ISBA BURSARCAST

This week, we’re doing things a little differently. Rather than our usual weekly news updates, this special episode of Bursarcast is devoted to one of the biggest operational challenges facing schools: how to make good capital decisions when budgets are under increasing pressure.

Leo is joined by Guy Collins-Down, COO of Alleyn’s School, for a practical conversation about estates, investment and the choices schools make when there is simply more to do than there is money available.

Guy shares how Alleyn’s assesses competing capital projects, why educational impact is only part of the equation, and how a more structured approach can stop investment decisions being driven by whoever shouts the loudest.

They also explore the hidden cost of deferred maintenance; why mechanical and engineering systems can become particularly expensive when overlooked; and how better data can reveal inefficiencies that would otherwise remain invisible.

The conversation moves into the idea of the “smart school” — using information about buildings, energy use and occupancy to make better operational decisions — as well as the importance of bringing estates, IT and sustainability planning together rather than treating them as separate projects.

Guy also reflects on the value of consultation, what he has learned from more than 20 years working in educational design and capital projects, and why bursars facing a long project list and a short budget should ultimately “play the long game”.

In this episode:

• Prioritising capital projects when budgets are constrained
• Balancing educational impact with cost savings and income potential
• The real cost of deferring maintenance
• Using condition surveys and building data more effectively
• Why schools can end up paying twice when IT, sustainability and estates are planned separately
• Thinking strategically about energy, networks and future infrastructure
• Consultation, governance and collective decision-making
• When spending more upfront can save considerably more later
• Advice for bursars operating without large in-house teams
• Why long-term operational cost should influence today’s capital decisions

And, naturally, we finish with the important question of Guy’s favourite Lego project.

GUEST:

Guy Collins-Down, COO Alleyn's School

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through ISBA and the relevant linked materials.

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New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of ISBA Bursarcast, we highlight the key regulatory, financial and operational developments affecting UK independent schools, drawn from ISBA Bulletin No. 31 – 8 October 2026.

This week's briefing focuses on new safeguarding obligations, inspection expectations, employment compliance and important deadlines for bursars, heads and school leadership teams.

In this episode:

• Safeguarding information sharing: A new statutory duty came into force on 30 September, with implications for school policies, procedures and data protection.
• Parental complaints and ISI inspections: Updated inspection guidance brings greater attention to how schools recognise and manage data protection complaints.
• Teachers' Pensions: An urgent employer portal registration deadline and a planned service interruption affecting pension administration.
• Capital Goods Scheme: Why schools may want to revisit historic capital expenditure for potential VAT recovery.
• Right to Work compliance: An updated Home Office code of practice and its relevance to school recruitment procedures.
• Financial updates: PAYE Settlement Agreement deadlines and temporary VAT relief on qualifying electricity supplies.

Further information

This episode provides a selective overview of the issues most relevant to school operational leaders. It is not a substitute for detailed regulatory, legal or financial guidance.

For the full updates, supporting resources and practical guidance, members should consult ISBA Bulletin No. 31 (8 October 2026) and the ISBA Reference Library.

ISBA Bursarcast — concise, relevant operational intelligence for the people leading and managing independent schools.

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through ISBA and the relevant linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Physical security is no longer simply an estates issue. For schools, it increasingly sits at the intersection of IT, safeguarding, cyber security, operational resilience and governance.

In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, Leo is joined again by Tom Piggott from Verkada / Net-Ctrl to explore how physical security is changing — and what that means for independent schools.

They discuss the growing “IT-ification” of physical security, as CCTV, access control, alarms and environmental monitoring become increasingly connected to a school’s wider digital infrastructure. The conversation looks at why estates and IT teams need to work more closely together, and the cyber-security questions schools should be asking as more physical systems become networked.

The episode also examines where AI is genuinely beginning to make a practical difference, from natural-language searches and automated alerts to identifying patterns within footage — while considering the equally important questions around permissions, privacy and data governance.

