ISBA has a 90-year heritage supporting independent schools. It can trace 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. Its name then changed to the Independent Schools' Bursars Association in 1983.
We now have more than 1100 members including some 60 international associate members, from smaller preparatory schools to larger and well-renowned senior schools, including both boarding and day schools.
ISBA is a charitable company limited by guarantee and although it is the school and not the bursar who becomes a member of the association, it is usually the bursar or equivalent who is the school's nominated representative.
Day-to-day we advise many different staff within a school's senior management team including the bursar, finance director, chief operations officer, business manager, deputy or assistant with areas of responsibility encompassing accounting, financial management and reporting, risk management, regulatory compliance, facilities management, HR, technology, environmental sustainability, auxiliary services and many more.
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. We are also often called on to represent the ISC at meetings with the DfE, HSE and Teachers' Pensions providing advice on bursarial matters.
Supporting independent schools since 1932
