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ISBA BURSARCAST
Welcome to ISBA Bursarcast, the podcast designed for everyone involved in the management of independent schools. Whether you work in finance, estates, HR, transport, or any other school leadership role, this podcast brings you the latest sector news, expert insights, and practical advice to support your work.
Each Friday at 4 pm, we deliver in-depth conversations with sector professionals, industry experts, and ISBA members, keeping you informed on the issues that matter most to independent schools.
Tune in for essential updates, best practices, and strategic insights to help your school thrive. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform and stay ahead of the curve with ISBA Bursarcast.
The Bursarcast is produced by RAFIKI STUDIO
www.rafikistudio.com
Episodes
189 episodes
ISBA BURSARCAST // Solar Without the Stress: What Every Bursar Needs to Know Before Saying Yes ft. Chris Styles (22nd August, 2025)
This week on the ISBA Bursarcast: Is solar right for your school—and can it really be affordable, low-risk, and disruption-free?We’re joined by Chris Styles, Commercial Director at Westwood Energy, to unpack what...
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Season 5
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Episode 31
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22:44
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ISBA BURSARCAST // SpringBoard VAT Ruling, Scam Alerts & School Readiness + Sarah Pearson on Managing Risk Where It Matters Most (15th August, 2025)
This week’s ISBA Bursarcast delivers a fast-paced round-up of the latest regulatory and operational updates for UK independent schools—followed by a practical conversation on risk management with Sarah Pearson from Ecclesiastical ...
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Season 5
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Episode 30
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23:14
ISBA BURSARCAST // Shaping the Future of Independent Schools – Insights from ISBA’s Sue Roxby (9th August, 2025)
In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, we speak with Sue Roxby, ISBA’s Head of Advice and Guidance, about the forthcoming member survey and the wider issues currently affecting independent schools.Sue shares how the survey will w...
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Season 5
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Episode 29
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22:58
ISBA BURSARCAST // The Secret to Stress‑Free School Recruitment: Inside ISBA’s Personnel Services (1st August 2025)
Recruitment in independent schools can be challenging – from finding the right skills to ensuring a perfect fit for your school’s unique culture. In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, we speak with Lucy Wyatt ...
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Season 5
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Episode 28
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19:01
ISBA BURSARCAST // 21st Century Governance, what does it mean? ft Sam Coutinho (18th July, 2025)
In this week’s ISBA Bursarcast, we guide you through a packed bulletin of sector-wide updates, including significant changes to RSHE guidance, a draft of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, and a roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill—the ...
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Season 5
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Episode 27
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27:14
ISBA BURSARCAST // Navigating the Employment Rights Bill: What Schools Need to Know Now Ft. Farrer & Co (11th July, 2025)
This week on The ISBA Bursarcast, we’re joined by Sue Roxby, Head of Advice and Guidance at ISBA, and Hugh Young, Senior Associate at Farrer & Co, to unpack the practical implications of the Employment Rights Bill<...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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25:14
ISBA BURSARCAST // KCSIE 2025, Employment Law Updates, and ‘The Art of the Possible’ with Safehire.ai (4th July, 2025)
In this week’s episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, we cover key updates that every bursar and school leader needs to know before the summer break.In the news this week:The DfE confirms Keeping Children Safe in Educatio...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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20:08
ISBA BURSARCAST // Smarter Spend, Safer Schools: Procurement Wins and Key Compliance Updates ft. Paul Wright (27th June, 2025)
In this episode of The Bursarcast, we’ve got the latest sector updates every independent school bursar should know — from board elections and VAT tweaks to asbestos rules, data law changes, and a new part-time role at the ISBA.<...
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Season 5
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Episode 24
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23:13
ISBA BURSARCAST // VAT case insight with Julie Robinson (ISC) & latest sector news (20th June, 2025)
In this episode of the Bursarcast, we are joined by Julie Robinson (CEO, ISC) to go over the latest insights around the recent legal challenge brought by the ISC to the High Court around VAT on Independent School Fees. Alongside our...
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Season 5
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Episode 23
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26:27
ISBA BURSARCAST // Quickfire news: Board Elections, VAT Judgment, AI Guidance & More (13th June , 2025)
In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, we cover the key updates for independent schools this week, including:Voting now open for the 2025 ISBA Board electionsHigh Court judgment on VAT and school fees expected today
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Season 5
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Episode 22
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8:06
ISBA BURSARCAST // The Art of the Bursar: Redefining Leadership in Independent Schools ft. Heather Styche-Patel + the week's headlines (6th June 2025)
In this episode, we explore The Art of The Bursar — a timely and insightful new report from the ISBA and RSAcademics. As schools face increasing complexity, financial pressure, and a fast-changing educational landscape, the role of the...