Beyond security itself, Tom explains how connected systems can also provide useful operational insight, including environmental monitoring, space utilisation and understanding movement around the school estate.

In this episode:

• What the “IT-ification” of physical security means for schools
• Why estates and IT teams increasingly need to work together
• The cyber-security questions schools should ask about connected security systems
• How to think about warranty, support and total cost of ownership
• Where AI is already having a practical impact on physical security
• The privacy and governance considerations that come with smarter systems
• How security infrastructure can support wider operational decision-making
• What schools should consider when reviewing ageing or fragmented systems

A practical discussion for bursars, COOs, estates teams, IT leaders and senior staff considering whether their school’s physical security infrastructure is keeping pace with the way technology — and the risks surrounding it — are changing.

GUEST:

Tom Piggott, Verkada https://www.verkada.com/uk/

Find more from Net-Ctrl here:https://www.net-ctrl.com/

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through ISBA and the relevant linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast

Information sharing and safeguarding

New statutory guidance on information sharing comes into force on 30 September 2026, supporting a new duty under the Children Act 2004. Schools will need to consider the implications for safeguarding practice, information-sharing procedures and data protection.

Pupil volunteering and DBS checks

Further clarification from the DfE explains how the peer exemption applies when older pupils volunteer with younger children. The position differs depending on whether volunteering takes place within the same school or at another school, with potential implications for partnership and outreach activity.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

Schools participating in TPS should ensure their audited End of Year Certificate is submitted by 30 September 2026. Primary contacts should also register for the new TCS Employer Portal by 9 October 2026, ahead of the transfer of scheme administration on 1 November.

ISBA has also responded to questions around the recent change in the TPS contribution rate, with further member guidance available through its webinar and FAQ resources.

Charity accounting

The Charity Commission has updated its accounting guidance to reflect SORP 2026 and new thresholds applying to financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026. Schools should make sure finance teams, auditors and governors are working from the revised guidance.

Inspection readiness and the SCR

With new staff in post and recent changes affecting volunteers and EYFS staff, ISBA is encouraging schools to check that their Single Central Record and wider vetting processes are accurate and up to date.

Wider regulatory updates

The Department for Education has updated its guidance on material change applications for independent schools, while new resources have also been published to support implementation of Martyn’s Law.

Companies House has also announced the first prosecutions linked to failures around director identity verification, making this an important governance check for schools and governing bodies.

Full guidance and member resources are available through the ISBA Weekly Bulletin and Reference Library.

This week also includes further updates and resources across strategic planning, UKVI compliance, estates and health and safety, regional meetings and sector events.

ISBA Weekly Bulletins:

https://www.isbabulletin.org.uk/Newsletter/List/weekly-bulletin

Advice and Guidance:

[email protected]

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ISBA Bursarcast is back with another weekly update for the autumn term.

There’s no guest this week. Instead, we focus on the key operational developments from the latest ISBA Weekly Bulletin.

In this episode

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

ISBA has updated its guidance on the forthcoming reduction in the TPS employer contribution rate from April 2027, including new FAQs around hybrid arrangements, alternative defined-contribution schemes and previous decisions to leave the scheme.

Cyber preparedness

Cyber security is firmly on the leadership agenda this week. ISBA’s latest long read focuses on the role of governors, bursars and senior leaders in building resilience, while a separate alert highlights a critical vulnerability affecting some schools using managed IT providers.

Inspection readiness

ISI has updated its Inspection Framework, Handbook, self-evaluation material and complaints procedure for September 2026. ISBA has also refreshed its own inspection guidance to reflect the latest changes.

Material changes

The Department for Education has updated its guidance on making material changes to an independent school’s registered details, including further detail around timings, capacity, age-range changes and school closures.

Pupil images

Following the recent ISBA, AMCIS and IAPS webinar, we look at why the use of pupil images is increasingly a safeguarding, communications and governance issue, rather than simply a marketing decision.

