Examining risk for independent schools in 2026

This episode tackles a quiet but growing issue in many independent schools: everyone feels the risk levels rising – pupil numbers, fees, cyber, estates, complaints – but risk management still lives in a dusty register or an over-engineered spreadsheet. John Murphie and Elise Tonnard strip the jargon out of “business risk” for charity and non-charity schools, and show how to turn it into a simple, live tool for decision-making. They walk through five practical risk buckets that actually matter in schools, share how to avoid tick-box registers, and offer a one-page starting point you can stand up this term without hiring consultants or building a whole new framework. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:Define business risk in plain language as “uncertainty that affects your school’s objectives”, not a specialist discipline.Sort your risks into five usable buckets – strategic, operational, financial, compliance and reputational – with school-based examples.Build a straightforward, one-page risk log using likelihood/impact and clear ownership, instead of chasing the perfect template.Use simple termly reviews, “what’s moved?” conversations and top-10 lists to keep governors strategic and out of operational rabbit holes.Run a short risk workshop this term that surfaces key risks, assigns owners and agrees on next steps – without turning it into an all-day conference. WHO THIS EPISODE IS FORHeads, bursars, business managers, governors and senior ops leaders in UK independent schools who are juggling sustainability, compliance and reputation, want a clearer grip on risk, and need something more practical than a theoretical risk appetite statement – but lighter than a full corporate framework. RESOURCES & LINKShttps://theeducationperiscope.com/Get in touch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.