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Preparing staff induction and training into an international community

  • Date: May 14, 2025
  • Time: 12:30 – 13:30
  • Cost: BAISIS member – £55, BSA member – £75, Member additional attendee – £25, Non-member – £110
  • Audience: SLT/SMT, Deputy Head, Head of Boarding, International Student Coordinator, Head of Department, Line Managers, pastoral and academic staff supporting international students
  • Platform: Zoom (online)

Course Outline:

When we talk about induction, focus and emphasis is generally on a good induction system for our students. New staff should recieve similar attention, and they should not be expected to be familiar with the nuances and variations that make our schools the unique places they are. This is especially true and important in schools with a diverse population, staff and student. Do you do enough to prepare staff joining your school to navigate your international population successfully?

This webinar will explore strategies to seamlessly integrate new staff into an international community with a diverse student population from various nationalities. Delegates will be invited to consider how to support induction around cultural diversity, navigating variations in social and cultural norms including diet and approaches to health/medication, to support an informed welcome to the school.

Training topics will include:

  • Understanding cultural diversity: recognising differences, addressing potential challenges, fostering inclusivity and building cultural competence
  • Understanding approaches to diet, health and wellbeing: addressing diverse dietary preferences, processes around international medication management, fostering wellbeing
  • Cultural sensitivity: body language, cross-cultural communications, time zones, communication preferences, engaging parents/guardians
  • Community engagement: methods to get involved in extracurricular and community events, participation in cultural celebrations and activities.

Learning outcomes:

  • Enhanced understanding of cultural differences, including communication style, diet and health
  • Awareness and sensitivity towards cultural variations and understanding how to encourage integration in the school community and processes
  • Strategies and techniques for creating an inclusive environment and fostering engagement across the community.

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Speaker:

James Kidd, Senior Vice Principal & DSL

James is currently the Senior Vice Principal and DSL at DLD College London, having joined in September 2020, initially to look after the boarding aspect of the school – where over 50 nationalities live on site. He is responsible for the pastoral life of the school, looking after boarding, the house system, wellbeing and health care and the co-curricular life of the school. Prior to joining DLD College, James spent 14 years at St John’s School, Leatherhead, where he was Assistant Head (Boarding and Co-Curricular), having been both a Head of Department and Housemaster of the largest boys’ boarding house in the school before this. Outside of this, he is Chair of Governors at a special school in the state sector, and a team manager for the Surrey Schools’ Athletics Team. James is currently studying for an EdD, focusing on coaching and culture.