AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools)

What AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools) does

AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools) is a UK-based non-profit membership body that provides governance support, professional development, and advisory services to independent schools in the UK and internationally. Operating for over 80 years from its headquarters in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AGBIS serves the governing bodies of HMC, GSA, Society of Heads, IAPS, and ISA member schools, as well as international schools affiliated with COBIS, BSME, FOBISIA, and CIS. The Association is not a technology platform company; it operates the AGBIS Member Portal for resource access and delivers structured e-learning through a third-party platform (EduCare), with ReadyMembership used for membership administration and Zoom for webinars and virtual events.

AGBIS monetizes through a diversified revenue model: tiered annual membership subscriptions (UK schools priced at £245 for up to 200 pupils with per-pupil fees above 200; international schools at £250–£1,500), paid professional development programmes (Governance Professionals' Programme Foundation at £1,395 and Advanced at £1,495 per six-month cohort), governance reviews, strategy days (£975–£1,500), webinar recordings, and an annual salary survey report. A partnership with Nurole generates affiliate referral fees for governor and chair board-level search services, with AGBIS members receiving a 10% discount. Go-to-market is primarily sales-led through direct membership applications, industry conference presence, and referral partnerships with the major independent school associations.

The 2025 product portfolio includes the AGBIS/HMC Good Governance Programme (certification valid for 3 years), the GPP for Clerks, a new eLearning platform, the Independent School Governor Podcast, and a forthcoming AGBIS|HMC|ISBA Joint Conference 2026. AGBIS has proposed a merger with ISBA (Independent Schools Bursars Association), which would materially expand the combined organization's scope across governance and operational support. The organization's competitive position is anchored in sector brand recognition, structural partnerships with HMC/ISBA/COBIS/BSME/FOBISIA, and a diversified service portfolio spanning content, training, and consulting.

Name

AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools)

Legal name

Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools

Website

https://agbis.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AGBIS is a UK non-profit membership association that provides governance support, professional development, and advisory services to governing bodies of independent schools in the UK and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Governance Services

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory (BPAHAFAC)

Keywords

• School governance services
• Governance professional development
• Independent school advisory
• Board governance training
• Membership association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Welwyn

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. UK Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions for UK independent schools based on pupil size. Schools with up to 200 pupils pay a flat fee, with per-pupil charges for numbers above 200, and no additional charge for schools above 1500 pupils.
2. International Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership for international schools priced between £250-£1500 based on pupil numbers (200-1500 pupils).
3. Professional Development Programs: Revenue from the Governance Professionals Programme (GPP) Foundation (£1395 per 6-month cohort) and Advanced levels (£1495 per 6-month cohort), plus individual seminar and webinar fees.
4. Webinar Recordings Sales: Sale of recordings from past webinars at various price points (£60-£120 per recording) for non-members and members seeking recordings of free webinars.
5. Salary Survey Reports: Sale of the annual Heads' and Bursars' Remuneration Survey Report for £200 + VAT to non-participating schools.
6. Governance Reviews: Fee-based comprehensive governance review services for schools, including independent assessment of governance arrangements.
7. Strategy Days: Strategy facilitation days at £975 (half-day) or £1,500 (full day), plus preparation time and expenses, with reduced rates for online sessions and international schools.
8. Governor Recruitment Services: Partnership with Nurole for board-level search services, with fees starting from approximately £3,000 for Governor searches and £8,000 for Chair searches.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AGBIS is a professional membership association that provides governance advisory services, professional development programmes, and tailored support to governing bodies of UK and international independent schools. Core offerings include annual membership subscriptions, expert governance reviews, strategy facilitation days, governor recruitment services, professional qualifications (Governance Professionals' Programme and Good Governance Programme), e-learning courses, webinars, and conferences. It also produces flagship publications such as the Principles of Good Governance (PoGG) and Guidelines for Governors for member schools.

Product overview

AGBIS operates as a professional association for independent school governance offering a comprehensive suite of services through its member portal and various programmes. The core offering includes the Principles of Good Governance (PoGG) and Guidelines for Governors publications, supported by Reviews of Governance and Strategy Days services. Professional development is delivered through multiple channels: Webinars, Seminars & Conferences including the Annual Conference and Joint Conference with HMC and ISBA; eLearning Courses on a dedicated platform; Bespoke Training; AGBIS Briefings; and the Governance Professionals' Programme (GPP) at Foundation and Advanced levels. The AGBIS/HMC Good Governance Programme provides certification. Additional services include Governance Recruitment (with Nurole partnership), the Independent School Governor Podcast, and the AGBIS/Baines Cutler Salary Survey. AGBIS International extends membership to global schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AGBIS International: International arm of AGBIS offering governance support and professional knowledge to schools across the globe
• Good Governance Programme
• Governance Professionals Programme (GPP)
• Independent School Governor Podcast

Products and services

• AGBIS UK Membership
• AGBIS International Membership
• Reviews of Governance
• Strategy Days
• Governance Recruitment Services
• AGBIS/Baines Cutler Salary Survey

Quantifiable outcome

• Schools completing the Good Governance Programme receive certification valid for 3 years, demonstrating commitment to sector-leading governance

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and supporting.

