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 Insurance.

🧾 Headlines include:

• HMRC’s VAT ruling on RNCSF SpringBoard grants – what schools must do now
• Updated ISBA employment contract templates and DBS clause
• Tax-Free Childcare: What parents can use for Reception fees
• Scam alert targeting new joiner families – what to watch for
• EAA compliance: Are your school’s websites accessible to EU parents?
• CPD events, recruitment opportunities, and more

🎧 In our guest segment:
Sarah Pearson, education sector specialist at Ecclesiastical Insurance, joins us to share expert insights on:

• The evolving risk landscape for independent schools
• How to identify and address your school’s biggest risk vulnerabilities
• Practical steps for improving resilience—from buildings to data protection
• Common gaps in risk registers and what insurers look for

🔗 Useful Links

• ISBA Reference Library
• Register your defibrillator – The Circuit
• ISBA CPD Events

Contact the podcast at [email protected]
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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Independent schools vary widely in terms of their size, pupil population, location, provision and practice. Documents are offered as guidance only, in order to help schools prepare their own in a way that suits their own circumstances and reflects the needs of their own community, and the ISBA and our partners who have assisted in the production of the documents accept no liability for any claims or losses arising from their use. Before using documents from the ISBA library, and particularly after adapting them, schools should take specific legal advice

The ISBA Bursarcast is a RAFIKI STUDIO production

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