More than just paying the bills

Earlier this year I attended my first Independent Schools Bursars Association conference. Perhaps it was because it was in Harrogate, Herriot Country — but I couldn’t help noticing a severe case of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. Bursars certainly come in a bewildering variety of breeds — some are preened, some are plumped and some are rather more unkempt; some are starting to creak a little around the edges and some are spring chickens, while sizes vary from Chihuahua to Saint Bernard (complete with flask of brandy). I even spotted one fellow who was the spitting image of Mrs Pumphrey’s pampered Pekinese, Tricki-Woo. Yet, despite the enormous diversity, we most definitely have one thing in common: we are all passionate about our schools and the education that they provide.

The bursar’s role, with the help of our teams, is to provide a safe and well maintained campus, financial acumen and good planning. As Sir John Jones, the keynote speaker in Harrogate, wisely noted, what a parent wants above all else is a school where their children can be safe, make friends and be happy. It is the duty of each and every member of a school’s staff to ensure that they make this happen.

We, as bursars, are very aware of the immense financial sacrifices parents make in order to send their children to an independent school. Fees have increased at a faster rate than wage inflation for many years, which is due to many factors, including an increase in consumer expectations. As a pupil at Radley College in the 1980s I lived cheerfully in pretty basic circumstances. There was a thriving black market economy for secondhand desks, posters, lamps and drapes. One year I even had to provide my own carpet. Quite rightly, nobody would put up with this today (and I am sure that subsequent bursars at Radley have changed things).