ISBA BURSARCAST

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 informationThis 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 & FollowNew 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 STUDIOwww.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 schoolsWhy estates and IT teams increasingly need to work togetherThe cyber-security questions schools should ask about connected security systemsHow to think about warranty, support and total cost of ownershipWhere AI is already having a practical impact on physical securityThe privacy and governance considerations that come with smarter systemsHow security infrastructure can support wider operational decision-makingWhat schools should consider when reviewing ageing or fragmented systemsA 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 & FollowNew 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 STUDIOwww.rafikistudio.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the ISBA BursarcastInformation sharing and safeguardingNew 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 checksFurther 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 SchemeSchools 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 accountingThe 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 SCRWith 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 updatesThe 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-bulletinAdvice and Guidance:[email protected] 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 & FollowNew 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 STUDIOwww.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 episodeTeachers’ Pension SchemeISBA 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 preparednessCyber 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 readinessISI 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 changesThe 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 imagesFollowing 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 deadlinesThe 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-bulletinAdvice and Guidance:[email protected] 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 & FollowNew 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 STUDIOwww.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 episodeKCSIE 2026We 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 attendanceISI has updated its Inspection Framework and Handbook, while new attendance guidance creates practical considerations for schools, including registration requirements.Charities SORP 2026For 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 SchemeTPS schools in England and Wales should ensure their primary contact registers for the new employer portal by 9 October 2026.National Minimum WageWith 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-bulletinAdvice and Guidance:[email protected] 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 & FollowNew 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 STUDIOwww.rafikistudio.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.