• ISBA (Independent Schools Bursars Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Joint conference organizer with AGBIS and HMC for the 2026 conference 'Leading the Digital School: Strategy, Safety and Sustainability in the Age of AI' bringing together Heads/CEOs, Bursars/CFOs and Governors.
• HMC (The Heads' Conference)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-developed the Good Governance Programme with HMC in 2020 to support and recognise excellence in governance across AGBIS and HMC member schools. The programme includes five modules covering governance overview, structures, roles, and strategic planning. Joint conferences are also organized.
• COBIS (Council of British International Schools)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOBIS Supporting Associate member, offering governance expertise and professional development to British international schools worldwide.
• BSME (British Schools in the Middle East)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSME Partner Member, providing governance support and training to British schools in the Middle East region.
• FOBISIA (Federation of British International Schools in Asia)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOBISIA Families Affiliate, offering governance resources and professional development to British international schools across Asia.
• NurolecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Nurole, the leading board-level search specialist, for governor recruitment services. Nurole has placed over 200 Chairs and Governors for independent schools. AGBIS members receive 10% discount on search fees.
• VWV (law firm)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVWV sponsors the GPP Advanced programme and provides training venues for in-person modules at their London office. They also partner on webinars covering topics like serious incident reporting and governance through change.
• Farrer & CosupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner delivering webinars on safeguarding updates, complaints handling, and other governance matters for governors.
• Stone KingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner delivering webinars on SEND updates and safeguarding matters for independent school governors.
• HaysMacsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFinance partner delivering webinars on finance for non-financial governors and school financial management topics.
• HCR LawsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner delivering webinars on charity law and SEND topics for school governors.
• All-in EducationsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner delivering webinars on inclusive governor recruitment and EDI governance matters.
• First ActuarialsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPensions specialist partner delivering webinars on pensions knowledge for governors, including complimentary 30-minute training sessions.
• EduCaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationE-learning course provider integrated into AGBIS membership for delivering online training modules including safeguarding and new governor induction courses.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools): IAPS is the UK association for heads of independent preparatory schools. Many IAPS schools are AGBIS members, and the two organisations cover overlapping governance and professional development needs across the prep-school segment.
• ISA (Independent Schools Association): ISA is a UK association representing a wide range of independent schools, including many that are AGBIS members. It offers membership, training, and events that overlap with AGBIS's core service set across a slightly broader school cohort.
• ISBA (Independent Schools Bursars Association): ISBA is the UK membership association for bursars and business leaders of independent schools. It is AGBIS's closest peer in the independent schools sector and is the proposed merger partner, serving the same schools with adjacent (finance/operational) expertise.
• GSA (Girls' Schools Association): GSA is the UK association for heads of girls' independent schools and is identified alongside HMC and Society of Heads as a body whose member schools are predominantly AGBIS members — making GSA a peer serving overlapping governing bodies.
• COBIS (Council of British International Schools): COBIS is the leading membership association for British international schools worldwide and is a Supporting Associate partner of AGBIS. It serves the same international schools AGBIS International targets, with overlapping governance, training, and compliance offerings.
• BSA (Boarding Schools' Association): BSA represents UK and overseas boarding schools and provides training, inspection support, and conferences that overlap with AGBIS's professional development and governance advisory services, particularly for boarding schools.
• HMC (The Heads' Conference): HMC is the professional association for heads of UK independent schools and AGBIS's co-development partner on the Good Governance Programme. Members of AGBIS's governing bodies are overwhelmingly drawn from HMC member schools, making the two organisations deeply intertwined.

Regional players

• NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools): NAIS is the US equivalent of AGBIS, serving as the national membership association for independent schools in the United States. It offers comparable governance, professional development, and advocacy services but in a different geography.

Others

• BoardSource: BoardSource is a US-based nonprofit that supports nonprofit and school board governance through training, consulting, and resources. While geographically separate, it is thematically comparable as a sector-specialist governance advisory body.

Emerging players

• Baines Cutler: Baines Cutler is the HR and remuneration consultancy that partners with AGBIS on the annual Heads' and Bursars' Salary Survey. It operates in adjacent compensation/HR advisory services for the same independent schools AGBIS serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theindependentschoolgovernor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agbis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AGBIS (Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools)