BSA Certificate in Professional Practice – Inclusion Lead Training
Study Days for the Summer Module are:
- May 13th 2025
- May 21st 2025
- June 9th 2025
Timings: 1000 – 1615
TO BEGIN YOUR QUALIFICATION IN MAY 2025 CLICK HERE
Why should you attend?
This bespoke, comprehensive three-day certificate course has been put together to support Inclusion Leads or staff with specific responsibility for equity, diversity and inclusion in boarding schools.
Participants will receive high-quality training and support from a range of experts to further develop the skills and confidence needed to establish, embed and sustain equity, diversity and inclusion work in their school. Throughout the three days there will be opportunities to meet, collaborate and discuss with other participants and to learn from case studies and good practice from other schools.
Content:
The course will bring together leaders from a wide range of backgrounds who will share knowledge and experiences to both support you with this important work and to challenge your thinking to enable professional growth.
Over the three days we will explore the ‘why’ of this work including areas such as identity, belonging, use of language, empowerment and intersectionality. Legal and inspection requirements will be unpacked, and auditing and action planning discussed. The importance and power of courageous and compassionate leadership in creating sustained change will be fully explored and through interactive sessions which will include an exploration of coaching as a tool, you will develop practical techniques to help support the important conversations needed for your work in this area.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Irfan Latif, BSA Group Inclusion Representative, Principal, DLD College London
Irfan is currently the Principal of DLD College London, part of the Alpha Plus Group of schools which was recently named ‘Boarding of the School of the Year 2020’. He was educated at Emanuel School and graduated with honours in Chemistry from King’s College, London. His first headship took him to Somerset where he was Headmaster of Sexey’s School (BSA) in Bruton. Prior to this he was Deputy Head at Bedford School (HMC), Director of Science at St Benedict’s School in Ealing (HMC), Senior Housemaster at Whitgift School (HMC) and Assistant Housemaster and Teacher of Chemistry at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys (HMC). He has been the Chairman of the State Boarding Schools’ Forum, the Vice Chair of the Boarding Schools’ Association and is currently it’s London Chair. He also sits on the Executive Committee of the BSA as the Inclusion and Diversity representative for the sector and is the co-founder of the ISC’s Inclusion and Diversity Group. He regularly lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is also a Justice of the Peace. As well as being a school Governor, he is also the trustee of various charities and used to sit on the Board of Education at the Diocese of Bath & Wells. He is a keen cook, traveller and adventurer and recently led expeditions to Everest Base Camp, Venezuela and the Red Sea. Irfan enjoys family time with his wife Jocelyn, also a science teacher, their two young daughters and their Jack Russell, Rodney.
The Why, What, and How of Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity in your school
Some key foundational considerations under the why, what and how of your role which will help to position you as an effective and impactful Inclusion lead. This session will cover various themes such as:
- the importance of now
- establishing definitions
- the biggest misconceptions
- connecting the dots of your strategy, from audit to action plan
Speaker: Temi Akindele Barker, Founder, Inclusion Labs
Temi began her career as a consultant in Legal Executive Search, both in the UK and internationally, eventually becoming Co-Head of the Senior Team covering US and UK law firms, and US financial institutions. A key part of her role involved supporting local and multinational clients to achieve their strategic goals. Prior to Inclusion Labs, she worked in Strategy and Research with a focus on start-ups. Temi is a mum of two daughters and committed to helping schools ask the right questions and focus on the important things when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. Inclusion Labs offers a custom programme for schools, grounded in research and best practice, but most importantly on the lived experience of students and families, particularly those from underrepresented groups.
Understanding Equality and the Law
This session will cover the various elements of equality included within English legislation and the obligations they place on organisations. It will also consider whether the protections are adequate and whether they allow Schools to genuinely demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
Speaker: Gemma Woodhouse, Partner, Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP
Gemma is an employment partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper. She advises organisations on all elements of employment law including discrimination and equal opportunities. She also works with a number of independent schools and is joint Head of the Penningtons Manches Cooper Schools Sector.
Delivering equitable outcomes
Speaker: Yasmina Kone, Hemisphere Education
Yasmina is Deputy Lead of Hemisphere Education. She’s an award-winning start-up operator that’s worked with some of the UK’s top corporate and start-up companies. Her social impact work has seen her feature in the BBC, Black Tech Fest and Busy Being Black Podcast, and her clients have included FTSE500 companies where she’s helped to open access to minority groups and use business as force for good. She’s passionate about the impact that the education sector can have on creating a more inclusive society and is leading on Hemisphere Education’s adoption in UK schools.
Leadership Challenges and Opportunities
How can you lead as effectively as possible, building capacity and confidence so that others move forward and achieve all they can? This session will explore the challenges that leadership presents, alongside the opportunities it can offer, and how you can make the most of them.
Case studies, Discussion and Next Steps
This session will provide an opportunity to hear first-hand from school leaders about EDI work in their schools. The case studies will cover a range of different areas from the importance of pupil voice to recruitment. Participants will then have the chance to meet and discuss EDI work in their schools with other Inclusion Lead colleagues (in small zoom break out groups). To end the day, we will briefly consider next steps and things to be researching or thinking about before the second day of this course.
Speaker: Aiyaz Ahmed, Biology Teacher and Diversity Champion, Eastbourne College
Aiyaz has been teaching at Eastbourne College for five years and started up a pupil lead diversity forum named BE YOU four years ago, which he currently leads. Over the years this has become more popular and an integral part of the college. It has shaped the culture of the college community and has also empowered young people to be part of the changes that promote inclusivity and diversity. Aiyaz is passionately dedicated to his role and works collaboratively with the PSHE lead, HR, HoDs and SMT to drive the changes that they feel will make the college more diverse and inclusive. Prior to this, Aiyaz taught science at inner London secondary schools for ten years.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Safeguarding and Inspection
This session will look at safeguarding with an equity, diversity and inclusion lens and will consider key inspection requirements.
Speaker: Dale Wilkins, Senior Director, BSA and BSA Group
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 and has also developed a process of BSA Accreditation for our international 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, which was updated in 2022.
Identity, Belonging and Connectedness.
This session will explore the notions of identity, belonging and connectedness. Ammy Davis Potter will share her own stories of identity and belonging as well as her experiences of working with young people in schools. How do our different and often intersecting identities shape our capacity to belong and connect and how can schools provide an environment where connectedness thrives?
Speaker: Ammy Davis Potter
Ammy is an educational consultant and inclusive education specialist. She worked in boarding schools for 30 years in a number of different roles including Head of Department, Houseparent, Head of Boarding and Deputy Head (Pastoral). She then worked for the BSA Group as Director of Guardianship and Inclusion before setting up Ammy Davies Education in 2023 providing consultancy for schools, other businesses and private families.
Speaker: Mutisunge Edwards, Christ’s Hospital
Mutisunge Edwards is the first ever full-time equity, diversity and inclusion lead at Christ’s Hospital School. Mutisunge Edwards is now working closely with staff in all departments, as well as with pupils, to help ensure that all aspects of the school’s work are viewed through the EDI lens. Her background is predominantly in Early Years education. Throughout her career, she has tried to implement change and integrate inclusion from a young age.
Case Studies, Discussion and Closing Remarks
This session will be similar to the one at the end of day 1 in that it will provide an opportunity to hear first-hand from school leaders about EDI work in their schools. The case studies will cover a range of different areas to complement those discussed on day 1. Participants will then have the chance to meet and discuss EDI work in their schools with other Inclusion Lead colleagues (in small zoom break out groups). The day will close with an opportunity to reflect on the how, the why and the what of the Inclusion lead role and moving forward in an effective and impactful way.
Speaker : Sadia Hussain-Savuk, DEI Lead, Fettes College Edinburgh and Independent EDI educational consultant
Sadia is the DEI Lead at Fettes College, also working independently to provide DEI support to support to other independent schools in Scotland. She started her teaching career in 2008 as a Biology teacher after having initially worked for the NHS as a scientist. Her interests and passions led her into pastoral support where she then recognised the need for more inclusive practices in education.
Speaker: Irfan Latif, Principal, DLD College London
Irfan is currently the Principal of DLD College London, part of the Alpha Plus Group of schools which was recently named ‘Boarding of the School of the Year 2020’. He was educated at Emanuel School and graduated with honours in Chemistry from King’s College, London. His first headship took him to Somerset where he was Headmaster of Sexey’s School (BSA) in Bruton. Prior to this he was Deputy Head at Bedford School (HMC), Director of Science at St Benedict’s School in Ealing (HMC), Senior Housemaster at Whitgift School (HMC) and Assistant Housemaster and Teacher of Chemistry at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys (HMC). He has been the Chairman of the State Boarding Schools’ Forum, the Vice Chair of the Boarding Schools’ Association and is currently it’s London Chair. He also sits on the Executive Committee of the BSA as the Inclusion and Diversity representative for the sector and is the co-founder of the ISC’s Inclusion and Diversity Group. He regularly lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is also a Justice of the Peace. As well as being a school Governor, he is also the trustee of various charities and used to sit on the Board of Education at the Diocese of Bath & Wells. He is a keen cook, traveller and adventurer and recently led expeditions to Everest Base Camp, Venezuela and the Red Sea. Irfan enjoys family time with his wife Jocelyn, also a science teacher, their two young daughters and their Jack Russell, Rodney.
Study Days for the Summer Module are:
- May 13th 2025
- May 21st 2025
- June 9th 2025
Timings: 1000 – 1615
TO BEGIN YOUR QUALIFICATION IN MAY 2025 CLICK HERE
Robin Fletcher, Chief Executive, BSA
Aileen Kane, Deputy CEO & COO, BSA
Kate Hollyer, Legal and Public Affairs Director, BSA
Angela Cox