bsa bulletin issue 51 :bulletin 16pp a4 - the boarding

BULLETINTHE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION ISSUE 51 – JUNE 09

IN THIS ISSUE: 01 1000 UP! | 02 Heady Stuff | 04 Tiers at bed�me | 05 Metropolis announces the Interna�onal Boarders of the Year for 2009 | 05 More inspectors calling | 06 Becoming a world expert on your students 08 Depu�es’ conference | 08 Useful sites? | 08 Calendar 2011 | 09 Another Successful Easter Residen�al Course 09 Calling All School Mentors! | 10 Do you need an agent? | 11 There’s nothing more prac�cal than a good theory12 Building Be�er Boarding | 13 Heads on the move | 13 Not so secret agents | 14 The Chairman’s Year 16 Cap�on Compe��on results | 16 Conferences 2010

BEST SINCE 2002At a time when the papers arefull of doom and credit-crunchgloom, this was great news. It isall too possible that for boardingschools the real crunch will beginin the next academic year, sowho knows what numbers wewill see then. But for now,schools should be celebrating thebiggest clear rise in boardingnumbers since 2002.

INTERNATIONAL IMPACTThe census shows us thenumbers; accounting for them iswell educated speculation. Forinstance, the number of non-British pupils whose parents liveoverseas is also up from 20,545 in2008 to 21,533 in 2009. It’s notrocket science to presume thesepupils are likely to be boarders –and there is your extra 1000.

This year, the ISC census tells usthat 47.17% of the total non-British students with parentsoverseas come from Hong Kong,China and German combined.10.10% of the total overseasstudents come from Germany.

In 2009 alone, 56 independentschools added the IB to theircurriculum. Of the schools

offering IB, 77% have pupils fromGermany and France. Of theschools which do not, just 22%have pupils from those countries.

Possibly the combination of thestrength of the Euro againstSterling, cheap flights and theoffer of a well-regardedinternational qualification ishaving a hugely positive impactupon boarding numbers.

SIXTH SENSEOf the 68,131 boarders inindependent schools this year, nofewer than 27,407 are in sixthforms. That’s up from, forinstance, 2004, when there were25,383 sixth form boarders. Thissuggests several things: moreparents are happy to see a sixthformer go off to boarding school;more sixth formers than 11 yearolds are happy to go; the expenseof boarding at sixth form is just atwo year hit; boarding provisionat sixth form may be moreattractive in order to appeal tothis fairly constant market.

SPEND, SPEND, SPENDIn 2008, independent schoolsspent £100m on new orrefurbished boardingaccommodation. In 2009, that

figure was down to £98.5, butthis is still substantial spending.The growing popularity of singlestudy bedrooms with en suitefacilities for sixth formers iscertainly raising the game andincreasing pressure for what hasbeen termed a spending ‘armsrace’. But many schools will seea major difference betweenimproving their facilities withtheatres and Music Blocks andall-weather pitches, andimproving the living quarters ofa key element in theirpopulation. This is surelymoney well invested.

REAL CHANGEThe introduction of IB is a wholenew dimension in thecompetitive business ofattracting good students intoboarding. Building orrefurbishing is one thing; butchange the curriculum? That issomething else, and not a cheap

option in itself, with training infar-flung places like Athens andRio. There has been considerablepress argument about the meritsof IB versus A level. Whichsystem is better for anyindividual child is probably a verypersonal decision. The fact thatBritish independent educationnow offers more avenues forstudents to find the right coursesfor them is an important strengthin our market.

Let us hope that what appears tobe a swing towards IB, which maywell be helping to keep boardingnumbers strong, does not includea compulsion to denigrate Alevels in public and in the press.It cannot help any boardingschool in pursuit of good studentsto have the rest of the worldconvinced that the standardnational qualification is rubbish.

Hilary MoriartyNational Director

1000 UP!Or, to be exact, 1,085 up. Boarders in independent

schools are up by 1,085 to 68,131 in 2009, from last

year’s total of 67,046, as declared in the ISC Census

figures for 2009, published in April.

Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi inspires Heads at the conference

BSA BULLETIN issue 51 :BULLETIN 16pp A4 5/6/09 16:43

02THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATIONwww.boarding.org.uk

The population may havefluctuated during the threedays of the BSA AnnualConference for Headteachersin the Oxford Belfry Hotel,Thame, Oxfordshire – morethan 200 delegates and guestsenjoyed dinner on theWednesday night – but there isno doubt that anyone who wasthere, even if only briefly,thoroughly enjoyed a hugelysuccessful and happyconference.News the week before of therise in boarding numbers wascertainly a fillip. But thesunshine and the WymondhamCollege Jazz Band playing inthe open air quad also helpedset the tone for a conferencewhich was punctuated byexcellent speakers and finefood.

POLITICSChairman Melvyn Roffe,Principal of WymondhamCollege and the first SBSA Chairof the BSA in a decade, offereda couple of political remindersin his welcome speech – couldUKBA stop trying to putobstacles in the way of bonafide students applying forplaces at bona fide schools?And could the government domore to persuade localauthorities to be morepurposeful about placingvulnerable or disadvantagedchildren in boarding schools?

PANACHE‘You’ve got to make them loveit – you want loyalty beyondreason!’ Kevin Roberts, CEOworldwide of Saatchi andSaatchi and ex pupil and

governor of SBSA school,Lancaster Royal Grammar,wowed his audience with noPowerpoints at all, just afabulous display of the kind ofad you would give your leftarm for (and which might costmore) interspersed withinspirational words to send usback tour various drawingboards, determined to dobetter.

POETRY. . .in Motion, Andrew Motionto be specific. In his first weekafter becoming Not the PoetLaureate, Andrew Motionreflected on his own schooldays and reminded delegatesof the value of even oneteacher who can make adifference.

AND THEN. . .This was a tough first day tofollow: but

• the Rt Rev Peter Hullah,Principal of NorthamptonAcademy, on being inspiredenough to make changes forgood

• Dr. Carrie Herbert on theorigins of, and need for, herRed Balloon Learner Centresfor hopelessly bulliedchildren

• Sir Charles Pollard andcolleagues on the power ofrestorative justice,

• David Hempleman Adams,arctic explorer, on the‘awkward Welsh bugger of ateacher’ who persuaded himinto the great outdoors andthe inside of a tent en routeto the earth’s 4 poles and ameeting with the Queen –

were equally interesting,entertaining and worthlistening to. Add in an arrayof seminar-takers, cateringfor specific interests asrequired, and opportunitiesto tour Oxford, go shoppingor visit the NorthamptonAcademy, and thisconference certainly offereda rich diet.

AUSSIE RULESA star of the last day was Dr.Michael Carr-Gregg, ConsultantPsychologist to the AustralianBoarding Staff Association,exploring how much hisaudience knew aboutadolescent mental health.

