Academies and Maintained Schools

We can support you in creating a robust complaints policy for parents and members of the public, and advise you in respect of handling complaints, mediation and pupil discipline issues.

We support with articles of association, funding agreements and compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook. We conduct external governance reviews and review governing documents. We also provide guidance on making significant changes to your academy in line with DfE requirements.

We provide advice for clients who are looking to enter into Collaboration Agreements with other educational organisations, and support with setting up trading subsidiaries.

We review safeguarding procedures including safeguarding policies, low-level concerns, child-on-child abuse, and anti-bullying or pupil behaviour policies and provide staff training to ensure compliance with statutory guidance.

We provide assistance with appeals in respect of Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans, and can challenge decisions to name your school in a child’s EHC Plan including before the First Tier SEND Tribunal or the Secretary of State for Education.

We can carry out a mini-review of your school, focusing on safeguarding, governance arrangements, and a review of your policies and practices. If needed, we’ll challenge Ofsted’s findings.

The team advises on commercial contracts, from preparing standard terms and conditions for goods and services to advice on the operation of day-to-day cleaning and transport contracts.

We can support your school during claims from personal injury on school trips to property damage and commercial disputes. Our risk management support includes corporate manslaughter legislation as well as non-fatal investigations.

We are trusted to support academies on all employment law issues from recruitment to trade union matters and outsourcing.

Our construction team will support you putting in place the necessary transfers or leases and seeking requisite consent, and provide advice on the use of your site, relevant licences and building contracts.