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to the topGeneral Secretary: Mr Mike Lower
Business Director: Mrs Janine Brooks
Professional Development Director: Mr Paul Simpson
Assistant General Secretary: Mrs Barbara Jackson
Publications Officer: Mrs Gillian Goode
ISBA Administrative Assistant: Mrs Alma McKellar
PA/Membership Secretary - Mrs Sandra Allatt
ISBA is a charitable company limited by guarantee whose object is the advancement of education by the promotion of efficient and effective administration and ancillary services at independent schools. In effect, the Association exists to provide support for bursars in independent schools and to promote best financial, administrative and operational practice. Although it is the school and not the bursar that is the member of ISBA, the bursar is usually the school’s nominated representative.
The Association traces its history back to the founding of the Public Schools Bursars’ Association which held its first general meeting on 26 April 1932 at the offices of Epsom College. The name was changed to the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association in 1983. There are over 900 members, including some 30 overseas Associate Members. ISBA is one of the constituent members of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and is represented on the ISC Governing Council and a number of ISC Committees. In some cases the Association represents ISC at meetings with the DfE, HSE and Teachers’ Pensions providing advice on bursarial matters.
ISBA has an elected Executive Committee whose members serve for two years, when they may seek re-election for a further period of three years. At this stage they leave the Committee unless elected either Vice Chairman or Chairman. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected at each AGM and may not hold office for more than three years. The Articles of Association may be viewed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. There are 10 ordinary members of the Committee plus the Chairman and Vice Chairman. Scottish schools are represented by the Chairman of the Scottish Bursars’ Association who is a co-opted member.
A member of the Association of Governing Bodies in Independent Schools (AGBIS) also attends as a co-opted member. The Executive Committee meets five times a year and devolves work to two Sub-Committees, General Purposes and Finance. The Chairman of the Finance Sub-Committee also acts as the Chairman of ISBA Enterprises Ltd.
There are over 20 autonomous groups formed either regionally or by type of school and these manage their own affairs and arrange meetings, usually on a termly basis. The Secretariat attends these meetings by invitation whenever possible.
General support to all bursars of member schools through the production of a number of documents for the advice and guidance of members with further advice available by telephone and email. The aim is for the Committee and Secretariat to provide overall guidance to all members rather than each school having to fend for itself
The Bursar's Guide A book that offers guidance on a wide range of issues related to the management of schools. This document is written in general rather than specific terms and is a very useful manual, particularly for the new bursar.
Bulletins These are made available on the website to all members approximately 8 times per annum. They provide information and guidance on recent legislation covering such matters as employment law, finance, tax, health and safety, minibus operations, fire regulations and general matters of interest.
The Bursar’s Review There are three issues of this magazine each year with one issue comprising The Annual Report and Conference Programme. The magazine includes articles of topical interest written both by bursars and those who provide professional advice to schools.
Documents are available which include Recruiting a Bursar; Heads’, Teachers’ and Bursars’ Contracts; Guidance on Appraisal; Age Discrimination; Health & Safety General Policy Statement; Grant Assessment Forms; A Checklist of Policies for Schools; Company Secretary’s check-off list.
The Annual Conference Normally held in the first or second week of May over a period of two days. The Conference comprises plenary sessions together with workshops on topical issues, the AGM, a trade exhibition of school suppliers and the Association’s Annual Dinner. It is a valuable opportunity to learn of new developments, exchange views and discuss problems.
Professional Development The Association arranges a series of seminars on topical subjects throughout the Winter and Spring terms. To avoid duplication, these seminars are co-ordinated with professional firms who arrange their own programmes of professional development which are available to bursars. In addition, in early March each year, the Association runs a two day induction course for new bursars.
Full membership of ISBA is open, on application, to educational charities or schools which meet certain eligibility criteria. An ‘eligible school’ means a charity or other organisation which:
(a) is separately constituted under its own governing document;
(b) is (or has a governing body or member of staff who is) in full membership of any one of the associations that are constituent members of the Independent Schools Council; and
(c) either:
(i) runs a single independent school in the UK (provided that where a charity or other body runs a pre-preparatory, preparatory and/or senior school under the same Department of Education registration number it shall be treated as running a single school); or
(ii) runs more than one independent school in the UK under different Department of Education registration numbers, none of which is constituted as a charity or organisation in its own right.
Constituent members of the Independent Schools’ Council are:
Other schools or educational charities, including overseas schools, may apply for Associate Membership provided that the organisation is recognised as an educational charity and subject to the recommendation of the Executive Committee to the Annual General Meeting. Associate Members enjoy most of the privileges of Full Members, but are not members of ISBA for the purposes of the Companies Acts and do not have the right to vote at general meetings or to propose candidates for election to the Executive Committee.
Should a school or educational charity seek Full or Associate membership, they are encouraged in the first instance to telephone the General Secretary to discuss membership options. A copy of the application pack may be downloaded by clicking on the link below. Membership is by school or educational charity, rather than the individual. However, it is usual for the Governing Body to appoint the Bursar as their representative.
The annual subscription, payable by direct debit on, or soon after 1st January each year is £500 (2012). For an overseas Associate member school, the subscription is £210 (2012).
Discount for Schools with less than 200 pupils: At the ISBA AGM on 13th May 2010, a 50% discount on the full/Associate subscription was agreed to take effect from 1 July 2010. This will continue for the 2012 subscription year and will be reviewed thereafter.
Subscriptions for schools joining part way through the year are calculated on a quarterly pro rata basis.
Please click to print application pack
Please click here to view the substantive provisions of the Articles of Association