HEADY STUFFBSA Annual Conference for Headteachers Oxford Belfry Hotel, Thame, Oxford 5 - 7 May 2009

Wymondham College Jazz Band sets the tone for the conference

BSA Chairman, Melvyn Roffe,Principal of Wymondham Collegeaddresses the conference

Andrew Mo�on, in his first weekas not the Poet Laureate


03THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION

www.boarding.org.uk

Rt. Rev. Peter Hullah, Principal ofNorthampton Academy, shares his wisdom Dominic Findlay and Angela Daly listen to the band

Nick Dorey, Chairman of SHMIS andHeadmaster of Bethany Schoolenjoys the sunshine

Heads were riveted by howmuch they learned, howmuch they were preparedto gamble, and how muchthey hadn’t known beforethey started. After a lively andinternational paneldiscussion of the state ofboarding, Dr ChristopherGreenfield, Principal ofSherborne InternationalCollege and the nextChairman of BSA, thankedMelvyn Roffe for anexcellent year and aninspiring conference.

SEE YOU NEXT YEARDr Greenfield’s BSA AnnualConference forHeadteachers will be heldin Torquay, 4 – 6 May 2010.We very much hope it willnot coincide with a GeneralElection. . .

Hilary MoriartyNational Director

So impressed were we by Dr Carr-Gregg’s presentation that we have bookedhim to appear at the BSA Conference for Housemasters and Housemistressesin the same hotel – The Oxford Belfry in Thame – 2-4 January 2010. You canget the flavour of his work in his article on pages 6 & 7 of this Bulletin.

And if you are a housemaster or housemistress, book now for the conferencein January.

Sir Charles Pollard, contemplatesrestora�ve jus�ce

Geoffrey Boult, Vice Chairman of BSA& Headmaster of Giggleswick School

Dr Stephen Winkley, Headmaster of Rossall School and formerChairman of BSA



UKBABSA has been working with ISCin an effort to steer UKBA awayfrom the notion that a childapplying for a place in anindependent boarding school isprobably a would-be terrorist orbenefit scrounger.

There is little doubt thatindependent school applicantsfrom overseas are sufferingfrom the blanket fear aboutborder-control in general, and inparticular about ‘students’.

ThreatA measure of concern in highplaces is understandable, giventhe statistics now emergingabout bogus colleges admittinglarge numbers of apparentlybogus students from some ofthe terrorist hot-spots of theworld. You don’t have to watchTV for long to catch action-gung-ho programmes aboutillegal immigrants beingdiscovered and brought tobook, or about airports whereborder-control is challenged ona daily basis. It looks likedocumentary entertainment;it’s probably propaganda to getus on the side of the law-enforcers and alarm us aboutthe many and various threatsagainst which we are beingprotected.

However legitimate the high-level anxiety, and the need formore rigorous entry procedures,there is no doubt that schoolsare deeply concerned about thedetail of the implementation,which seems to have beenrushed and ill-thought through.

Universities complainAt a UKBA Taskforce meeting inMay, Universities UK gave apresentation explaining theproblems university applicantswere already encountering, inparticular with Entry ClearanceOfficers (ECOs) out in country,turning down applications forwhat appeared to be minorproblems. The business ofapplicants’ paperwork being sentfrom ‘spokes’ to ‘hubs’ for finalapproval was causing prolongeddelays, with some applicantswaiting for approval and thereturn of their identitydocuments up to 5 weeks.Clearly, there was inconvenience,irritation and risk.

Market LossesThe risk is considerable: if themessage goes out that Britain nolonger wants or values itsinternational students, they willgo elsewhere. Australia, Canadaand the US are all in the marketfor international students, and ifentry there is easier than it is toBritain, even if only in the shortterm while glitches are ironedout, then the British market willsuffer.

Since international students withhigh skills in English as a result ofan independent boardingeducation are extremely valuableto British universities, they toowill be the long-term losers ifwould-be applicants are put offby the whole process.

When we pointed out that HongKong was the largest singlemarket for international studentsin independent schools, UKBApromised to look again at thepresent arrangement, which has

Hong Kong as a ‘spoke’ sendingapplicants’ paperwork to a ‘hub’in Manilla. We live in hope.

So what goes wrong?Taxed with the number ofapplicants whose paperwork wasfound to be faulty, Neil Hughes,PBS Programme Director,reported that of 100 refusalsinvestigated;

• 27% were turned downbecause insufficient evidence ofthe reason for the studentbeing accepted had beensupplied.

Suzanne Barnes, Policy ProjectManager (Tier 4 Immigration),told the meeting that ECOs wereasking to see the evidence uponwhich the offer had been madein order to check if the evidencewas genuine or not. There washeated discussion about the rightof licensed sponsors to makeoffers as they chose; ECOs,education representativesclaimed, had no right to overturnthe school’s decision.

(On the otherhand, a secondaryproblem might be verifying theidentity of any student takingentrance papers in country –should they be photographed atthe time? Could agents betrusted? How would a schoolknow that the entry papersreaching an acceptable standardhad been taken by the pupil theyhad sponsored?)

• 17% of refused applicationswere turned down because noinformation had been offeredabout course fees;

• 11% failed because nosponsorship licence numberwas on the paperwork;

• 9% did not contain thecandidate’s nationality;

• In 6% it appeared the sponsorwas not registered.

VISA LETTERUKBA noted the importance ofthe visa letter, which must

contain the information UKBAexpects. Sadly, UKBA is notprepared to give a model letterwhich all sponsors could adopt,because the range and variety ofcandidates and the range andvariety of courses which theymay study at school or in furtheror higher education prohibit theuse of one form. On the plusside, at the meeting, they gave us7 samples, all of which were‘Correct’. We have posted theseon the BSA website. One of themshould suit your school and maymake a useful model, though weoffer them at the user’s risk.

Keep calm and . . .This is a changing and fast-moving world. This article maybe out of date before you read it.Admissions tutors need to stayclose to the UKBA website andread carefully any informationsent in any form by ISC. EvenUKBA was disappointed by thecurrent failure rate ofapplications – there was talk of85% - and they are keen toimprove things. But dealing withECOs in spokes and hubs all overthe world cannot be easy. It isreally no wonder there areproblems.

GCSE results day What we hope is that there willnot be too many problems,particularly in the coming monthsas the three month window forapplications for a Septemberstart opens. The GCSE resultsthis year are as late as they haveever been – 27 August.Squeezing in an application withresults in hand in a week whenECOs may themselves be onholiday will not be easy.

Admissions Officers and Headsmay find August even moretrying than usual. This year, alate holiday may not be such agood idea.

HM

Tiers atbedtime



www.boarding.org.uk

UKBA’s Neil Hughesannounced at the Maymeeting that inspectorswould be visiting all licensedsponsors before the end ofJuly, which rather suggeststhey may not pay particularheed to a school’s closing forthe summer in early July.

