Irish boarding conference
🏷️ From £110
🎧 Heads, Deputies, Bursars, all boarding staff, EAL staff, Admissions and Marketing.
📍 Villiers School, North Circular Road, Limerick, V94 F983, Ireland
The Irish Boarding Conference returns for 2026, bringing together boarding professionals from across Ireland to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping modern boarding.
Hosted by Villiers School, this year’s conference focuses on creating exceptional boarding communities that are safe, inclusive, sustainable and future-ready. Through expert-led discussions, practical case studies and valuable networking opportunities, delegates will examine how boarding continues to evolve in response to changing pupil needs, family expectations and the wider educational landscape.
Whether you lead a boarding school, manage a boarding house or support pupils every day, you’ll leave with fresh ideas, practical strategies and renewed connections with colleagues facing many of the same opportunities and challenges.
Open to members and non-members, the conference provides an excellent opportunity to share best practice, celebrate innovation and strengthen boarding provision across Ireland.
Early booking is recommended.
Programme:
09:30 – 10:00 Registration, refreshments and networking
10:00 – 10.10 Welcome and opening Remarks
Jill Storey
An introduction to the day’s themes, current developments in Irish boarding, and opportunities for collaboration across the sector.
10.10 – 11:00 Inclusion
Susan Pena
11:00 – 12:00 AI, Digital Life and Healthy Boundaries
Round-table discussion on hot topics.
12.15 – 13.00 Lunch, networking and boarding tour
13.00 – 13:45 Safeguarding update: Emerging risks and best practice
Dale Wilkins, Executive Director, BSA Group Scotland/Wales and Accredited/Compliance
Safeguarding remains at the centre of outstanding boarding provision. This session highlights current developments, emerging themes and practical strategies to strengthen safeguarding culture, ensuring schools remain confident and prepared for the year ahead.
13:45 – 14:30 Findings from Irish Boarding Survey
Gaelle Sullivan, Director of Research, Inclusion and IELA
14.30 – 15.00 Refreshments and networking
15:00 – 16.00 Supporting international boarders
Mark Mortimer
16:00 Conference ends
Speakers:
Gaelle Sullivan, Director of Research, Inclusion and IELA
Gaelle is Director of Research, Inclusion and IELA and joined the BSA in January 2023. She is an experienced senior leader and has worked in a range of state and independent schools. She is a qualified SENCO and holds a Masters Degree in Inclusive Education. Prior to joining the BSA, Gaelle was Deputy Head Pastoral, DSL and Head of Boarding at an all-girls independent school in the South-East.
Dale Wilkins, FTIOB, Executive Director, Scotland/Wales and Accredited/Compliance
Dale joined the BSA in 2017 to lead safeguarding, inspection, and compliance across the UK, building on his experience as a course tutor since 1998. He works closely with ISI, Ofsted, and the DfE, while also overseeing the Group’s work in Scotland and Wales. A trainer and consultant for BSA and SACPA, he is Vice Chair of SAFCAB. Dale previously spent 31 years as a boarding practitioner, including roles as Housemaster and Deputy Head at Old Swinford Hospital. Beyond education, he trains for the Methodist Church, is a charity trustee, chairs a performing arts organisation, and volunteers widely.
Mark Mortimer
Mark spent eight years as an infantry officer in the British Army, was briefly a management consultant, and then spent 25 years working in boarding schools; he was the Head of three BSA and HMC schools in both England and Scotland and was also the HMC Representative to the CCF Association and to the Armed Forces. He spent ten years on the HMC Professional Development Committee, was an ISI inspector, and a board member of the Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS). He has twice rowed across the Atlantic, completed the Marathon des Sables and cycled through the Arctic Circle.
Jill Storey, Head of School at Villiers School.
Jill holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Jill has also achieved a Higher Diploma in Secondary Education and Teaching from University College Dublin, a Graduate Diploma in Additional Educational Needs (AEN) from the Church of Ireland College of Education, a Graduate Diploma in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Limerick, and in 2024 qualified in Coaching Practice & Ethics (Specialising in Educational Leadership Coaching).
Jill taught English and led the Additional Educational Needs (AEN) department at Villiers School for more than eleven years, before being appointed Head of School in 2011. Under Jill’s leadership, in 2017, Villiers was the second school in Ireland to be authorised as an IB World School. Jill leads the DEI Working Group in Villiers School, and her passion for equity and inclusion consistently inspires the entire school community.
Susan Peña, Admissions, Marketing & Communications Manager at Villiers School.
Susan is an Alumna of Villiers School and holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the National University of Ireland, Galway, as well as an International Diploma from Shannon College of Hotel Management. Susan’s background is in Hotel Management, with 12 years of experience in hotels and resorts in both Europe and the United States.
Susan returned to Ireland with her family in 2018 and joined the team at Villiers School. Susan is a DEI Lead at Villiers and has a particular passion for people, relationships, and celebrating diversity.
In 2020, Susan achieved a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Limerick, with a research focus on Marketing and Communications, and most recently, in 2023, achieved a Graduate Diploma in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Limerick.
Susan is currently a member of the Diversity & Inclusion in Education Network (DIEN) in Ireland and is a mentor in DEI for Network Ireland.