Key deadlines

The ISC interim pupil-number survey closes on 18 September 2026, while primary contacts for Teachers’ Pensions should register for the new employer portal by 9 October 2026.

Full guidance and member resources are available through the ISBA Weekly Bulletin and Reference Library.

This week also sees further webinars and events across pensions, finance, immigration, National Minimum Wage compliance, estates and health and safety.

ISBA Weekly Bulletins:

https://www.isbabulletin.org.uk/Newsletter/List/weekly-bulletin

Advice and Guidance:

[email protected]

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ISBA Bursarcast is back with a new weekly update for the autumn term.

There’s no guest this week. Instead, we focus on the key operational developments from ISBA’s first weekly bulletin after the summer break.

In this episode

KCSIE 2026

We look at the latest safeguarding changes, including the removal of the supervision exemption, sixth form volunteering and clarification around under-16 work experience in Early Years settings.

Inspection and attendance

ISI has updated its Inspection Framework and Handbook, while new attendance guidance creates practical considerations for schools, including registration requirements.

Charities SORP 2026

For many charitable schools, the current financial year will be the first covered by the new SORP. Finance teams are encouraged to begin preparing now.

Teachers’ Pension Scheme

TPS schools in England and Wales should ensure their primary contact registers for the new employer portal by 9 October 2026.

National Minimum Wage

With HMRC scrutiny of the education sector, schools should keep pay arrangements, working-time records and payroll compliance under review.

Full guidance and member resources are available through the ISBA Weekly Bulletin and Reference Library.

And if you missed the Bursarcast over the summer, catch up with our recent guest conversations in the podcast feed.

ISBA Weekly Bulletins:

https://www.isbabulletin.org.uk/Newsletter/List/weekly-bulletin

Advice and Guidance:

[email protected]

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the new academic year approaches, this episode of The ISBA Bursarcast focuses on the operational issues independent school leaders need on their radar now.

We begin with the key developments including September compliance changes, updated attendance guidance, the final deadline for the ISBA Inspection Toolkit, and the responsibilities schools may face following a significant cyber incident.

We then turn to allergy safety — an area receiving increased attention and one highlighted directly in the latest ISBA Bulletin.

Our guest is Hebe Richardson, Senior Nutritionist at Foodbuy, who joins us for a detailed conversation about allergen management from a procurement perspective.

Hebe explains why effective allergy management starts long before food reaches the kitchen. The discussion explores the importance of supplier relationships, accurate product information and consistent systems, as well as the risks that can arise when specifications, recipes or products change.

We also consider why allergy controls need to extend beyond the main catering operation to include areas such as tuck shops, events, trips and other routes through which food may enter a school.

In this episode

• The key compliance changes taking effect from 1 September
• Changes affecting volunteers and regulated activity
• KCSIE 2026 and safeguarding arrangements
• Updated statutory attendance guidance
• The 31 August deadline for the ISBA Inspection Toolkit
• Cyber incidents and Charity Commission serious-incident reporting
• New allergy-safety guidance for schools
• Why allergen management begins with procurement
• Supplier information and allergen data
• Managing product and recipe changes
• The risks created by unchecked substitutions
• Creating a consistent, whole-school approach to food purchasing
• Approved product lists and a reliable source of product information
• Balancing procurement optimisation with safety and nutritional quality

Guest

Hebe Richardson

Senior Nutritionist, Foodbuy

Hebe discusses how procurement decisions can strengthen allergen controls and why consistency between suppliers, product specifications, recipes and day-to-day catering operations is essential.

A central theme is the importance of ensuring that changes and substitutions do not bypass established allergen controls — and that schools have visibility over all the different ways food is purchased and served.

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concussion is no longer simply a sports-field issue. For schools, it increasingly sits at the intersection of pupil wellbeing, safeguarding, communication and governance.

In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, Leo is joined by Professor Bill Ribbans from Luca Health and Mercedes Mills, Lead Physiotherapist at Bryanston School, to explore how thinking around concussion is changing — and what that means for independent schools.