Asked for details, he said thatthe visits would be:

• Probably a couple of hourslong

• Intended to confirm thatthe sponsor was a bonafide provider of theeducation it purported tooffer

• Inspectors would work ona spectrum from ‘friendly,helpful support’ to ‘do thisor lose your licence’ rigourif the sponsor appearedless reputable

They sought to be sure thatthere was no ‘significant,systematic wrong-doing.’

Mr Hughes last word on thesubject was that it wasterribly important that theyshould have ‘a clean registerof providers.’

And so say all of us!

HM

Moreinspectorscalling

Metropolis announces theInternational Boarders of the Year for 2009At a prestigious Awardsceremony held atShakespeare’s GlobeTheatre on London’sBankside on 15 May 2009,three internationalstudents fought off strongcompetition to becomethe 2009 InternationalBoarders of the Year.

Miyu Tarumi, a Japanese pupil atWindlesham House School,Pulborough, won the Award forthe Year 8 and below category.Loretto School in Musselburgh,East Lothian, celebrated anunprecedented double win, withJacqueline Lau from Chinawinning the Award for the Years9–11 category and German sixth-former Philip Bückendorftriumphing in the Years 12–13category.

The annual Awards, which werelaunched in 2005 and are run byMetropolis (the publisher of TheHobsons UK Boarding SchoolsGuide and website), celebrate thecontribution that pupils fromoverseas make to all aspects ofUK boarding school life. Heads ofall of the UK boarding schools inmembership of the IndependentSchools Council were invited tonominate a boarder for one ormore categories. The 2009Awards attracted a large numberof entries, and an impressivevariety of nationalities wererepresented.

The essay questionsEntrants in the Year 8 and belowcategory were invited to comparetheir school in their home

country to their boarding schoolin the UK, using both picturesand words on a piece of A3paper, while those in Years 9–11were asked to write up to 1,000words answering the essayquestion ‘In what ways do youthink your experience in a Britishschool might be able to helpdevelop internationalunderstanding in your countryand ours?’

The students in Years 12 and 13were invited to submit up to1,250 words answering thefollowing question: ‘“The globaleconomy seems to have donelittle to bring different culturescloser together. Indeed,sometimes globalisation seems tointensify our differences.” Whatare your views about such astatement? How has yourexperience in a British schoolchanged your thinking about theworld we live in?’

The entries, which wereaccompanied by an endorsementof the entrant by the head oftheir school, were judged by apanel of former boarding schoolheads. The winning entries and

their endorsements are availableat www.boardingschools.hobsons.com/awards.

The Awards ceremonyThe three finalists for each of thethree categories were invited toattend the Awards ceremony atShakespeare’s Globe Theatre,where the winners wereannounced and presented withtheir prizes by Dom. AntonySutch, a former headmaster ofDownside School and the currentChairman of the Association forthe Education and Guardianshipof International Students (AEGIS)Advisory Board.

The 2010 AwardsThe International Boarder of theYear Awards will be back in 2010,and will be bigger and betterthan ever. There will once againbe three categories coveringevery year group, so everyinternational boarder at an ISC-member school will be in with achance of winning. To find outmore about the Awards, pleasevisit www.boardingschools.hobsons.com/awards.

Interna�onal Boarder of the Year Press Release – Finalists outside



Despite the media speculation,the sad truth is that, as Camusobserved, no one will everknow precisely what really laybehind the deaths of StephanieGestier and Jodie Gater as theystrolled into the DandenongRanges in April this year.Despite, media speculationfocusing on teenagesubcultures, social networkingsites on the internet and evena rare syndrome of psychosis(folie a deux) – the fact is thatsuicide is a behaviouraloutcome, it is a process inwhich social, psychological,neurobiological and culturalvariables all contribute toproduce the end result. Theproblem for those left behindin their agonizing questioningis that these contributingfactors carry unequal weightand no single factor has beendemonstrated to be necessaryor sufficient to cause suicide.

As Dr Michael Dudley one ofAustralia’s leading suicide

prevention experts said, “…Theprediction of suicides isimpossible, even if high riskpopulations are considered,since the risk factors listed areoverly sensitive and nonspecific. What we do know, isthat many young people whoend their life, do suffer fromdepression and that while notall depressed kids killsthemselves, it is an importantrisk factor and if anythingpositive is to come from thisseemingly senseless waste ofyoung life it is to heed themessage of beyondblue andits chairperson Jeff Kennett -that undiagnosed, untreated -depression can kill and that allparents need to know what therisk factors are and whatdepression in young peopleactually looks like.

While most young people learnover time how to deal with theslings and arrows that life canthrow at them some youngpeople don’t have good coping

skills and will be morevulnerable to life stress.Research suggests that thereare factors that may make ayoung person more vulnerableto suicide risk such as the lossof an important personthrough death or separationthe recent suicide of a friendor relative, breaking up with agirlfriend or boyfriend, troublewith school or the police,feared or confirmedpregnancy, being a victim ofsexual or other abuse (now orin the past) and family conflictor domestic violence.Manyyoung people may, as part oftheir adolescent development,push the limits at home;isolate themselves from familymembers and experiment withrisky behaviour. Some familiesneed help to identify whichbehaviours are associated withan illness like depression andwhich behaviours are part oftheir teenager’s personality.Although it is not possible toprevent every suicide, knowingabout some of the warningsigns may help peopleintervene sooner. One in fiveyoung people experiencedepression and the good newsis that it is treatable, but first itmust be recognized.

These include expressingfeelings of hopelessness, adrop in their standard ofschool work and attendance,painting, drawing or writingabout death or suicide, givingaway personal possessions,talking about death andsuicide, such as “I wish I wasdead”, “no one cares if I live ordie”, “does it hurt to die?”,feeling worthless or lettingparents or others down,withdrawing from friends, asudden bout of cheerfulnessafter a long period of sadnessor anger. This last factor iscritical. Having made a decision(i.e. to die) they may feel asthough they can now stopworrying about their problems.If you see these problems

present for more than twoweeks continuously – then seea GP and have your son ordaughter assessed. Earlyintervention and prompttreatment is associated with amuch better outcome.

The aim for boarding staff is tobecome the world expert onyour students, knowing wherethey are, who they are with,what they are doing andwatching for any tell tale signsis crucial along with settingfirm but fair limits andboundaries and ensuring thatthey feel safe, valued andlistened to. The secondmessage to come out of thistragedy is that caregivers takean interest in what students doonline and should monitor andsupervise not just what isdownloaded but also what isuploaded. Since the arrivaland rapid dissemination ofdigital technology in the lastdecades of the 20th centuryeverything has changed. This isthe first generation in humanhistory born with 24/7 accessto literally anyone andanything. Having ‘bubble-wrapped’ our kids and‘bunkered’ them down safelyin the family home manyparents find comfort inknowing where they are,thinking they are cocooned intheir rooms - but they’re notreally there at all – they arebusy exploring an entirely newworld, wandering its streets,learning its languages andcustoms. At a time whenidentity is the central issue intheir whole psychologicaldevelopment, they’re out in aworld where identity meansnothing. A world where thingsare not always what theyseem.

