Live Online BSA Certificate in Professional Practice Pupil Welfare & Support 2021-2022

19 November 2021 – 12 May 2022 (10.00am – 3,45pm)

Context:

Welfare and support staff, such as Matrons, House Deputies, Boarding Assistants and Boarding Tutors form a key part of the safeguarding and pastoral care framework within our schools however staff CPD opportunities seldom focus on the key areas to support their professional development. As part of a refocus of the training available through the BSA, we can now offer this Professional Practice Certificate for school pastoral staff.

New Certificate Course:

This course will link professional practice with current research and best practice to provide a unique opportunity for school matron, whether working in relative isolation or as part of the House team, to development their knowledge, skills and practice across a wide range of the key current themes/topics most relevant to their role. In addition, there will be a linked research project which will provide the chance to focus on a specific aspect in more detail.

Course Outline:

The course will consist of 4 separate Study Days spread over a full academic year. The sessions on each study day will be a mixture of presentations often with an external expert, and group discussions.

BSA Certificate in Professional Practice for Pupil Welfare & Support 2021-2022

Study Dates: November 19, 2021 / January 13, 2022 / March 22, 2022 / May 12, 2022

Sessions for this course include:

• Perspectives on Pastoral Care
• An Afternoon on Disordered Eating, Guest Speaker, Rachel Hart
• Understanding Adolescence & Meeting the Needs of Children & Young People
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, with Ammy Davies-Potter, Director of Guardianship and Inclusion, BSA Group
• Emotional Health Issues & Building Resilience
• Promoting well-being
• Partnership with Parents
• Communication skills
• Conflict management
• Supporting Vulnerable young people; what works
• Safeguarding and information sharing, with Dale Wilkins, Director of Safeguarding Professional Development and
• Accreditation, BSA Group
• Putting into practice what you’ve learned, moving forward
• Assignment and course reflection

Course Assignment:

The course assignment provides course students with an opportunity to focus on a specific area of particular relevance to their school/role. This can range from ‘supporting overseas student; a complex pastoral need such as diabetes; working with a student/boarder who is self-harming; health promotion models; to a student guide to accessing specific support for an emotional health issue.

The assignment will take the form of a 2500 – 3000 word written project which can be a resource pack, an essay or a report which must be submitted by 31^st July. These will be assessed by the course tutor and the results published/certificates issued in the early Autumn.

Cost:

• Member Discount Rate: £650 which covers all 4 study days, assignment marking and certificates
• Non-Member Rate: £700

Guests include:

Eating disorders: What can school staff can do to help pupils? with Rachel Hart, Caterham School

Following a dramatic increase in young people suffering with eating disorders over the past year, this session will look at what school staff can do to both support individual pupils and create a proactive and positive culture surrounding food. We will cover how to create a consistent whole school approach when working with individuals, and practical advice will be offered in relation to making reasonable adjustments in terms of expectations and arrangements at school.

Rachel is currently Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and Head of Fourth Year at Caterham School. Within her role, Rachel leads on supporting pupils with eating disorders and has recently written articles for the Times Educational Supplement (TES) on this area. With extensive pastoral experience in the independent sector and boarding schools, Rachel is passionate about supporting staff to create a consistent and replicable approach when dealing with eating disorders and mental health.

An Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Schools with Ammy Davies-Potter, Director of Guardianship and Inclusion, BSA Group

Using the BSA Index (Inclusion and Diversity Excellence) Framework and Toolkit, this session will provide an introductory overview to this important work in schools.

Ammy qualified as a teacher in 1991 and then spent her career in boarding school roles. Prior to that, she was educated at Downend School,        Bristol. Gaining a First-Class degree in Human Biology and Geology from Hertfordshire University, she then went on to study for a PGCE at the University of Oxford. She holds an MEd from the University of Bristol and is just completing her MA in Inclusive Education at Bath Spa University. She initially taught at Bromsgrove School and then at St John’s College School Cambridge, before moving in 1995 to become a Housemistress at Westonbirt School. In 2010 she joined St Mary’s Calne, initially as a Housemistress and subsequently joining the SLT as Senior Mistress and DSL and finally as Deputy Head (Pastoral). Prior to moving on to post-graduate study, she spent a year working for the NHS in the field of genetics. She completed her NPQH in 2000 as well as her AMBDA and APC in 2019.  When she isn’t working, Ammy can be found spending time with her family, exploring parts of the UK and abroad or walking the Pembrokeshire coastal path with her dog Odin

Safeguarding and Information Sharing with Dale Wilkins, Director of Safeguarding Professional Development and Accreditation, BSA Group

This session will look at safeguarding concerns and considerations with a focus on assessing and minimising risk.  Relevant legislation and Information sharing and handling.

Dale joined the BSA during Summer 2017 with responsibility for safeguarding and standards.  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, the annual Safeguarding Conference, 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.