Leading a boarding team
🏷️ From £175
🎧 All boarding staff
📍 Online
Course outline:
Leading in Boarding: Skills for Aspiring and New Boarding Leaders
Building confident, reflective, and effective leadership for the boarding community.
This virtual day seminar is designed for those aspiring to, or recently appointed in, leadership roles within boarding. Whether you’re a new Houseparent, Head of Boarding, Deputy Head (Pastoral), or overseeing a boarding team, this training will help you reflect on your personal leadership style and build the skills needed to lead with confidence and clarity.
While classroom leadership often takes the spotlight, pastoral leadership requires a unique and wide-ranging skill set—often subtle but profoundly impactful. Strong leadership in boarding cultivates effective teams, enhances boarders’ wellbeing, and shapes the overall tone and culture of the boarding community.
This interactive session offers opportunities to share experiences and challenges with fellow practitioners and benefit from peer support and expert guidance.
Training topics will include:
- Leadership Styles
Exploring the demands of leadership and identifying various recognised leadership approaches - Building an Effective Team
Communication, collaboration, shared vision, and appreciating individual strengths within the team - Effective Leadership in Practice
Time management, resource deployment, prioritising pupil outcomes, and managing competing demands - Putting Leadership into Action
Embedding learning into day-to-day practice through self-reflection, feedback, and ongoing development
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the session, participants will:
- Gain a deeper understanding of different leadership styles and how to apply them in a boarding context
- Learn strategies for building and sustaining a high-performing, cohesive boarding team
- Enhance their ability to manage time and resources with a focus on student wellbeing and outcomes
- Develop their skills as reflective practitioners, capable of leading with empathy, clarity, and impact
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.
David Walker FTIOB, Executive Director, Boarding and Director, BSA/TIOB
David Walker has over 20 years’ experience in boarding education, having worked in a variety of schools across the UK and Africa. His career includes leadership roles in both senior and prep school settings, complemented by service as a prep school governor and trustee of a multi-academy trust. Before joining the BSA, David was Deputy Head Pastoral at a large co-educational independent school in the South-East, where he oversaw student welfare and pastoral care. His extensive background in safeguarding, boarding leadership, and governance gives him a broad perspective on the sector, enabling him to support schools in delivering outstanding pastoral provision.