To ensure their safety, allboarding schools should have acybersafety policy whichgoverns what young people doand say online. While filtersplay a role, the best possible

Becoming aworld expert on yourstudentsMichael Carr-Gregg

‘Suicide like a great work of art, isprepared in the silence of theheart.’

Albert Camus


filter is the one between theyoung peoples’ ears, togetherwith constant monitoring andsupervision. The deaths ofStephanie Gestier and JodieGater remind us that what kidswrite on their myspace profilecan be barometers of theirmood and mental states andthat we ignore it at our peril.But their story not onlyillustrates the close connectionbetween depression, self-harmand suicidal ideas, but also thedangerous cocktail that canresult when marginalisedyoung people at risk of suicidecome into contact and, as shesays, “feed on each other’ssadness and frustration”.Thephenomenon of copycatsuicide was first recognisedwith the 1774 publication ofGoethe’s novel The Sorrows ofYoung Werther, presented as acollection of letters written byWerther, a young artist who

eventually kills himself over hisunrequited love for Lotte. It ledto the first known examples ofcopycat suicide, with anestimated 2000 readers killingthemselves. A more modernexample was seen in Japan in1986, when 18-year-old popstar Yukiko Okada jumped toher death. Her death resultedin many copycat suicides andshe went into psychologicalhistory by having a syndromenamed after her: the YukikoSyndrome. Boarding staff mustbe aware that socialnetworking sites such asMySpace and chat sites such asWindows Messenger maysignificantly increase the risk ofsuch suicides. While it isimportant not to demonise thenet, the clear message toemerge from April’s sadness isthat the internet is a powerfulnew medium that can act as avirtual petri dish for the suicide

virus. Someone once said,“Pray to God — but row for theshore” and as far as kids onlineare concerned, activemonitoring and supervision iscrucial because, as the friendsand relatives of Stephanie andJodie now know, there is nosecond chance.


www.boarding.org.uk

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is an

adolescent psychologist at

Albert Road Centre for Health

in Melbourne. He is also the

Agony Uncle for Girlfriend

Magazine and honorary

psychologist for ABSA.

The aim for

boarding staff…

setting firm but

fair limits and

boundaries and

ensuring that they

feel safe, valued

and listened to

We are grateful to the Australian Boarding Staff Association (ABSA) for permission to reprint this article, first published in May 2008.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, Australian Psychologist par excellence



You will have noticed in recenttimes a lot of press ‘buzz’ aboutPaul Kelly, charismatic Head ofMonkseaton High School inTyne and Wear. He’s the manwho pioneered what is knownas ‘spaced learning’, aprogramme of intensivelearning interrupted by periodsof exercise and fun, creditedwith enabling a group of Year 9sto pass GCSE Science with onlyhours of study.

The Telegraph Magazine onSaturday 15 April carried afeature (‘Classes Apart’)describing a ‘spaced learning’lesson in which hectic basket-ball dribbling sessions at oneend of the Gym are interspersedwith 8 minute bursts ofPowerpoint presentation at theother end of the Gym. Thetheory is that short, sharplessons interspersed with anentirely different activity andrepeated at regular intervals arefar more effective at helpingchildren improve theirconcentration and their gradesthan hours of the usualclassroom grind.

Theoretically, the articlereports, a class does half ayear’s syllabus in a couple ofhours, leaving (in Science)plenty of time for the exciting,practical stuff.

At the BSA Deputies’Conference in Manchestereighteen months ago we werefortunate to hear from Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore talk about thelatest research into theneurological development ofadolescents. The Monkseatonexperiment attempts to put intopractice what we are learningabout the importance of focus,exercise and attention span, andthe Monkseaton exam resultsshow success.

We are therefore delighted tobe able to announce that DrPaul Kelley has agreed toaddress the Deputies’Conference in Bristol in January.The Conference title is‘Excellence’. We expect DrKelley to be an excellentparticipant in the programme,though we have not heard if hewill bring basketballs as well ashis Powerpoint presentation.

DEPUTIES’CONFERENCE – EXCITING SPEAKER, WITH BALLS

Calendar 2011 – Early Warning

No doubt Headteachers are already on the caseabout Easter 2011, but just in case you are not....

2011

Good Friday 22 April

Easter Monday 25 April

Bank Holiday 2 May

One for your Diary …

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FORDEPUTY HEADS Date: 28 - 30 January 2010Venue: Mercure Holland House, Bristol

He tells us that:

“YouthNet delivers a range ofonline services to thousandsof young people each monthvia two award-winningwebsites, TheSite.org and do-it.org.uk. It aims to create asocially inclusive environmentwhere all young adults areengaged, informed andinspired to achieve theirambitions and dreams.

Do-it.org.uk is the UK’sleading volunteering website.TheSite.org is a guide to lifefor 16-24 year olds featuringstraight-talking information,advice and guidance on issuesincluding relationships, drinkand drugs.”

We told him we would tellyou about the sites, whichmay be useful to seniorschools.

We have been notified of onecounty which is planning a twoweek Easter holiday from the4th to 17th April with GoodFriday and Easter Mondayfalling in the summer term.The first 3 weeks of thesummer term will thus each

have only four teaching days.

If the above sounds confusinghave a look at the calendar for2011!

Useful sites?Martyn Lewis, hosting the last panel session atthe Heads’ Conference, took the opportunity tomention the charity he founded, YouthNet.


PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Overview of the CPD and Training Programme for 2009/2010

See main Seminar Programme leaflet and BSA website for full details of the various seminars and workshops.

GENERAL CPD

• Essentials of Boarding: 15th October & 3rd November 2009

• Better Boarding provision – the Governor’s Role: 13th October 2009 & 2nd July 2010

• Child Protection

– For Senior Staff: 10th November 2009

– General: 3rd March & 16th June 2010

• Legal Issues Affecting Boarders’Welfare: 20th November 2009

GAP &LANGUAGEASSISTANTTRAINING

• 23rd September 2009

• 11th, 12th, 13th, 19th 20th, 22nd, 25th& 26th January 2010

Prep School CPD• The 11-13 Transition:

7th November 2009

• Prep School Boarding Issues: 8th June 2010


And Finally

SCHOOL INSETBSA staff are available to deliver school based INSET on a half day or full day basiscovering topics such as: Child Protection, Duty of Care and the NMS, Self Evaluation andPreparing for Inspection, Meeting the Needs of Overseas pupils, Management andLeadership Challenges in Boarding and current Pastoral Care/Boarding Welfare issues.Contact the BSA office for details including fees.

