ISBA BURSARCAST // School Transport Reset: Catchments, Costs & Compliance (Ft. Vectare) (27th February 2026)

This week’s ISBA Bursarcast looks at the changing shape of school transport in the independent sector — with Dominic Kalantary from Vectare — ahead of the ISBA Conference (11–13 May at ICC Wales), where Vectare is one of the headline sponsors.We explore key market trends, including widening catchments, express and park-and-ride style routes designed to compete with car travel, and a notable shift from externally operated services to in-house fleets for cost, control and branding benefits — including an example of a school moving quickly to internal vehicles.Alongside the feature, we also deliver a short newsbeat covering the week’s key operational headlines, including SEND reform consultation, VAT guidance consolidation, regional meetings, mobile phone policy expectations, inspection readiness for RAAC/cladding, and the KCSIE consultation.This episode is designed for time-poor professionals who want clarity, context and practical next steps — especially those responsible for budgeting, compliance, estates operations and stakeholder communications.What You’ll LearnWhy transport spend is back under the microscope — and what the “tale of two halves” means for planning and procurementThe trend towards wider catchments and express / park-and-ride routes — and how this changes cost and service designThe pros and trade-offs of moving from outsourced provision to an in-house fleet — including control, consistency and brand visibilityWhy mid-day trips can quietly inflate costs — and how routinely quoting each trip can drive savingsWhat “active compliance management” looks like for fleets — and why updates such as DVSA roadworthiness guidance matterHow transport tech is evolving: responsible AI for insight, operational integrations (including OpenApply) and WhatsApp notificationsA quick scan of this week’s headlines: SEND reform (England), VAT guidance, regional meetings, mobile phones, parent contracts, RAAC/cladding inspection readiness, and KCSIE consultationResources MentionedISBA Weekly Bulletin 7 (26 Feb 2026) — key operational headlinesISBA Reference Library — consolidated VAT guidance (Bursar’s Guide to VAT + appendices), Parent Contract FAQs, asbestos/estates resources, previous bulletins and webinar recordings (member-only)DfE consultation: SEND reform proposals (England) (as referenced in the bulletin)DfE guidance: Mobile phones in schools (non-statutory)KCSIE consultation: Keeping Children Safe in Education — 2026 proposed revisions (England) (as referenced in the bulletin)DVSA roadworthiness guidance updates (as referenced in discussion)ISBA Conference: 11–13 May 2026, ICC WalesVectare Website Subscribe & FollowISBA BursarcastNew episodes every Friday at 4pm.Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Acast to stay informed on the latest in independent school operationsEmail: [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.