ISBA BURSARCAST // What is the future of school marketing and admissions ft. School Scout + Inspections and Cyber risk updates (27th March 2026)

This week’s ISBA Bursarcast covers the operational issues UK independent schools need on their radar now, followed by a guest discussion on school marketing, admissions strategy and pupil recruitment.In this episodeInspection readiness: Mobile phone guidanceRestrictive interventions from 1 April 2026Key implications for policy, training and oversightCompanies House cyber risk: Why schools should check company recordsRisks for governors, trustees and senior leadersVAT update: Final Bursar’s Guide to VATPTA purchases and VAT recovery watchpointsFinance systems: Low satisfaction, weak reporting and integration issuesWhy this matters for workload, control and decision-makingDfE round-up: Data protection toolkit updatesKCSIE consultationData retention linked to the Grooming Gangs InquiryGuest discussionWe speak to James about School Scout and what it says about the future of independent school marketing.They explore:how families search for and compare schoolswhy location and travel time matterwhat schools can learn from pre-inquiry behaviourwhy insight and personalisation may matter more than bigger budgetshow AI could shape admissions and parent engagementWhy it mattersA practical episode for bursars, finance leads, operations teams and senior leaders focused on compliance, inspection, cyber awareness, systems, and smarter pupil recruitment.Resources mentionedISBA Reference LibraryIncludes the final Bursar’s Guide to VAT, the updated Holiday/Summer Lets Agreement, recorded webinars, and member guidance materials.ISBA Advice and Guidance teamFor school-specific follow-up questions on the issues covered in the bulletin.Companies House guidanceIncludes the update on the WebFiling security issue and the closure of the online accounts and Company Tax Return service from 31 March 2026.DfE guidance and consultationsIncluding the updated data protection in schools toolkit, the Keeping Children Safe in Education consultation, and consultation on support for pupils with medical conditions.The CircuitNational defibrillator database for checking whether a school’s defibrillator is visible to ambulance services and marked rescue ready.UKHSA and NHS meningitis informationFor schools and families following the Kent and Medway meningococcal disease outbreak updates.VWV article and guidance referencesIncluding the copyright infringement reminder and article on restrictive interventions.ISBA Annual Conference 202611–13 May 2026, ICC Wales.More from School Scout https://schoolscout.uk/[email protected] & FollowNew episodes every Friday at 4pm on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and AcastEmail: [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.