ISBA BURSARCAST // Can schools afford to not digitise? & Sector updates for August ft Alii and Royal Russell (31st July 2026)

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 SchoolBen Johnston, AliiRequest a Demo | AliiMember 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.