Boarding Skills Award
Boarding Skills Award Scheme
What is the Boarding Skills Award Scheme?
Recently economist and government advisor Will Hutton endorsed the creation of a Boarding Award to evidence the soft skills learnt by boarders in boarding communities, that employers will use as a currency for employability alongside academic results, in an ever more competitive market. The Awards have been produced with ASDAN, to create a flexible and attainable award to reflect the skills and experiences generated from being a boarder in a British Boarding School. The Award is designed at four levels - Basic, Standard, Advanced and Higher, to meet the needs of learners from E3 to Level 3.
The Boarding Skills Award is designed to be run in boarding schools with a group of boarders over several terms and has been created on the basis of a programme of activities/tasks/events.
How will it work?
The Award will fit a variety of Boarding environments and boarding communities and can be facilitated by houseparents, tutors, teachers, or matrons. Students will start at the appropriate level for their age/ability and complete a portfolio of tasks/evidence. Activities may be group or individual in nature and need a varying amount of facilitating/leading by house staff. Assessment will be ‘in house’ and standardisation events will be run by ASDAN & SBSA/BSA.
What Boarding Skills?
The skills supported by the Award are:-
Living in a multi cultural community
Diversity
Understanding different cultures
Working in groups
Understanding personal space and boundaries of others
Rapport and relationship management
Mentoring
Community voice
Role modelling
Nutrition
Positiveness
Asking for help
Hygiene Management
Managing Friendships
Valuing others
Dealing with change/challenging situations
Manage emotions and stress
Empathy and emotional intelligence
Work-life balance
Listening skills
Leadership
Take criticism
Reflective Practice
Developing arguments
Planning
Punctuality
Manage work and deadlines
Critical thinking
Negotiation and compromise
Financial awareness and budgeting
Entrepreneurship/altruism
Bid writing
Hold conversations/debate/discussions
Set own targets
Adaptability
Work on own initiative
Advocacy and brokering
Problem solving
Local and global awareness
Household skills
Verbal and non verbal communication
Give presentations
The Learning Model
What do students have to do?
Boarders will start at the level appropriate to their age/ability and, working through a comprehensive workbook. They will produce evidence of achievement in the various skill areas and reflect on their achievement in a personal statement.
What will students achieve?
Boarders will be able to record achievement in a number of key areas relating to their personal development and identify skills and activities which they will have completed as part of the Award.
The Scheme will support the induction of new boarders, assist with the development and sense of community in a boarding house, enable the development of responsibility and initiative as well as integration in the boarding environment. The model opposite shows the key elements of such achievement.
How does the Scheme work?
Students are issued with the supporting documents including the award framework, module requirements and guidance on how they can meet the challenges inherent in the award as well as evidence production. House staff will have access to a Tutor Guide and support materials from ASDAN and support from the Boarding Skills Award Scheme coordinator – Lee Smith.
Whilst schools can make use of the scheme simply by registering their intention with BSA/SBSA and purchasing copies of the student folders, the learning materials and tutor guides, schools will need to be registered with ASDAN if they wish their boarders to be awarded a Certificate on completion.
Boarding Skills Award Scheme - Induction Workshop - 30 January 2012
How to get your school involved
If you are interested in using the Boarding Award scheme with your boarders, and wish to get involved with the Scheme, please contact Lee Smith for more info. If you wish to attend the Workshop in London on 30 January then please register your interest by the 25 January 2012 with the Director of Training at training@boarding.org.uk.
For more information please contact
To Attend Workshop on 30 January 2012:
Alex Thomson OBE, Director of Training, Boarding Schools’ Association
Grosvenor Gardens House, 35-37 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0BS
Tel: 020 7798 1580, Fax: 020 7798 1581, email: training@boarding.org.uk
For More Information:
Lee Smith, Deputy Head of Boarding, Queen Elizabeth's Community College
St. Martin's, Alexandra Road, Crediton, Devon, EX17 2DX
Tel/Fax - 01363 775264, Email: boarding@queenelizabeths.devon.sch.uk
Make sure that you attend the free workshop on 30 January 2012 in London to allow your school to undertake these Awards during 2012. E-mail training@boarding.org.uk or pa@boarding.org.uk with your name and job title to attend the free workshop.
Closing date: 25 January 2012
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