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The British Boarding Schools' Network (BBSN) is the leading professional network connecting British boarding schools and international student recruitment agents.

Since 2006, we have helped schools build successful international recruitment strategies by providing access to trusted agents, sector expertise, valuable market intelligence and industry-leading networking events. Our global network of Approved Agents benefits from direct access to a wide range of British boarding schools, enabling them to identify the right educational opportunities for their client families.

Each year, more than 25,000 international pupils choose to study at British boarding schools. BBSN plays a vital role in making these connections possible by providing the Contacts, Knowledge and Support that schools and agents need to succeed.

We believe that successful international recruitment starts with strong relationships. Explore our website to learn more about our services, events and community, or contact our team and we would be delighted to hear from you.

How we help British boarding schools and agents

Are you a British boarding school that needs:

- to increase or diversify your recruitment of international pupils?
- help with the knowledge and know-how in dealing with international markets?
- to build fruitful partnerships with trusted student recruitment agents?
- to know how to use limited resources and budget for best effect?

Are you an educational agent or consultant who needs:

- to expand your portfolio of UK-based boarding schools, colleges and summer schools?
- the tools to help you find the right schools for your client families?
- to build confidence and knowledge to work with the UK sector?
- opportunities to meet face-to-face with Heads and admissions staff from British schools in one place?

If so, the British Boarding Schools' Network can help you.

We are at the heart of the interdependent relationship between schools and agents, connecting them through services and events delivered by our team of sector-experts who have many years' experience of working in British boarding schools. We are a values-driven company that puts honesty, integrity and professionalism at the heart of all that we do.

Our community comprises 300 member schools and 400+ Approved Agents who recruit thousands of international students each year from 50+ countries. We have helped our member schools and agencies to survive and thrive through challenging times by being a forward-thinking, innovative and agile company with a passion for what we do. This passion has been the foundation for building a strong community ethos and drives us to deliver exceptional customer service and value for money for our members.

Every day, families across the world are considering study abroad options, envisaging the hopes and dreams for their child’s future. We know that since the BBSN was set up 20 years ago, the connections made through our Network and at our renowned British Boarding Schools' Workshops (BBSW) have positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people who come from all over the world to study in the UK, taking their lives on a course that would otherwise have been undiscovered. So this is why we believe, our Network is where the magic begins...

Contacts

We enable school and agent connections to be made, relationships to be built, and international boarding students to be placed. Agent members have access to a unique, fully-searchable database of British schools with detailed profiles, numbers and nationalities of boarding pupils, and admissions contacts. Our member schools value the database of 400 Approved Agents. We run networking events with a global reputation for excellence, including the British Boarding Schools' Workshops, facilitating face-to-face meetings - vital for building trusted partnerships.

Knowledge

Our team of sector-experts collate and share, with our members, up-to-date intelligence about international markets, the UK education sector, visas and immigration, and international student recruitment into British boarding schools. Our Approved Agents also feed 'on the ground' news and developments from global markets, enabling schools to know exactly where and how to effectively recruit in different countries. Knowledge is delivered through weekly updates, regular webinars, training and market reports, all of which are available 'on demand' via the members' portal.

Support

Our team of strategic-thinkers who have worked in boarding schools, support Heads, Admissions and Marketing staff in schools to make informed decisions. We provide the tools and confidence to recruit international pupils from a diverse range of countries in a cost-effective way. We get to know our Approved agencies via one-to-one meetings, enabling us to understand their needs and helping them to find the right British schools for their client families. We offer bespoke advice to members and provide access to a welcoming community of like-minded professionals.

"For 20 years, BBSN has been connecting British boarding schools and trusted agents, creating partnerships that have helped thousands of international students find the right school to thrive. We are proud to have built a community where agents have a voice, schools benefit from trusted relationships, and families receive expert guidance throughout their educational journey. While we are honoured to be recognised as a leader in the sector, our focus remains firmly on supporting our community, championing best practice and helping boarding schools, agents and international families succeed in an ever-changing world."

Suzanne Rowse
BBSN Founder & Director

Support - Use of BBSN reference-checked Approved Agents is within UKVI sponsorship compliance

Knowledge - 40+ Boarding sector specific country reports

Contacts - Access to detailed profiles for 400+ BBSN Approved Agents

Contacts - Agents can search the database of 300 schools

Support - Our experienced team provide bespoke one-to-one support to help members thrive

Knowledge - Boarding specific sector analysis, market intelligence and regulatory updates

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Events

British Boarding Schools' Workshop

Our Workshops (BBSW) have a global reputation for excellence. Held each March and November, they bring together 320+ school representatives, agents and service providers for face-to-face scheduled meetings - vital for building partnerships based on mutual-understanding and trust.

These well-established events are known for being the most successful and time-efficient way for UK school staff to recruit international pupils from over 50 countries worldwide - without even getting on a plane. They are held over three days at the Radisson Blu Hotel at London's Heathrow Airport.

Connecting Boarding Schools and Trusted Agents Worldwide

How we help British boarding schools and agents

Our Network Members

What We Do

Contacts

Knowledge

Support

From the Director

Benefits of Membership

British Boarding Schools' Workshop

"BBSN has enabled our company to form and maintain close and meaningful relationships with magnificent UK boarding schools. BBSN's excellent resources and events have clarified our understanding of British education, empowering us to make the right choices for our candidates."

Networking Days

Fam Trips