WHAT IS BOARDING YANA ?
Answering the call the Boardingology way to address mental health and wellbeing challenges in our boarding world. 

I’ve been working in boarding at every level for many years, in the UK and overseas.  That means I’ve come up against most of the issues that boarding staff face every day.  My mission is to inspire and guide people who are working in boarding to cope better without sacrificing their own mental health and wellbeing. It’s about creating the positive future that you want, rather than working in a stressful environment and living for the holidays and exeats.  I champion the changes, those little changes, that will make your boarding life easier. Put simply, it is time for boarding staff wellbeing to be at the heart of boarding . By looking after each one of them, we help every boarder in our care have continuity , care and support to move forwards.

BOARDINGOLOGY - THE BOOK
Boardingology – The Power of 1 is a cutting-edge concept to inspire and empower the people at the heart of boarding. It is the first book worldwide that puts boarding staff at the heart so you can build your tomorrow your way. From career management, strategy ,mental health or wellbeing it is all about unleashing the power of YOU to build what you want in a busy boarding world. Royalties from these books go to support young people moving into boarding to be the best they can be. 

A BIT ABOUT ME
I’m an award-winning global educationalist with proven innovation who believes that people come first.  A qualified life coach specialising in boarding education with a mission to empower generations to become experts in their own life to achieve their definition of success. A MHFA England instructor to put MHFA into boarding communities for staff to help each other.  I’m currently consulting and supporting the new Boarding Mental Health and Wellbeing Award with Leeds Beckett University. I’ve presented at Boarding School Associations around the world in Australia, New Zealand and the UK and regularly contribute to educational magazines in the area of well-being and personal development.

A fantastic school and a great opportunity for a boarding practitioner looking to take the next step.

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We’re hiring for a Head of Boarding 

We are seeking a thoughtful, principled and inspiring leader who understands that exceptional boarding is built on both structure and heart and who is ready to shape an environment where young people thrive, grow and feel truly at home.

Find out more information here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dHd_Ty-X

#cabslife #careeropportunity #Villars #boardinglife #hiring

Available for interim boarding support from Jan 26. Boarding world builder and author.

Fancy being a Head of Boarding in Italy? 
Well, read on .... 

A fantastic school that it was lovely to support last year. Brilliant, quiet location but also near venice. You would be working with a dedicated team of boarding staff who continue to build a great community. 

Please see advert below shared by Emiliano Cori .

Head of School @ H-FARM | Shaping Learning with Vision, Integrity & International-Mindedness | IB Education

At H-FARM International School Venice our boarding community has grown to more than 200 students from across the world, and we are now entering a new phase in its development. For this next stage, we are seeking an experienced and successful Head of Boarding who can lead with authority, judgement and depth.
Boarding, as I understand it, is not merely operational; it is formative. In the daily rhythm of shared life, character is shaped, standards are internalised and responsibility becomes real. Safeguarding cannot be reduced to procedure; it must be embodied as a culture of vigilance, coherence and care. The Head of Boarding will serve as senior pastoral leader and Designated Safeguarding Lead, visible in the houses, clear in expectations and steady in discernment.
Our work is guided by six dimensions of success: emotional, social, learning, community, language and preparedness for the future. These must be evident in the structures, habits and relationships that define residential life.
This is a senior leadership role within Nord Anglia Education. We are looking for a leader with substantial boarding experience, deep safeguarding expertise and the integrity to hold high standards with humanity.
If this resonates with your experience and convictions, I warmly encourage you to apply and to consider whether you might help shape the next chapter of boarding at H-FARM.
Full details are available in the official posting below.

https://lnkd.in/dGmnWPMS

Truly inspired by a Headteacher advert .. that says exactly what they want.

A human advert clearly written by a team that truly cares about who comes next. A big shout out to S Anslems advert on TES for clear human communication. 

Here are some snippets ... 

We care more about how you lead, than where you learnt to lead 

We are not looking for an identikit head driven by generic improvement plans or a bag of borrowed ideas. 

We know our school is made by people, culture and standards - not branding or theatre. 

Presence. 

Everything driven by one question. 

Check it out in TES, closes in March. 

What a motivational monday, a true advert where you read you understand....

Happy World Boarding Staff Day 

I had the immense privilege to live, work and learn with boarding practitioners around the world.  A big thank you to everyone for the contribution that you make for all. 

Stay awesome and as always just be you.

Please see an important update for boarding schools and UKVI. Great job, BSA. ⭐😃

🤝 🏫 MERGERS & TAKEOVERS: Does your school sponsor international students? Please check the following:

📌 If you're in the market to be bought:

1. Your sponsor licence is NOT transferable.
In the scenarios we are seeing across the sector, the existing sponsor licence of the school being acquired cannot continue. A new licence application is required, and the existing licence will usually be surrendered or revoked.