Contact BSA for details of the new one

day workshops designed by Kathy

Crompton, the BSA nurse Advisor, to

support the induction training for you new

Nursing Staff. This workshop is also

suitable for existing staff who wish to be

refreshed on topics such as: Duty of Care

and National Minimum Standards, the

Every Child Matters agenda,

PASTORAL CARE& BOARDINGWELFARE CPD

• eSafety & Cyber Bullying: 6th October & 3rd December 2009

• Meeting the Needs of Overseas Boarders: 10th February & 23rd June (TBC) 2010

• Developing Involvement & Responsibility & Initiative in Boarders: 29th June 2010

BOARDINGMANAGEMENT CPD

• Introduction to BoardingManagement: 6th November 2009

• Preparing for a Boarding Inspection: 26th September 2009 & 19th March 2010

• Effective Relationships &Communication with Parents: 13th May 2010

• Drugs & Alcohol – Managing the Risk: 18th May 2010

New

CPD For

Nursing

Staff


Professional Development: Training and Qualifications for Boarding Staff

Professional Practice Certificate

for non graduate boarding staff at Level HE1

Professional Development Certificate

for graduate boarding staff at Level HE3

There are two parts to the courses, each consisting of 5 Study Days and an end of module assignmentwhich is marked and submitted to the University for assessment against its Programme criteria. The Part1 module is common for all students, however there is a choice for Part 2 dependant on role and interest.

Boarding Management

Topics include:

• Development of teams• Risk assessments• Crisis management• Leadership and management of senior pupils• Management of pastoral/welfare issues

Nursing Issues in Boarding Schools

Topics include:

• Medical & record keeping• Health education/promotion• Assessment of minor illnesses• Legal and ethical framework• Medication and related issues

Health & Development in Childhood and Adolesence

Topics include:

• Growth & development• Understanding adolescence• Bereavement, Loss & Divorce• Life Tasks, the Family and Challenges during Development• The Welfare Needs of Children with Learning Difficulties

Pastoral Care and Boarding Welfare

Topics include:

• Pastoral Care Adolescent mental health issues and self harm• Conflict resolution• Child Protection in relation to Information Technology in the boarding

environment• Emotional intelligence• Coping with bereavement and grief • Support for and assimilation of vulnerable children.

Part 1

Part 2


The Roehampton Certificate

Successful completion of the two modules will result in the award of the full Certificate (at the appropriate level) by theUniversity.

Course Tutors

A key feature of the programme is the team of course tutors who directly support students; the tutors, all highly experiencedin boarding , help deliver the Study Day programme, advise students on assignments and mark submissions.

Mentor Support

When a student enrols on the Certificate course, schools commit to providing a Mentor to support them throughout. BSArun a number of Mentor Training events to help them with their role.

Course Attendance & Costs

Students have a number of opportunities to start these Certificates; Part 1 Modules are run across the AY and regionally.Students must attend 5 x study days for each module. These modules have two costs elements: a registration fee (forRoehampton University) and study day attendance charges. Students/schools must pay both prior to Day 1 of the module.They would then pay the same fee/costs for the second module. Costs for 2009/2010: £690 per module.

Details of the programme with application forms are available on the BSA website: www.boarding.org.uk

Alex ThomsonDirector of Training

New BSA/Roehampton University Certificate Course for North of England

Responding to demand from staff and schools BSA will run a North of England Regional course as partof the Roehampton Certificate programme in 2009/2010. This will be a Part 1 course ie the PastoralCare/Boarding Welfare module of the Certificate, and the 5 study days will be based on York andpossibly one other venue depending on the geography of the students who enrol.

Pam Baillie, the BSA assistant Training Officer, will lead the course, which will cover topics such as:

• Pastoral Care Adolescent mental health issues and self harm• Conflict resolution• Child Protection in relation to Information Technology in the boarding environment• Emotional intelligence• Coping with bereavement and grief • Support for and assimilation of vulnerable children.

The Study Days for this course are: 2nd October, 11th November 2009, 26th January, 26th April and10th June 2010.

Full details of the Course and the Certificate programme are available on the BSA website atwww.boarding.org.uk

STOP PRESS

Professional Development: Training and Qualifications for Boarding Staff



www.boarding.org.uk

When a student enrols on theCertificate course, schoolscommit to providing a Mentorto support them throughout.This is a key role and can helpmake a student’s learningexperience on the course farmore effective. ConsequentlyBSA provide a comprehensiveMentor Handbook and run anumber of Mentor Trainingevents to help staff with thisrole.

This free one day trainingworkshop covers the keyfeatures of the Certificatecourse, theassignment/assessmentrequirements and the role ofthe mentor. It is an interactivesession which will equip youwith the knowledge to fullysupport your colleague(s) whilstthey are on the BSA CertificateCourse.

Calling All SchoolMentors!Are you supporting a colleague on one of the BSACertificate Courses? Are you about to provide suchsupport?

If the answer is Yes, then read on…

Course Location DatesCode

M094

M095

M096

M101

M102

M103

Edinburgh

London

London

London

Birmingham or York

London

Friday 25th September 2009

Friday 9th October 2009

Thursday 25th November 2009

Monday 1st February 2010

Thursday 20 April 2010

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Date/locations for the BSA mentor training programme for2009/2010 are:

Do not wait for BSA to invite you! Apply now to the Director ofTraining at: [email protected]

This Easter 55 delegates fromacross British and overseasboarding schools gathered atDauntsey’s School nearDevizes for the annual BSAResidential Course. This 3 daycourse forms part of the BSACertificate programmehowever it is also open tostudents not intending tocomplete the Certificate butwho wish to ‘do’ some CPD inareas pertinent to theirboarding roles. This year thetheme was BoardingManagement and the variousseminars and workshopsfocused on areas such asLeading the Team; ChangeManagement; Policies,Procedures and Crises;Evaluating Boarding andPlanning for Improvement, aswell as group exercises basedaround current leadershipchallenges.

This course is unique inrelation to other BSA trainingin that it is residential and weuse one of Dauntsey’s School’smodern and very wellappointed houses with singlestudy, en-suite bedrooms, androoms in the teaching blocksto ensure that the course,which is held in the Easterholidays, allows anopportunity for the studentsto really gel and to get toknow each other in a veryrelaxing educationalenvironment. It is also anopportunity for boarding staffto see another well-provisioned school.Consequently this course wasonce again over-subscribed.This year we had a record

number of overseas studentsfrom boarding schools in Spainand Switzerland. They addedan extra dimension in groupdiscussions particularly sincethey do not have NMS, ECM orother UK regulations and lawsto follow! Not surprisingly,there were plenty ofvolunteers for reciprocal visits.

My thanks to Tony Halliwell,Principal of the Defence SixthForm College (Welbeck) for hisinput on Day 2 where hefocussed on the keymanagement challenges inboarding and provideddelegates with much usefuladvice from his many years ofleadership in boarding. Mythanks also to the coursetutors, Joy Hopkinson fromNew Hall School, JohnSweetman from the ReadSchool and Christopher Allen,formerly of Cranleigh Schoolfor their efforts in making thiscourse such a success. Thirtysix students now transfer onto London for the remaining 3Study Days of the CertificateCourse and furtherexploration of boardingmanagement issues.

