebrook House
Knighton House School Lambrook School
Lancaster Royal Grammar School
Lancing College
Langley School
Lathallan School
Leighton Park School Leweston School
Leweston School Junior Department Lime House School
Lincoln Minster School Liverpool College
Liverpool College International Llandovery College
Lockers Park School Lomond School
Longridge Towers School
Lord Wandsworth College Loretto School
Mount St Mary's College Moyles Court School New Hall School
Northbourne Park School Northease Manor School Oakham School
Ockbrook School
Old Buckenham Hall School Old Swinford Hospital Orwell Park School Oswestry School Oundle School
Packwood Haugh School Padworth College
Pangbourne College Papplewick School Perrott Hill School Pinewood School
Plymouth College
Pocklington School Polam Hall School Port Regis School
Prestfelde School
Princess Helena College Prior Park College
Prior Park Preparatory School Prior's Field School
QE Academy Trust (Queen Elizabeth's) Queen Anne's School
Queen Ethelburga's College Queen Margaret's School Queen Mary's School
Queen Victoria School
Queen's College Junior School Queen's College, Taunton Queenswood School Radley College
Ratcliffe College Reading School
Reddam House Bearwood Reed's School
Rendcomb College Repton School
Riddlesworth Hall Preparatory School
Rikkyo School in England Ripon Grammar School
Rishworth School
Stonyhurst College
Westbourne House School
Rockport School
Stover School
Westminster Cathedral Choir School
Rochester Independent College Roedean School
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall
Strathallan School
Rookwood School
Summer Fields School
Royal Alexandra & Albert School
Sutton Valence School (incl Prep)
Rossall School
Royal Russell School Rugby School
Ruthin School
Rydal Penrhos School
Ryde School with Upper Chine Rye St Antony School Saint Felix School
Saint Ronan's School
Salisbury Cathedral School
Sandroyd School
Scarborough College Seaford College
Sedbergh School
Sevenoaks School Sexey's School
Shaftesbury School
Shebbear College
Sherborne Girls
Sherborne International
Sherborne Preparatory School
Sherborne School Sherfield School
Shiplake College
Shrewsbury School Sibford School Sidcot School
Sir Roger Manwood's School Slindon College
St Andrew's Preparatory School, Eastbourne
Sunningdale School
Swanbourne House School Talbot Heath School
TASIS, The American school in England Taunton Preparatory School Taunton School
Taverham Hall Preparatory School Teikyo Foundation Terra Nova School
Terrington Hall School Tettenhall College
The Chorister School
The Downs Malvern College Preparatory School The Duke of York's Royal Military Academy The Elms
The Five Islands School The Godolphin School
The Hammond School
The Harefield Academy
The King's School, Canterbury The Leys School
The Montessori Place, Hove The Mount School
The New Beacon School
The New Eccles Hall School
The Oratory Preparatory School The Oratory School The Park School
The Pilgrims' School
St Andrew's School, Pangbourne
The Prebendal School
St Christopher School
The Purcell School
St Catherine's, Bramley
St Clare's, Oxford
St David's College, Llandudno
St Edmund’s School Surrey
St Edmund's College Hertfordshire
St Edmund's School Canterbury St Edward's School
St Francis' College
St George's School, Ascot
St George's School, Harpenden Academy Trust St George's School, Windsor
St Hugh's School, Lincolnshire St Hugh's School, Oxfordshire
St John’s College School, Cambridge
St John’s College, Southsea St John's Beaumont
St John's International School
St John's School, Leatherhead St Joseph's College
St Lawrence College (incl Prep)
St Leonards School, Fife
St Margaret's School, Bushey
St Martin's Ampleforth
St Mary's Calne
St Mary's School, Ascot
St Mary's School, Cambridge
St Mary's School, Shaftesbury St Paul's School
The Priory Academy LSST The Read School
The Royal Ballet School
The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
The Royal High School, Bath
The Royal School Haslemere
The Royal School Wolverhampton The Skegness Grammar School
The Thomas Adams School Shropshire The Wellington Academy