They challenge some of the misconceptions that can lead to concussion being missed, examine why symptoms may appear in unexpected ways across the school day, and discuss the importance of putting return to learn alongside return to sport.

The conversation also looks at how better policies, clearer communication and smarter use of injury data can help schools move beyond simply responding to incidents towards identifying patterns and reducing future risk.

In this episode:

• The concussion signs schools can easily overlook
• Why concussion is increasingly a whole-school safeguarding issue
• Return to learn versus return to play
• What good policy and governance should look like
• How concussion data can inform practical decisions and reduce risk
• 
  

A practical discussion for bursars, COOs, governors and school leaders considering whether their current approach to concussion is as robust as it needs to be.

GUESTS:

Professor Bill Ribbans, Luca Health

Mercedes Mills, Bryanston School

Find more from Luca here https://luca.health/

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independent schools are under growing pressure to strengthen compliance, improve financial control and operate more efficiently.

This episode of ISBA Bursarcast covers the latest operational developments for independent schools, including safeguarding updates, AI governance, attendance guidance, inspection changes and VAT considerations.

Leo then speaks with Neil Cufley of Royal Russell School and Ben Johnston from Alii about digitisation and automation in school finance.

They discuss the sector’s reliance on manual processes, inconsistent purchase-order use, limited visibility and the pressure on small finance teams. Neil also shares Royal Russell’s experience of replacing paper-based systems with Ally to improve control, security and efficiency.

The conversation makes clear that digital transformation is not just a software project. It depends on clear goals, strong leadership, good data, effective communication and changes in behaviour across the organisation.

The episode also explores invoice fraud risk, process mapping and the need for schools to operate with greater commercial discipline in a more challenging financial environment.

GUESTS:

Neil Cufley, Royal Russell School

Ben Johnston, Alii

Request a Demo | Alii

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special guest episode, we are joined by Laura Mitchelson from Veritas Wild to discuss teacher retention in international schools — and why the retention story often begins long before a teacher reaches the end of their first contract.

Together, we explore the transition into a new school, a new country and, often, a new culture. The conversation looks at how early communication, practical preparation and the first few weeks after arrival can shape whether teachers feel confident, connected and likely to stay.

For international schools, recruitment is only one part of the staffing challenge. Once an appointment has been made, the quality of the teacher’s early experience can have a lasting impact on morale, belonging and long-term commitment.

Laura shares her perspective on the human side of relocation, highlighting why cultural adjustment is different for every individual and why schools should avoid treating induction as a purely administrative process.

The episode considers what teachers most need before they arrive, how schools can reduce uncertainty, and why small details in the first few weeks can make a significant difference to how welcome and supported a new colleague feels.

Key themes include:

• Why retention begins before arrival

• The role of clear and reassuring communication

• How cultural adjustment varies from person to person

• The importance of the first few weeks in-country

• How schools can help teachers feel genuinely welcomed, not simply processed

• The connection between belonging, confidence and long-term retention

• Why transition support is a leadership and culture issue, not just an HR process

This conversation is particularly relevant for heads, senior leaders, HR teams, recruitment leads and anyone involved in supporting international staff through relocation and induction.

GUEST

Laura Mitchelson

Veritas Wild

EPISODE FOCUS

Teacher retention in international schools: communication, cultural adjustment and the first few weeks.

LISTENER TAKEAWAYS

By the end of the episode, listeners will understand:

• Why early transition support matters for long-term retention

• How communication before arrival can reduce uncertainty and build trust

• Why schools need to recognise individual experiences of cultural adjustment

• What makes the first few weeks so important for confidence and belonging

• How international schools can take practical steps to improve the teacher transition experience

Member note:

This episode is designed as a short operational briefing. Fuller guidance, technical detail and member-only resources remain available through the original ISBA bulletin and linked materials.

Subscribe & Follow

New episodes every Friday at 4 pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Acast.

Email: [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.

The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO

www.rafikistudio.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.