If you are interested in thisform of CPD, the Theme for2010 Residential is “PastoralCare/Boarding Welfare Issues”and make a note of the datesin your diary – 13-15 April2010 once again at Dauntsey’sSchool.

Alex Thomson OBEBSA Director of Training

Another SuccessfulEaster ResidentialCourse – Report from the Dauntsey’s Course 2009

BACS TO THE FUTUREAs of 1 June we have been informed that our bank charges for receiptsand payments by cheques will be hugely increased. We havetherefore been advised both to make more payments by BACS and toask schools to pay us in the same way. If you are booking for a course,please ask your bursar to ensure that your payment is made by BACSbut that we also receive an indica�on of what the payment is for.

Please contact us on either 020 7798 1580 or [email protected] ifyou do not have these details


In the UK there are an estimated351 000 international studentsstudying at all education levels,a number that has been steadilygrowing since 1999. Even in theeconomic crisis this number isforecast to increase (UNESCO).

Recruitment methodsThere are many different waysschools approach internationalstudent recruitment, obviouslysome methods are moreeffective than others. Having amarketing mix is important andmay include websites, educationagents or fairs or workshops.

A website is a great way toshowcase your school. However,when marketing to internationalclients you risk giving too muchcomplicated information.Translating your site into keylanguages can help increase itseffectiveness.

At student fairs the potential forlarge scale exposure by meetingwith students is high. However,these fairs are often just the firststep in the study abroadprocess. Many students, evenafter personal contact, preferthe security recruitment agentsprovide. Subsequently,partnering with the right agentsis the most efficient way torecruit these students.

Why using an agent isbetterAgents provide educationaladvice, support and placementto students wishing to studyabroad. Agents facilitate fast,

direct access to local marketsand represent your school yearround. Agents can distributeyour brochures and disseminateinformation and often assistwith visa applications, schoolenrolment, travel arrangementsand insurance.

How to meet qualityagents

Although most education agentsare trustworthy, schools mustkeep an eye out for unethicalbehaviour. Agents should notmake admission decisions,overstate their authority on yourbehalf, provide incorrectinformation to students orabout students, or misleadstudents about tuition costs.

The best way to ensure youmeet quality agents is through arenowned agent workshop.Events such as the ICEFWorkshops screen all agentparticipants. ICEF holds nineworkshops annually in variouscountries around the world,where educators meet agentsone-to-one for focused businessmeetings. By meeting andappointing new agents,educators can greatly increasetheir international studentenrolments.

The ICEF agent screeningprocess is the most rigorous inthe business. Agents mustsupply information on companystructure, official registration, adescription of activities, theprogrammes they promote,number of students sent abroad

annually, references from foureducation institutions, details oftheir marketing strategies,accreditation and proof ofprofessional standards.

How to support youragents

After meeting agents, it isextremely important to continueto build the relationship. Keep intouch and respond promptly totheir communications. Providingyour agents with regularupdates keeps your school freshin their minds.

Alternatively you could use anonline platform to connect withagents. For example ICEF Onlineoffers a virtual workshop givingaccess 24/7 to agents andservice providers around theworld. This can be usedseparately or to complementthe workshops.

Given the economic importanceof International students andthe large numbers in the globaleducation market, it makessense to devote resources tostudent recruitment. Althoughthere are many differentapproaches to studentrecruitment, working withagents continues to be the bestway to see results.

Further questions can bedirected to John Pritchard [email protected]


DO YOU NEED AN AGENT?

Events have conspired tocause us to give space inthis issue tointernational students:

• Numbers ofinternational studentsin independentschools are up by1,000 to 21,533

• There are the resultsof the Hobson’sInternational Studentof the Year

• This month BSA hasrun its first marketingcourse – heavilyoversubscribed

• British Council istargeting boardingschools, to work withthem and on theirbehalf as well as withfurther and highereducation institutionsto enable schools torecruit moreinternational students

All this is positive, but

• Tier 4, PBSimmigration iscreaking into action,changing thelandscape for schoolsenrolling internationalstudents and withevery likelihood ofdifficulty while glitchesare worked out

Therefore, we areincluding in this issuetwo articles onmarketing, provided byprofessionals, JohnPritchard of ICEF, anagent workshoporganisation and RussellSpiers of RSAcademics,an education marketingcompany well known tomany members. Wehope you find themuseful and of interest.

MARKETING MATTERS



www.boarding.org.uk

As the environment becomesever more challenging formarketing boarding, it isincreasingly important toremember the fundamentals.In this article, Russell Speirs ofRSAcademics, reminds us ofsome winning marketingstrategies based on tried andtested marketing theories.

Word-of-mouthThe more important a decisionis, and the less able one is tobase it on rational ormeasurable criteria, the moreone relies on word-of-mouth. Itis not surprising, then, thatword-of-mouthrecommendation plays such animportant part in the choice ofa boarding school.

What is the current level ofadvocacy (word-of-mouthrecommendation) in yourschool? How does thiscompare with two years agoand what accounts for thedifference? What would it beworth to your school if youcould identify and correct themain obstacle to whole-heartedrecommendation?

Spontaneous word-of-mouth ismost likely to occurimmediately after a) deciding tojoin b) joining and c) leaving.What do you do at these threemoments to make people feela) very excited b) reassured andc) grateful? Could you domore?

Word-of-mouth will happen

more if you put the right wordsin the right mouths at the righttime.

Addressing needs andconcernsOfficial definitions of marketingall have something to do with‘meeting customer needs’. It’sa clumsy expression but theprinciple is a good one, worthremembering.

For example, how easy is it tofind on your school’s websitethe subject options available inyour 6th Form? 6th Formboarding is the largest segmentof the boarding market and“What can I study?” is one ofthe most frequently askedquestions. Recent research weconducted suggests a lot ofschools could make the answerquicker to find on theirwebsites. Have you found outwhat the other key questionsare for a child thinking aboutboarding at your school? Haveyou provided clear answerswhich are easy to find?

Market segmentationThe practice of marketsegmentation is based on thebelief that a market, in this casefor boarders, is nothomogeneous, but is made upof smaller sub-groups ofpeople, each sharing its ownset of requirements andcharacteristics.

One such group, or marketsegment, which is likely to

prove important to yourmarketing strategy is thesegment containing peoplewho have a real need forboarding schools: families withboth parents working long orirregular hours, for example, orfamilies living in remote ruralareas with only one child still athome. They are quite differentfrom those who intrinsicallybelieve in the educational valueof the boarding experience andrequire a different marketingapproach altogether. Whatmore could you do to marketyour school to this segment?What other segments have youidentified?

The School TourOn a final, practical note, makesure that what your prospectivefamilies experience when theyvisit is as good as it can be andas tailored to their needs aspossible. Ensure that they aretelephoned a week or so inadvance of their visit and thatthe information you gather isthen used by the Head andothers on the day. Forexample, if a pupil is to showthe family around, select onewho has something in commonwith the visiting child. If thechild has specific interests ortalents, make sure yourrelevant Head of Departmentwelcomes that child eagerly.

