Matheu Smith offers advice on planning for HMRC challenges to prepayment arrangements
Features
A detailed conversation with Karl Gross, about King’s International's growth strategy and future plans.
How can your board most effectively oversee the educational aspects of school life? asks Durrell Barnes
The competition is hot, and an open day event is your main opporunoity to sell your school says Katie Cardona
Richard Moir reviews the implications and opportunities in real estate for independent schools from the business rate and VAT changes.
Socrates Socratous summarises the main technical considerations of the government’s formal policy announcement
David Parker from estate agent Savills describes how changes to business rate relief will affect the independent school sector.
Ian Allsop describes how the head and bursar at a school in Birmingham have developed their working partnership
Mike Ward offers advice about the risks of money laundering to independent schools.
Craig McLaughlin provides key information about managing risk and health and safety hazards when employing contactors
Accountancy firm RSM partner Matthew Humphrey discusses how to manage your school’s risks
Paul Sypko describes how to develop an improvement in business processes in schools
Katie Cardona explains how a nursery can drive up pupil numbers to a school.
Safeguarding trainer and consultant Dave Wasley paints a scenario of a serious safeguarding threat involving an independent school and the best ways to deal with it.
Anthony Longden, a consultant at PR firm Alder, explores a hypothetical case involving the treatment of a pupil accused of bullying
Simon Johns, a partner at property firm Gerald Eve, says buildings maintenance is undervalued by schools.
Sarah Outram, a legal director for law firm VWV, outlines key considerations when refinancing schools’ property portfolios.
Steve Harper, a partner at accountancy firm haysmacintyre, offers finance advice for heads.
Navigator Law’s HR business partner Ruth Gladwell completes our special focus by reviewing how we reward staff
Navigator Law's HR business partner Ruth Gladwell offers advice on the importance of engaging positively with employees.
Navigator Law’s HR business partner Ruth Gladwell describes how to nurture a positive work environment.
Law firm Siân Champkin partner Siân Champkin analyses the latest merger activity in the independent sector.
Inspired Learning Group’s chief executive Amit Mehta explains the philosophy behind the 25-strong school group he created over the past 10 years
Preena Patel, a solicitor at law firm BDB Pitmans, asks whether you should consider a governance review
Andrew Maiden talks to Alex Jenne about the relationship between the head and the bursar at his school.
Ian McLean advises conducting a thorough feasibility study before undergoing a major project to raise funds for your school.
Jack Harty, Devon Earth Centre manager at Kingsley School in Bideford, describes the drive towards sustainability at his school.
Charlie Barnes says schools should review their holiday pay processes and offers guidance for employees earning the National Minimum Wage
Nicky Miller and Natalie Wargent assess a new law that will impose duties on schools to mitigate threats from terrorism.
Kate Parkinson advises going back to basics regarding your school’s operations.
Paul Sypko provides advice about making informed technical support choices in education.
Mike Buchanan recommends the power of movement to improve creative and strategic thinking.
Ian Allsop outlines a scenario to help decide whether to set up an international operation.
Tim Toulmin and Anthony Longden consider a scenario where a head is having difficult relations with his or her staff.
Morgan Allen, a partner at property firm Gerald Eve, reflects on the considerations in arriving at an opinion of the value of school properties.
Katie Cardona explains why establishing a nursery as part of an independent prep school can be a valuable addition
Daniel Cohen says schools must recognise what different parents prioritise
Andrew Maiden sets out a general health and safety checklist for potential hazards around your school
Law firm VWV’s partner Siân Champkin analyses the latest merger activity in the independent sector
Law firm BDB Pitmans partners Tim Hayes and Jonathan Brinsden consider a scenario about a complaint against a teacher’s behaviour on a school trip
Jennifer Gill, a director at property advisor Savills, discusses how to withstand today’s financial pressures
Steven Murray provides a scenario on how to handle parent trying to avoid paying fees
The annual budget shouldn’t be considered in isolation, but aligned to your school’s longer-term financial plans, says Tracey Young
Leanne Chandler reports on the Schools’ Enterprise Association’s annual conference and explains how schools can make the most of a diversified revenue stream.
Carolyn Reed stresses the importance of understanding your brand and defining it to all your school’s stakeholders.
Rachel Hadley-Leonard on the importance of ensuring that parents get an individual experience of your school
David Preston. headmaster of Arnold Lodge School in Leamington Spa discusses the strategic changes that drove his school’s growth.
Durell Barnes reports on what school leaders and governors can learn from the first term of the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s reports under the new framework.
