Creating a great boarding experience

• Date: April 23, 2024
• Time: 07:00 – 09:00 BST UK
  • 0600 – 0800 GMT/ UTC
  • 0800 – 1000 CEST
  • 1300 – 1400 Bangkok
  • 1400 – 1600 Malaysia, HK, China
• Cost: BSA Full Member – £110, BSA Affiliate Member – £165, Non-member – £220
• Audience: 
• Platform: Zoom (online) – Half-Day Seminar

Course outline

Boarding schools across the world offer a wonderful educational experience. This course looks at the boarding experience through the eyes of the boarders themselves, helping schools reflect on what they can do to maximise the impact of what they do. We will focus on key times in the day such as evenings and weekends, and the major touchpoints in the year, such as induction to help schools produce an action plan to produce the best boarding experience.

Training topics will include:

Creating a great boarding experience:

• What makes a great induction process – winning over your boarders from before day 1.
• Evenings in boarding – balancing academics with other personal development activities.
• Weekends in boarding – building a great weekend programme for boarders.
• Getting the basics right – food, exercise, sleep…and wi-fi.

Learning outcomes:

• Be able to audit the boarding programme at your school against best practice around the world.
• Get ideas for additions to your boarding programme to make it more attractive to current and future boarders.
• Reflect on your weekend and evening provision to ensure it meets the needs of boarders.

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Dale Wilkins, Senior Director, BSA and BSA Group

Dale joined the BSA during Summer 2017 with responsibility for safeguarding and standards, having previously been a course tutor since 1998. In July 2019 he also assumed responsibility for the BSA’s training programme, including both day seminars and accredited training courses. Dale leads on all safeguarding and inspection matters for the BSA, including managing the Commitment to Care Charter and has also developed a process of BSA Accreditation for our international members. He also liaises with ISI, Ofsted and DfE on matters relating to compliance and inspection standards, and compiles the BSA Self-Assessment toolkit, which he first produced in 2002, since which time he has been closely involved in inspection in state and independent boarding.

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.

David Walker, Director, BSA

David is the BSA Director and joined the BSA group in August 2023. He has over 20 years’ experience in boarding schools and has worked in a range of schools in the UK and Africa, alongside being a prep school governor and a trustee of a MAT. Before taking up his post at the BSA, David was Deputy Head Pastoral at a large co-ed independent school in the South-East.

Gaelle Sullivan, Director Research and Inclusion, Director TIOB

Gaelle is Head of Research Services and Inclusion 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.