Russell Speirs can be reachedon 01572 821306 or by e-mail:[email protected]

There’s nothingmore practicalthan a good theory

Russell Speirs

While we are gratefulto ICEF andRSAcademics forproviding thesearticles, we shouldremind schools thatthere are othereducational marketingfirms which may alsobe able to help schools.MTMConsulting,[email protected], has long been asupporter of BSA.

Schools have spokenwell of British BoardingSchools Workshops,[email protected],run by a formermarketing officer of aBSA school.

MARKETING MATTERS



The best architecture awardwent to Nicolas Tye Architects forthe Long Barn. The annualCreative East Awards recognise,celebrate and reward the wealthof creative talent across theEastern region. Clive Andersoncompered the event and wasjoined on stage by othercelebrity presenters and businessleaders.

The new, £6.75 million expansionscheme which provides sixthform boarding facilities atWymondham College is a‘wishbone’ style extension to anexisting boarding block, with 115ensuite single study bedroomsand support accommodation,library, IT rooms, communalactivity spaces and an expansionof the existing dining facilities.

The new building links to theexisting Lincoln Hall building toprovide a single base for all Year12 and Year 13 pupils.Wymondham College is both theUK’s largest State BoardingSchool and one of the few StateBoarding schools in the country,classified by the DfES as a‘Successful and Popular’ School.

The main concept behind thedesign for the new complex wasto provide all residents with aview outwards over the Norfolkcountryside, from roomsorganised in three and four-storey wings arranged around alarge, landscaped courtyard.Access to the new wings is via acovered walkway surroundingthe new courtyard. The wingsmeet in a dramatic westwardpointing ‘prow', which is clearlyvisible on entry into the campus.This prominent end to thebuilding is facetted and glazedgiving it a strong three-dimensional quality and is thepoint at which the three storeysouthern wing meets the four-storey northern wing.

There are clear visual linksbetween the design of thebuilding and its landscapesetting, which create a strongcharacter and sense of placewithin the courtyard. Thestraight and curved wings definea courtyard of asymmetricalshape and provide a sense of

enclosure to a space which offerspossibilities for a variety ofactivities. The building alsofeatures a range of sustainablematerials and uses renewableenergy technologies. Thesustainability agenda has been akey determinant of the design.The highly insulated building hasexposed concrete surfacesinternally to provide cooling inthe summer, has hot waterproduced by solar panels, and islargely ventilated by naturalmeans.

Pre fabricated factory finishedbathroom ‘pods’ were selectedto ensure that high quality zerodefect en-suite facilities wouldbe associated with each studybedroom. The structural solutionutilises a reinforced concreteframe with alternate crosswallsconstructed in concrete andmasonry.

Melvyn Roffe, Principal ofWymondham College andcurrent Chairman of theBoarding Schools’ Association,commented: “Our newaccommodation takes Sixth Formboarding education to a newlevel.”

Phil Cowen of Cowen Consulting,the Project Manager for thescheme, said: "From the outsetthe College’s brief required abuilding that provided a bridgebetween school and university

and defined the sixth form withinthe campus. Hearing the positivecomments, from the staff andstudents alike, underlines that ithas been a rewarding process forall on the Project Team to haveworked with the College to assistthem to realise their aspirationsfor the new Boarding Block.”

LSI Project Associate, JeremyO’Rourke, said: “The newbuilding makes a bold,contemporary architecturalstatement, with large areas ofwhite render, timber claddingand glazing. The idea is that thenew building provides highquality accommodation akin tothat which the student mayexperience at University. To thisend, the design concept allowseach new room to enjoy distantviews, whilst making a diverserange of activities possible withinthe landscaped courtyard at theheart of the scheme. Here thereis a stage for performance, placesfor outdoor lessons and areas forthe display of students’ art.”

Wymondham College sixth formboarding facilities won threeSouth Norfolk Council's DesignAwards last year for ‘DesignExcellence’, the ‘New Building’and for ‘Landscape’. Judges wereso ‘stunned’ by the quality of thenew centre that they created thenew, special Award for ‘DesignExcellence’.

BuildingBetterBoarding LSI Architects hasannounced that the newsixth form boardingfacilities at WymondhamCollege and the new INTOUniversity of East Anglia,two buildings based inNorfolk, designed by theNorwich and Londonbased practice, werefinalists in the 2009Creative East Awards for‘Best Architecture projectin the UK by Architects ofthe Eastern region’ (fromMarch 2007 to December2008). The prestigiousaward ceremony tookplace at the TheatreRoyal, Norwich lastFriday, 8th May.

Award winning 6th form boarding facili�es atWymondham College



www.boarding.org.uk

New Head in April 2009

Dulwich College PreparatorySchool (IAPS)Mr Michael William Roulston,formerly Master at CranleighPreparatory School, has beenappointed Headmaster ofDulwich College PreparatorySchool following the retirementof Mr George Marsh.

New Head in August 2009

Lomond School (HMC)Mr Simon Mills, presentlySenior Deputy Head atPortsmouth Grammar School,will be appointed Headmasterof Lomond School following theretirement of Mr AngusMacDonald after 23 years ofoutstanding service.

HEADS ONTHE MOVEWe wish all the new Heads every success on theirappointment.

We thank their predecessors for their service toBSA and SBSA schools and wish them every goodfortune in the future.

Don’t forget to update your details on the BSAwebsite. If you don’t have your login details,please contact the BSA office.

If your school has a new Head, please let usknow and we will include the details in ourSeptember Bulletin.

Adver�se for Free!!Many of you are already using the BSA Job Search facility where youcan adver�se for free.

Now independent schools can also adver�se free on the ISC job zone– any ques�ons go to [email protected]

How could you resist?

Three years ago, when BritishCouncil approached BSA to askwhat help did schools wantwith recruiting overseas pupils,we were able to report thatthere was high demand inschools to meet agents whocould work on their behalf instudents’ countries of origin.

BSA had considered runningthe kind of show whereschools meet agents en masseand agents carry back newsand information about theschools to their prospectivestudents. But it is an expensivebusiness, and at the time BSAShad neither the in-country ex-pertise nor the personnel avail-able to embark on such aventure.

But surely British Councilcould, with its own personnelin more than 160 countriesaround the world and, the ca-pacity to develop, more in-depth knowledge of whatwould be important to interna-tional students contemplatinga British education.

And this year, British Councildid. In May, British Councilhosted 28 agents from all overthe world for a trip includingexhibitions in Leeds and Bristolas well as visits to severalboarding schools and a littletime enjoying the sights beforetheir return home.

By the time they left, theagents would have had ap-pointments at the 2 exhibitions

with representatives of almost40 schools.

While there is no formal busi-ness arrangement betweenBritish Council and BSA, wewere happy to assist in thisevent by making a brief pres-entation to the agents in Leeds,suggesting some of the thingsthey should look for and ques-tions they should ask.

