ISBA BURSARCAST // What Independent Schools Are Building Now ft. TG Escapes + sector news (13th March 2026)

This week’s ISBA Bursarcast asks a practical question for bursars and estates leaders: if schools are building again, what are they building for — and what actually counts as value now?Karl Stokes from TG Escapes joins us to talk about renewed enquiry levels, the rise of early years, sports and wellbeing spaces, and why schools are taking a more considered approach to sustainability, design and whole-life cost.Alongside the feature, we deliver a short newsbeat from the latest ISBA bulletin, including: bookings for ISBA Annual Conference 2026 at ICC Wales from 11–13 May, updated DfE generative AI product safety standards, current bursar recruitment opportunities, a VAT reminder on school photographer commission, this week’s inspection tip on provision of information, the upcoming data protection webinar on 20 March, fresh sector commentary on SEND reform, new medical conditions and allergy guidance expected from September 2026, the extended Pupil Recruitment Risk Check offer, updated Prevent principles, and a reminder on HMRC’s “don’t get caught out” campaign on staff expense claims.What You’ll LearnWhy independent school building enquiries appear to have picked up againWhich facilities are schools prioritising most right nowWhy wellbeing and pastoral spaces are becoming a more prominent part of the estates conversationWhat panelised construction is — and how it differs from “modular boxes”How to think about school building value beyond the initial capital spendWhy are sustainability expectations rising in school estate projectsWhy planning and consultation may require longer lead times than expectedThis week’s key operational headlines from the ISBA bulletinResources MentionedISBA Annual Conference 2026, 11–13 May 2026, ICC WalesISBA webinars on SEND, data protection, Charities SORP, CDC pensions, and KCSIEISBA Reference Library and multimedia recordingsDfE Generative AI Product Safety StandardsHMRC guidance on VAT and school photographer commissionHome Office key principles of PreventDraft guidance on supporting children and young people with medical conditions and allergyTG Escapes Subscribe & FollowNew episodes every Friday at 4pm 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.