The Yehudi Menuhin School Thornton College
Tockington Manor School Tonbridge School Trent College
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts
Winchester House School Windermere School
Windlesham House School Wishmore Cross Academy Witham Hall School
Woldingham School Woodbridge School
Woodcote House School
Woodhouse Grove School Worksop College Worth School
Wrekin College
Wychwood School
Wycliffe College (incl Prep) Wycombe Abbey
Wymondham College
EUROPE
Aiglon College, Switzerland
BBIS Berlin Brandenburg International School, Germany Brillantmont International School, Switzerland
Cabella International Shaja School, Italy Château de Sauveterre, France
College Alpin Beau Soleil, Switzerland College Champittet, Switzerland
College du Leman International School, Switzerland École des Roches, France
Glenstal Abbey School, Ireland
Institut Montana Zugerberg, Switzerland International School Eerde, Netherlands John F Kennedy International School, Switzerland La Garenne, Switzerland
Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, Switzerland Midleton College, Ireland
Open Gate Boarding School, Czech Republic Robert College, Turkey
Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket, Sweden St Columba's College, Ireland
St George's International School, Germany
St George's International School, Switzerland
Trinity School
St Gilgen International School GmbH, Austria
Truro School
The Kings Hospital, Ireland
Truro High School for Girls Tudor Hall School Twyford School
Uppingham School
Victoria College Belfast
Vinehall School
Warminster School
Welbeck - Defence Sixth Form College
Stamford High School
Wellesley House School
Stamford School
Wellington School
Stoke College
West Buckland School
Stonar School
Winchester College
Leysin American School, Switzerland
The Royal School Dungannon
Warwick School
Steyning Grammar School
Whitgift School
The Royal School Armagh
The Royal Masonic School for Girls
St Swithun's School
Stamford Junior School
Westonbirt School
The Royal Hospital School
Walhampton School
St Teresa's School
Westminster School, Westminster
King's College, The British School of Madrid, Spain
St Peter's School
St Peter's School, York (incl St Olave's)
Westminster Abbey Choir School
Wellington College
Wells Cathedral School West Hill Park School
Surval Montreux, Switzerland
REST OF THE WORLD
Avi-Cenna International School, Nigeria British International School, Thailand
Bromsgrove International School, Thailand Day Waterman College, Nigeria Dulwich College Suzhou, China Epsom College in Malaysia Frensham, Australia
GEMS Cambridge International School , Kenya Hangzhou Greentown Yuhua School , China
Harrow International School Bangkok, Thailand Hilton College, South Africa
Jerudong International School, Brunei Kincoppal-Rose Bay, Australia Kolej Tuanku Ja'afar, Malaysia Michaelhouse, South Africa
Miles Bronson Residential School, India Nexus International School, Malaysia
North London Collegiate School, Jeju, Korea
Prem Tinsulanonda International School, Thailand Pymble Ladies' College, Australia
Regents International School Pattaya, Thailand St George's College, Argentina
St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Australia The Doon School, India
The International School of Penang (Uplands), Malaysia
The International School, Bangalore
The Regent Secondary School, Nigeria The Regent's School, Thailand
Trinity Grammar School, Australia
United World College of South East Asia, Singapore Wellington College International Tianjin, China Woodstock School, India
A warm welcome The following schools have joined the BsA this term. we would like to extend a warm welcome to: Brockwood Park school, hampshire Cabella international shaja school, italy Claremont school, East sussex in addition, the Boarding Orchard continues to expand in the uK and overseas. we would like to thank the following schools for taking part since April: Monkton Combe worksop College Cambridge Centre for sixth form studies for more information on how to join the Boarding Orchard, please visit our website boarding.org.uk or email bsa@boarding.org.uk
hAPPY PLAnTing!