We hope that for all concernedthe exhibitions were fruitfuland productive events.

British Council charge schoolsto join in their Education Part-nership, then there is a furthercharge for joining particularevents, such as the agents’ fairdescribed here, or overseasmissions, such as a recentevent in Korea attended by halfof a dozen UK boardingschools.

Even if not in partnership withBritish Council, schools mayjoin in events but at an in-creased charge.

Their contact details are:British Council

Bridgewater House58 Whitworth StreetManchester M1 6BB

T: 0161 957 7000F: 0161 957 7111E:[email protected]

HM

NOT SO SECRET AGENTS



It began with the Matrons andwill end with the Matrons. TheBSA Chairman’s induction to therole has traditionally beenattendance at the BSA Matron’sConference. An accident of thecalendar, perhaps, but also areminder, if any were needed,that the Boarding Schools’Association is not an associationonly for Heads and other selfimportant types, but foreveryone who works in, orgoverns, boarding schools.

If there is an abiding impressionfrom this year as Chairman it isof the diversity of ourAssociation and the people itserves. Unique amongst the ISCAssociations, and unusual in anyfield, the BSA comprisesmembers from all phases andboth sectors or education in theUK and a good number fromoverseas, too. But alongsidethat diversity there is anextraordinary common purpose,for however different ourschools may be, they all shareone thing in common: acommitment to the idea andpractice of boarding education.

Unlike my predecessor, GeoffreyBoult, I was too cowardly to setmyself targets for the year.Instead, I undertook to developthemes which I hoped wouldserve to move the Associationforward.

The first of those themes was tofind ways of telling more peopleabout boarding schools and thework of the Boarding Schools’Association. Success here hasbeen tougher to achieve than I

would have hoped. Hilary and Ihave spent a great deal of timebeing nice to journalists fromvarious news media andpumping out articles and mediareleases on every possibleoccasion.

On a personal level relationshipshave become more cordial and Ibelieve that journalists nowunderstand much more aboutus than they did before, butcoverage has not been plentifuland too often the story has beenreactive rather than written onour terms. In future, we shouldmake more of our own news bycommissioning credible researchwhich creates a news story initself. We nearly had a successwith our Parents’ Survey which

was hugely well supported andproduced some great statistics,but which ended up being“bumped” from the newsschedules by other events. Wewere competing against thecollapse of Capitalism, after all.

Our international links havebeen a second theme of theyear. Whilst we compete withboarding schools overseas in theglobal market for internationalstudents, British-style boarding

will be much stronger if we learnfrom each other and share ourexperiences and expertise.Hilary’s visit to the AustralianBSA Conference broughtMichael Carr-Gregg to ourHeads’ Conference and Hilaryand I both gained a great dealfrom our visit to the AmericanTABS conference, a visit whichwe hope will be reciprocatednext year. Similarly, it was goodto meet Eric Cockerton, theChairman of the New Zealand

The Chairman’s Year

Chairman in Ac�on

Doing the day job!


BSA at the Heads’ Conference.The opportunities for us toroutinely learn from each otheras we face common challengeswill, I hope, grow in the comingyears. We already have atradition of sharing trainingmaterials between BSA andABSA. In future TABS trainingcourses could become availableto BSA members and vice versa– online as well as in person.

My third theme has been that oftaking up policy cudgels with theGovernment (and anyone else)on behalf of boarding andboarding schools. In particular,the Boarding Pathfinder scheme(“why don’t you just get on withit?”), visa regulations (“why areyou trying to stop us earningmoney for this country?”) andOfSTED inspections (“have youany clue what you are doing?”)have been the subject of ourattention. Meetings have beenattended, briefings given andletters written. I would like tobe able to claim greater successthan there has been this year.At least some of our concernshave been taken into accountand I am reasonably optimistic

that BSA lobbying, along withdirect action from some schoolswhich refused to pay theirinvoices, will soon result in afairer tariff of OfSTED inspectionfees. The other matters will, Ifear, remain in ChristopherGreenfield’s sights when hetakes over in September.

My final theme was to look atthe organisation of BSA itselfand ensure that it can continueto deliver an excellent servicefor its members as we all facenew challenges of every kind. Ialways wondered how the BSAmanaged to do so much withsuch a small staff. The closer Ihave seen the operation atwork, the more of a miracle it allseems. The commitment ofHilary, Alex and all the staff tothe organisation and itsmembers is total and theydeserve our daily thanks andcongratulation for what theyachieve on our behalf.

The Executive has decided thatthe Association should respondto the present economicchallenges by extending anddeepening its service to

members where possible, butachieve this without creating aneed for significant increases inthe membership fee. That is atough remit and the newStrategic Plan which should beadopted by the end of my termof office will provide a blueprintfor its fulfilment. New trainingcourses and greater partnershipworking with otherorganisations is an earlymanifestation of this new

approach. And we are fortunatethat the Association has goneinto the present difficult timewith strong finances, a clearsense of purpose and theenthusiastic support of itsmembers.

Soon it will be July and, becauseof the change in the timing ofthe Chairman’s term of office, Iwill be attending the Matrons’Conference again as theoutgoing Chairman. As with allthings in schools, as the yearturns it will be time to takestock. It has been a singular (andquite unexpected) honour tochair the BSA and represent somany fine schools, to meet somany of the outstanding peoplewho work in them and to bepresent at so many impressiveoccasions. But I know I can relyon the matrons to bring meback down to earth. They willbe talking about what reallymatters: the needs of ourboarders, the quality of life andrelationships in our boardinghouses and how we go aboutpreparing young people tothrive in a world which, try aswe might, we can hardly evenimagine.

Melvyn RoffeChairman – 2008/2009


www.boarding.org.uk

Keeping welly good company

SBSA splashed out on flowers


The winner of the very first

BSA caption competition is

Marilyn Sena, Bursar of

Kingsley School, Devon

with:

Yes, it’s karoketime, and here tokick us off with“I will survive…”

Many thanks to all those

who entered.

THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATIONGrosvenor Gardens House,35-37 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BS

T: 0207798 1580 F: 020 7798 1581 E: [email protected] W: www.boarding.org.uk

Caption Competition

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR HOUSEMASTERS’AND HOUSEMISTRESS’Date: 02-04 January 2010Venue: Oxford Belfry Hotel, Thame

STATE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATIONANNUAL CONFERENCEDate: 17-18 January 2010Venue: Crowne Plaza, Marlow

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR DEPUTY HEADSDate: 28-30 January 2010Venue: Mercure Holland House, Bristol

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR HEADTEACHERSDate: 4-6 May 2010Venue: The Imperial, Torquay

ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR MATRONSAND MEDICAL STAFFDate: 12-14 July 2010Venue: TBC

Do Come!

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CONFERENCES 2010

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bsa bulletin issue 51 :bulletin 16pp a4 - the boarding

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