BSA virtual one day conference – Boarding Future Project

• Date: March 20, 2023
• Time: 09:30 – 16:30
• Cost: Full Member – £195, Additional Member – £100, Affiliate Member – £295, Additional Affiliate Member – £130, Non-member – £390, Full Member Whole School Rate – £450,
• Audience: Heads, Bursars and Governors
• Platform: Zoom (online)

Course outline

This conference will address political, economic and social trends and challenges that the boarding sector should be looking to face head on. Bringing together a range of sector experts and leading voices, delegates will have the opportunity to reflect on essential themes with the aim of being less reactionary and better prepared for what the future has in store for boarding. The boarding sector can develop and improve with the view to strengthen as well as safeguarding its future if due consideration is given to current and arising issues.

Conference topics include:

• Politics
• Compliance
• Finance
• Marketing
• Mental health and staff wellbeing

Programme:

09:30 – 10:30

Welcome

Political session

Global politics impacts on the day-to-day running of our boarding schools, and the sector continues to make headlines through its potential political campaign weight. Our panel of experts will consider the latest and most significant political themes for boarding schools and encourage delegates to face these head on in planning, strategy and risk mitigation.

10:30 – 10:45

Break

10:45 – 11:45

Compliance session

It remains essential for our schools to not only be compliant, but to strive for excellence and best practice in key areas relating to the delivery of care for young people, and the wider school  community. This session will highlight and consider important changes to compliance and process to support delegates in their journey beyond compliance and to excellence.

11:45 – 12:00

Break

12:00 – 13:00

Finance session

At a time where finances and the cost of living for all is at the fore of people’s minds, is it time to consider a new way of thinking about finances and revenue streams? Where increasing sales and revenue looks to be increasingly challenging, are there ways in which the cost of boarding can be successfully and sustainably reduced? Our panel will consider this and other potential income streams for members.

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 15:00

Marketing session

Our prospective boarding families are currently faced with reviewing financial priorities. This is therefore a crucial time to consider the marketing efforts and processes of your school. Are you maximising current efforts, and have you considered new and cost-effective ways to reach prospective students? This session will make recommendations for members to consider utilising in their settings.

15:00 – 15:30

Break

15:30 – 16:30

Mental health and staff wellbeing

Arguably the most important resource for a boarding school, healthy staff are hugely valuable and a tremendous asset. Living and working in boarding can often combine personal and professional pressures, so considering new initiatives or schemes that promote and support staff wellbeing and focus on investing in good mental health practices for staff, who in turn can lead by example.

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Speakers include:

Simon Nathan, Head of Policy, ISC

Simon leads the policy and public affairs team, managing ISC’s relationships with Ministers, civil servants and MPs on behalf of member schools. Since taking post in January 2019, Simon has led ISC’s work on promoting the value of independent schools within political debate, the response to Labour proposals for abolishing the sector at the last election, and co-ordinating work on Covid.  Prior to joining ISC Simon worked for trade bodies in construction and the education policy team at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). He has a degree in economics and politics from Cambridge University.

Matthew Dent, Public Affairs and Policy Officer, ISC

Matthew is ISC’s Public Affairs and Policy Officer – leading engagement with politicians and policy formers in Westminster, as well as supporting the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Independent Education. Alongside Westminster public affairs, Matthew acts as resource for the whole sector, providing guides and support for schools engaging their local politicians. Matthew joined ISC in late 2018, and has supported their work through the ‘Abolish Private Schools’ campaign, the 2019 General Election, the response to COVID-19, and the present Labour policy on VAT and charitable tax changes. Prior to joining ISC he worked in Parliament as a research assistant for an MP from the South West – gaining insights he uses daily supporting schools to influence their own MPs.

Kate Hollyer, Legal Director of BSA Group and Director of BSA Legal Services Ltd

Kate is Legal Director of BSA Group and Director of BSA Legal Services Ltd. As a qualified solicitor with more than 10 years’ experience advising clients on UK immigration law, Kate assists members with all immigration and safeguarding legal matters. Prior to joining BSA in 2022 Kate was Partner and Head of Department at a leading full-service UK law firm. Having resided in state, preparatory and senior school boarding houses since 2014 with her Housemaster husband, Kate has a unique perspective of boarding life.

Dale Wilkins, Senior Director, BSA Group

Dale joined the BSA during Summer 2017 with responsibility for safeguarding and standards. In July 2019 he also assumed responsibility for the BSA’s accredited training programme. Dale leads on all safeguarding and inspection matters for the BSA, including managing the Commitment to Care Charter, the Annual Safeguarding conference, and the Safeguarding Forum. He has also developed a process of BSA Accreditation for our overseas members.

For 31 years Dale was a boarding practitioner. After boarding positions at Norwich School and Tettenhall College, Dale became a Housemaster at Old Swinford Hospital in 1992, and was promoted to Deputy Head in 2007, and subsequently also DSL. He has also been a multi-agency trainer for the Dudley Safeguarding Children’s Board and has been closely involved in inspection in state and independent boarding since 2002. Dale had previously been a BSA course tutor since 1998 and developed the BSA Self-Assessment Toolkit.

John Murphie, COO, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association

John has been with ISBA since February 2017.  He is responsible for the head office internal organisation and functions and he is the main point of contact for advice and guidance to schools. John spent 31 years in the Royal Navy, retiring in 2007.  Since then, he has worked as the Chapter Clerk in Portsmouth Cathedral, managed a Barristers’ Chambers in London and been Bursar in two schools before joining ISBA.

Daniel Cohen, Head of Business Development, MTM Consulting

Paula Cawley is Deputy Head Pastoral and Mental Health Lead at St Teresa’s School in Effingham, a day and boarding school for girls. She has also worked in state and private, day and boarding schools for boys and mixed pupils. She is passionate about mental health and pastoral care and knows that without excellent support for the wellbeing of staff in schools, they will be unable to provide the care and support that pupils need and deserve. Just as we need to put our own oxygen masks on to help children on a plane, so staff must feel cherished and supported in order to do their jobs effectively in schools.