2. Timing is critical. 
Once the sale completes:
- Any CAS you were planning to assign are likely to be cancelled.
- No new CAS can be assigned until the new licence is granted.
- CAS already assigned may become invalid if they have not been used in an application before the ownership change.
- The change must be reported within 20 working days to UKVI via the SMS.

3. Are you ready for an inspection?
Expect a compliance visit as part of the new licence application process. Any failings risk refusal of the new licence, potentially jeopardising existing sponsored students.

📌 If you're in the market to buy:

1. Conduct targeted immigration due diligence
Don't assume the existing sponsor licence will translate into a successful future application. You need a clear view of what you are inheriting:
- Is the current licence genuinely compliant in practice?
- Are there historic failings that could surface during a new application or inspection?
- How reliant is the school's commercial model on international recruitment?
You must understand the risk before it becomes your responsibility (and cost). 

2. Invest in a clean-up early
If international recruitment is important to the acquisition, act quickly to remediate identified weaknesses: 
- Strengthen compliance systems and documentation.
- Ensure Key Personnel understand and can evidence their duties.
- Resolve gaps and mitigate concerns before submitting a new licence application.

3. Build realistic timing into the transaction
New licence applications can take 8-16 weeks (sometimes longer depending on inspections and queries). Schools must be inspection-ready at the point of submission. Poor timing can be disruptive at best - catastrophic at worst - for incoming students.

We are sharing this because we are increasingly seeing international students and families affected by transaction timetables that did not properly account for sponsor licence realities.

The good news: with the right advice and sequencing, these risks are entirely manageable.

BSA Group Legal is supporting schools and groups with:
- Pre-transaction immigration due diligence
- Compliance reviews and remedial “clean-up” work
- Sponsor licence application strategy and preparation
- Transaction-aligned timelines to protect pupil recruitment

BSA member schools can access 15 minutes’ guidance per term as part of membership, and all initial discussions are confidential.

If you are planning, or even just considering, a transaction, now is the time to factor this in.

Boarding Schools'​ Association (BSA)
#schoolmerger

This week, I get to spend a study week in the library moving my research forwards. A chance to speak to and read work from other researchers that can help our sector.

As I look at advancing knowledge, I am looking for some UK boarding practitioners to interview about your wellbeing story. I have loved working in an anonymous boarding world created from my questionnaires, now I would like to take it to the next level with you. 

Details coming out soon ... send me a dm if you are interested to find out more.

What a difference a week makes to the maths in your world? 

Q: How many worlds are you interacting with this week? 

Yours + every interaction that you choose to have. 

One moment, however small is a dual interaction ... in your world and the other persons. Each moment has emotions and actions that can affect your wellbeing. Maybe, this explains the way you feel in your boarding world. 

Now, what happens during term time? 
As a boarding practitioner , wooah ... should I ask ? 

How many worlds are you involved in on a daily basis? How are these moments affecting you ? 

Shall I start you off.. you + boarders+ staff + parents + leadership ... and no 2 days are the same ! 

Take time to look at a day in your world, the energy, interactions .. and look at what you can do in your own world to improve your wellbeing. 

One boarding school. 
Many individual worlds. 
Your wellbeing ..... my phd world to support knowledge building in our sector.

Recruitment v Retention
How is the lived experience for your boarding world based on these words? 

As an experienced interim, I fill gaps whether that be between 2 notice periods or through agency when there is a need. It is amazing and I continue to see our world with new eyes and experiences. 

With the financial pressures on the sector, less if no agency work is becoming a pattern as schools have to do even more with less resources. This additional cover pressure has always been in the sector, and at times staff carry on through illness to keep their house running. If you know, you know ! 

So, with continuity in the minimum standards, what is your boarding retention strategy ? 

It will cost much less than the carousel of recruitment costs.. for some schools termly going by the adverts. 

Heads of boarding, house leaders.. this is your sign. A sign to consider a retention budget ... like no other ! As boarding practitioners it is not always about money , but training , time, end of term meals and maybe thank you moments just because. 

Invest now, everyone will thank you.

Fantastic conference  to help, check out the details.

Don’t forget to book your spot at BSA’s Mental Health: Supporting Everyone conference on February 25! We’ll discuss key themes including adolescence, emotional regulation and supportive cultures to benefit the whole school community. 

Our brilliant speakers include:
Alicia Drummond, Founder, The Wellbeing Hub
Chris Braitch, Seen and Heard, Emotional health and leadership coach
Stacey Wallace, Head of Medical Health and Welfare, Clifton College
Ian Macdonald, Schools & Families Trainer, The Charlie Waller Trust
Emma McKendrick, Headmistress, Downe House School
Robin Dyer, former Head, Ampleforth College
Charlie Paterson, Housemaster, Eton College
Dan Richardson, MSc, SENr, Performance Nutrition Expert

Book now: https://lnkd.in/eKyRmPuC

Founder @ Red Dragon Education | International Teacher Training

Are you the leader nobody respects?
Some of the behaviours we criticise...
Are sometimes exactly what schools need.