ISM talks to Kate Martin, head of Mowden Hall School in Northumberland,
Ian McLean explains how a sustained school development programme is more than just fundraising
Jonathan Hill explains the key considerations when hiring EU summer school staff.
Heather Lamont describes how schools can ensure they are responsible investors as well as protecting their portfolios
Craig McLaughlin provides tips for preventing slips, trips and falls in and around your school
In a new regular series, we provide the latest best rates for bank deposits. Ian Buss accesses those from deposit platforms, while MoneyFacts offers the best rates it has identified
Nigel Aylwin-Foster completes his series on how to achieve your school estate’s decarbonisation plan
Jane Askew opens a new series to help heads with a greater financial understanding of their school
Morgan Allen outlines some of the challenges related to property and its management faced by independent schools and how they can be addressed.
Paul Watkins proffers advice about how to deal with the growing phenomenon of subject access requests
Paul Sypko outlines how to achieve effective procurement of information communications technology software in schools.
Durell Barnes discusses the implementation of the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s new inspection framework and highlights what to watch out for.
Alice Unwin sets out a scenario of possible responses for a governor to consider as a result of a school’s trading subsidiary
With schools needing to maximise their income, John Foskett advises on setting up a trading subsidiary.
Susie Luckman says fees in advance schemes can help parents combat the VAT threat
Stewart Ward examines the impact of household cash flows on your school’s cash flow
Duncan Murphy sets out a new approach to understanding fee pricing in independent schools
Law firm VWV’s Siân Champkin introduces a new regular feature on merger activities in the sector.
Inspired Learning Group’s Amit Mehta questions whether selling a school to a commercial operator is seen as a failure
James Tooley on the philosophy, history and outcomes of the launch of a low-cost school in Durham
Independent School management talks to Dai Preston, head of Arnold Lodge School in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
Short-termism never works in development. It needs to be structured carefully with a focus on building relationships for the long term. Ian McLean reports on the essential steps to success
Annabel Green reveals why independent schools can celebrate record levels of income generation
Daniel Cohen outlines ways to maintain and/or improve your school admissions practices
Carolyn Reed and Katie Cardona reveal how to combat the potential fallout from an unforeseen crisis
David Kelly explains how to mitigate the increasing threat of floods to your school campus
Colin Laidlaw revisits an issue of concern to independent schools with a new perspective on VAT on fees
Andrew Altman outlines the latest changes in business rates and assesses their effects on your school estate
Tiffany Fleming offers advice on how to prepare the next generation of your school leaders
The Charity Commission has published a refreshed version of its guidance on investing charity money. What has changed – and do you need to act? Heather Lamont reports
Nigel Aylwin-Foster continues his series on the decarbonisation of the school campus by looking at how to develop an effective plan
Procedures for dealing with apparent suppliers must always be robust as new forms of fraud continue to provide ingenious tests for schools’ protection. Ian Buss reports
Susan Ball outlines the potential pitfalls of managing employment-related tax matters.
Craig Lawrence outlines the reasons for continually revisiting your school’s strategy
Charlotte Melhuish discusses how schools should respond to claims of discrimination and the key considerations for governors
The social profile of governors has changed little over the years and, in changing times, is your governing body doing all it can to reflect the make up of the people it serves? Mike Buchanan digs a little deeper.
Everybody’s talking about it, but governors must get a grip on artificial intelligence to be able to make decisions about it, as Durell Barnes reports
Emma Swann sets out the key changes to statutory guidance for school hire facilities agreements
Dorothy McLaren questions Adele Greaves, director of commercial operations at The Mill Hill Education Group, about how she has increased the revenue from lettings income
Ian Daniel reports on the successful merger of two schools, with insights on how it was achieved.
Suzie Longstaff joined London Park Schools as principal in April this year, a new senior schools’ group in London that is part of Dukes Education.
Development should be at the heart of a school’s central management function, but it’s no good just wishing and hoping for a lucky financial return
Establishing external relations can make a critical contribution to a school's finances
Carolyn Reed and Katie Cardona set out the protocols for making effective change while keeping stakeholders on board
Apprenticeships specialist James Whybrow highlights how they can be used as part of your school’s workforce.
Tiffany Fleming considers how a Labour government might redefine school recruitment models.
Phil Holdcroft has faced daunting challenges in military conflict but nothing prepared him for a challenge closer to home
Mohammed Darwish reports on opportunities in an emirate which welcomes UK independent schooling