We provide advice and assistance to local authorities and schools on a wide range of education law issues.
We provide legal advice to community, voluntary aided and academy schools on admissions, exclusions, reorganisations, employment, procurement and property issues. We advise Councils on special educational needs, school improvement, standards, strategic planning and education welfare. We clerk and provide training on exclusion panels and independent review panels and undertake advocacy at tribunals.
Our practical advice has assisted schools in avoiding judicial reviews, defending disability discrimination claims and meeting their statutory duties in cost effective ways. We offer schools support on admissions, attendance and exclusions law, compliance with statutory duties and guidance, advice and representation in litigation, support on school governance and assistance with complaints handling.
We advise authorities on strategic decision making and policy changes, school place planning, school organisation, amalgamations and closures, academy conversion and the establishment of new schools including free schools and new maintained schools, and school improvement including local authority powers of intervention.
We also offer advice to both schools and authorities on special educational needs, including compliance with duties and codes of practice, and representation at tribunal hearings for appeals against statements of special educational need and disability discrimination.
We run a well-regarded annual schools seminar covering diverse subjects, including employment law, information law, duty of care and negligence, education welfare and school attendance, child protection, special educational needs and admissions and exclusions update. We also offer training which can be adapted to specific clients’ needs.
