The BSA now offers an accredited programme for service and ex-service personnel seeking a meaningful new career supporting young people through life-changing boarding education.
Following successful screening, applicants receive:
- Introductory online courses on boarding and safeguarding in schools
- Online training (available on November 27, 2025 or January 30, 2026) on boarding schools, roles, and responsibilities
- Visit to a BSA member school to observe and ask questions
- Guidance and support on creating a CV for boarding roles, including a webinar and one-to-one meeting with a senior boarding expert
- Enrolment as an Associate (ATIOB) member of The Institute of Boarding
- Profile shared with BSA member schools.
Enrolment costs £750. An Individual Resettlement Training Costs (IRTC) grant of up to £534 may be available to those who have served within the last two years and completed six years of full-time service (or less if medically discharged or made redundant). Please speak to your resettlement officer to find out more.
ASPIRE ambassadors
Rugby School has been confirmed as an ASPIRE ambassador, and will be supporting the programme by hosting participants for 1-2 day familiarisation visits. If you are interested in becoming an ambassador school, please contact bsa@boarding.org.uk.
About boarding
BSA represents more than 440 boarding schools and 70,000 boarding students in the UK, spanning both the independent and state school sector. Modern boarding is diverse, with international students making up 1 in 3 boarders and 1 in 5 boarding flexibly. It is also popular with military families, with the government subsidising up to 90% of fees through a continuity of education allowance (CEA). The BSA publishes a Service Parents’ Guide to boarding biannually with more information about the sector and schools.
Case study: Gareth Pearson
Gareth currently serves as Head of Christ College Brecon and will take up the role of Head at Blundell’s School in September 2026. His leadership journey reflects a strong sense of purpose and commitment – qualities deeply rooted in his earlier career in the Royal Marines, where he reached the rank of captain.
After leaving the Marines, Gareth transitioned into education, initially teaching mathematics. The move into boarding came naturally. “I was immediately drawn to boarding life,” he reflects, “perhaps because the role reminded me of the all-consuming service life that I had left. It was a move I have never regretted.”
Gareth believes that ex-service personnel are particularly well-suited to working in boarding schools. “There’s an ability to ‘live the job,’ a readiness to take personal responsibility, and an understanding of the importance of personal standards, especially when living and working closely with others,” he explains. These values form the backbone of strong pastoral care and effective leadership in a close-knit school community.
What has surprised him most about working in boarding is the profound impact that staff have. “The positive impact you can have on those in your care is incredibly rewarding,” he says.
For other service leavers considering a similar path, Gareth offers clear advice: “It is an excellent fit for that feeling of togetherness you experience in military life. Your experience from the military is VERY relevant to life in boarding. If you think this might be for you, back yourself and apply!”
“Boarding schools can be a very attractive second career for service personnel, from working in boarding houses to helping with sport, the Duke of Edinburgh Award or cadets, or indeed other roles.”
Dale Wilkins FTIOB, Executive Director for Accredited Training, BSA Group“Supporting ex-service personnel into boarding roles is a win-win. Students will benefit enormously from the resilience and life experience of participants, who will in turn embark upon a fulfilling career mentoring and nurturing young people.”
Alex Foreman, Principal, Duke of York Royal Military School“I have long believed that many of the qualities valued in the military are just as important and relevant in a boarding environment, for example, optimism, resilience, initiative, perseverance and flexibility.”
Mark Mortimer, Director for Defence and Military Services, BSA Group