The “Gatekeeper”?
Standards require friction.

The “Process Police”?
Clear systems prevent chaos.

The “Status Stalker”?
In high-stakes environments, silence isn’t reassurance.

We say: “Choose trust.”

Yes.

But trust without clarity is Lord of the Flies.

In international schools:

Safeguarding matters.
Compliance matters.
Standards matter.

Respect doesn’t come from being hands-off.

It comes from being intentional.

The question isn’t control vs trust.

It’s fear vs clarity.

Where do you draw the line?

This half term, you do you. 

But 

look at what you can take from this week to increase your wellbeing next term.

pick 3 things that make you feel better

build them in 

Now

you are your own boarding world builder. 

Remember to be kind to yourself... building your own world starts with knowing and leading yourself.

A fantastic opportunity to share the important work that your boarding school does in this area. 

Realy excited to be involved and write about my research, the reasons why and some thoughts for change. Get in touch if you want to be included in this boarding school edition.

#boardingschools #mentalwellbeing
🌟Have you thought about your case study being featured in the Mental Health Insights Journal?

🌟🌟Great to see the fascinating research work  being done by Tracy Shand for her #PHD  in this area.

🌟Her research will be featuring in the Mental Health Insights Publication. 

🌟Excited to see proposals coming into our inbox.

Proposals accepted NOW , Deadlines for drafts April.
Read 👇 for more details.

This seminar led by Satveer Nijjar, Independent Trainer, is designed specifically for nurses and health staff working in school/college settings. To find our more visit https://lnkd.in/edKt3uGq

Multiple worlds, your wellbeing. 

As a boarding practitioner our daily world spans more places that people will ever know. So, lets take time to look at that .. 

1. Look at the dimensions you live and work with or in
boarders, your team, leadership, parents, school leadership team and many more. 

2. Each touchpoint or interaction is an energy moment that either supports or affects your wellbeing. Support is plus, affect us minus. ( Sorry, always the maths teacher!) 

3. Now, reflect on the totals this week, which area is supporting and others affecting ? 

4. Rank them ... now what can you take from the top to support the others? 

Over to you.... love this reflection of moments that build or take away. That is why my phd focuses on words creating worlds ...

Your lived experience 
Inspired by sand art ... 

Where is the wellbeing for you in your boarding school? 

A 
Wellbeing is not there, silent in your community narrative. The word is hidden, not visible but felt and seen in every area. 

B 
Wellbeing is there, but for you it is not there. Visible as a word and feeling but 'i' ( what you need and feel?) is missing. And, you feel it and see it everyday. 

C 
Wellbeing for all in small moments that build to a whole community message. Known, inspired, inclusive and being . 

This question and activity is powerful and lived experience reality is creating your school culture , recruitment and retention. 

So, how can YOU do small acts to get to C? 

And, how can your boarding organisation get to C for ALL ? 

Now is not the time for our sector to put our heads in the sand. We need to build strong structures to raise the visibility of wellbeing for all. ( No pun intended.. unless it is a holiday picture ! 🤣🙈🏖) 

Love my sand art theory, if you are looking at seeing your culture through new eyes get in touch.

Today marks Chinese New Year. 
Happy Year of the Horse. 

I spent an amazing part of my professional career in China at different levels of a schools journey. From start ups to established chain. 

I remember three moments that still stay with me today. The moment I joined Toastmasters and learned so much about myself and the culture I was living in. Taking photography courses to expand my knowledge and get back my creativity. 

But, the one that stands out most is when I did a tai chi demonstration for the whole school. It was one of the most nervewracking moments of my career, but for my colleagues they joked I was in corporate colours while having a sneak peak at the routine! It was the day where my students renamed me ' jackie shand' until I left ,  but as they say tai chi is for old people!

To all my colleagues in Asia, happy year of the horse. May you gallop to success with just being you and sharing your gifts. 

⭐🐎🐎⭐

This weeks newsletter, it is all about wellbeing world building through everyday experiences. Check out an opportunity to share your expertise to showcase success in your world to others. A true door opener....

♥️⭐Putting lasting investmeants , first. ⭐♥️

What if your school used this phrase as a thinking partner to help you in these tough times? 💡

Here are some partnership points .... lets take an Exeat Together. 

What does a lasting investmeant look like for x, y or ,z?

How human can we make it ?.

How can we make it happen using our role as ( insert roles here) ? 

What will x,y or z improve for us? 

How will we know it has worked? 

Remember my new word..
Investmeants = Investing + Meaning
 
Try it out, and let me know how you get on. 

Remember, an investment a day helps you build your future your way.

Today, I get to spend the day learning about cognition , words and lived experience as part of my PhD. Sticky notes, highlighters and chocolate at the ready!!

In a digital world, we also need to look at human words, worlds and the connection in between. 

I am truly grateful to have a portfolio career at the moment to be able to do this.

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