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Season 5
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Episode 21
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17:49
ISBA BURSARCAST // Catch ups and check ins post-conference ft. Sue Roxby (30th May, 2025)
In this post-conference episode of the Bursarcast, we're joined by Sue Roxby, ISBA's Head of Advice and Guidance, to reflect on all the highlights, insights, and moments of connection from the ISBA Annual Conference 2025 in Manche...
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Season 5
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Episode 20
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16:09
ISBA BURSARCAST // Risk, Resilience & Reform: What Schools Need to Know in 2025 ft. Assured Partners (16th May, 2025)
In this packed episode of The Bursarcast, we bring you the latest policy and legal updates every independent school bursar should be across, including new developments in employment law, protections for zero-hours workers...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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36:25
ISBA BURSARCAST // Are you missing the trick with your school buildings? ft. Ben Lowe (14th May, 2025)
In this episode of Bursarcast, we’re joined by Ben Lowe from TG Escapes to explore how biophilic design and modular construction are reshaping educational spaces.Celebrating 21 years and over 800 completed projects, TG Esca...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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28:31
ISBA BURSARCAST // How are you navigating Financial Strategy in a Changing Landscape ft. Stewart Ward & John Murphie (9th May, 2025)
In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Stewart Ward, Head of School Fee Plan, to discuss how independent schools are approaching their financial strategy in 2025 amidst growing concerns around affordability, fee structur...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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39:43
ISBA BURSARCAST // Rethinking School Dining in 2025 with Holroyd Howe (2nd May, 2025)
In this episode of The Bursarcast, we’re joined by Robin Bidgood and Scott Morley, Managing Directors at Holroyd Howe, to explore how independent schools can respond to the fast-changing landscape of school dining.
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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34:29
ISBA BURSARCAST // More Than Just Uniforms: Tim James on Style, Strategy and Supply Chains (25th April, 2025)
In this episode of The ISBA Bursarcast, we welcome Tim James, Chairman of Schoolblazer, to explore how uniform and sportswear are evolving in the independent school sector—and why it's more strategic than you might think.Ti...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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35:09
ISBA BURSARCAST // Leadership, Resilience & Values – Scotty Mills on High-Performance Teams and Inspiring Change (11th April, 2025)
In this episode of the ISBA Bursarcast, we bring you the latest news headlines for independent school operations, including:The end of business rates relief for most private schoolsA look at new duties unde...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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16:39
ISBA BURSARCAST // Spring Policy Roundup + Meet the ISBA Chair, Amanda Webb (4th April, 2025)
In this episode of The ISBA Bursarcast, we bring you three key updates that school bursars and operations teams need to know – from immigration changes affecting boarding pupils to increased late payment penalties, and the newly launch...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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23:58
ISBA BURSARCAST // 💻 Digital Transformation in Independent Schools: Strategy, AI & Cybersecurity 🔐(28th March 2025)
In this episode of The ISBA Bursarcast, we welcome Richard Harris from Class Technology Solutions back to delve into the evolving world of digital infrastructure in independent schools.From managing budgets to keepin...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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30:48
ISBA BURSARCAST // What are the options for independent schools in 2025 ft. Arun Kanwar (21st March 2025)
In this episode of Bursarcast, we’re joined by special guest Arun Kanwar, Managing Partner at Cairneagle, to explore how UK independent schools are adapting to a rapidly changing educational landscape.With increasing...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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29:35
ISBA BURSARCAST // What are the costs of not investing in yourself? ft Helen Woods (14th March 2025)
📢 Investing in Yourself: Personal Development & The ISBA Annual Conference 🎓In this episode of Bursarcast, we explore the importance of investing in yourself as a school leader and how the first day of the ISB...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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9:30
ISBA BURSARCAST // Is your school transport affecting your admissions? ft.Vectare (7th March 2025)
🚍 The Changing Landscape of Independent School Transport 🚍 Join us for a deep dive into the evolving world of independent school transport with Dominic Kalanatary, Director of Vectar...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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34:22
ISBA BURSARCAST // What have we learned from the new ISI framework? ft Durell Barnes and Clare Moore & weekly headlines (28th February 2025)
Tune in for an Inspections special with Durell Barnes and Clare Moore. In this episode, they question whether the new framework 23 is working. They also discuss insights shared by both schools and the inspectorate. This is<...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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30:00
ISBA BURSARCAST // Is carbon net-zero for schools a reality? ft. Nigel Aylwin-Foster & John Murphie (21st February 2025)
Tune in for a sustainability special with Nigel Aylwin-Foster from ReEnergise Group as he chats with John Murphie about the current state of energy resources for independent schools. The content is linked to the Spri...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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21:05
