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 Education 2025 will be published next month, with future changes expected to reflect major safeguarding reforms.
• Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships will shorten to 9 months from August 2025 – what that means for recruitment planning.
• New clarity on employment law changes – ‘fire and rehire’ rules won’t apply until October 2026.
• Updated VAT guidance for nursery classes and what counts toward the 10% threshold.
• And we answer your Question of the Week on who to speak to about business rates advice.

Guest Segment:
We’re joined by Simon Holden and Sean Lumley from Safehire.ai, who share highlights from their recent ISBA webinar "The Art of the Possible". We explore how artificial intelligence is already transforming operational processes in schools – from recruitment to compliance – and where it could go next. It’s a practical and thought-provoking conversation about how AI can support safer, smarter decisions in independent schools.

Whether you’re looking to stay compliant, plan for staff changes, or understand what AI can (and can’t) do, this episode is packed with insights tailored to independent school operations.

Contact the podcast at podcast@theisba.org.uk
Tune in to the ISBA Bursarcast Podcast for a comprehensive exploration of the latest in independent school finance, legal developments, and their direct relevance to UK-based institutions.

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The ISBA Bursarcast is a RAFIKI STUDIO production