Education solicitors

BWB has for many years provided specialist services to the full range of organisations and individuals within the education sector. This work has developed further in recent years in association with the plethora of public and private sector initiatives in education and the changes they have engendered.

Our expertise is, as commercial lawyers, acting for businesses providing education services, in our extensive engagement with the three-way meeting place between the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, in our specialisations in charity and social enterprise and public and regulatory law, particularly complaints, grievance and disciplinary procedures and in our particular appreciation of the needs of not-for-profit and public sector organisations in relation to employment law, property matters and general and public sector contracting.

To this, is added particular experience and knowledge of the regulatory regimes and regulation based issues applicable in the various fields of education, including in relation to registration and inspection, course and qualification accreditation, child and vulnerable adult protection and the particular and developing application of contract law to providers and consumers of education services.

Our range of our work covers:

Early years: We have long acted for clients providing early years play, childcare and early education services and in recent years have been involved in the impact upon them of the Sure Start and Every Child Matters agendas and most recently in the reorganisation of Children’s Services in local authorities and extended schools. Julian Blake was involved in a project promoted by Playwork Partnerships writing a practical guide entitled: “Getting it Right Legally: Status and Structure for Play and Childcare Organisations” in 2005, which has been disseminated, nationwide, through a series of seminars during 2006.

Maintained schools: We have acted in the establishment and reorganisation of state schools, in the past as a result of legal and structural requirements and more recently in establishing Academy Schools and in advising in relation to Foundation School status. We established and act for Teach First. Mary Groom brings her particular personal experience of having worked as a science teacher in a comprehensive school for 10 years before re-qualifying as a lawyer.

Independent schools: We are retained solicitors to the Independent Schools Council and have a number of independent schools as long established clients. We have been particularly involved in the Charities Act debates concerning the provision of public benefit by independent schools and our competition law expertise has application in relation to the high profile OFT investigation.

Special schools: We act for the National Association of Special Schools and several of the largest charitable organisations providing specialist schools for their beneficiary groups.

Further and Higher Education: We act for the Council for Independent Further Education. We have acted in the establishment and reorganisation of several further and higher education institutions and act as commercial law advisers to various universities and tertiary colleges. We are also deeply involved in assisting student unions and student societies in the application of general legal principles to their status and activities. We have produced a governance booklet for student unions in association with the National Union of Students and The Association for Managers in Students Unions. We also act for a number of Principals of FE colleges.

Education Support Services: We act for many organisations in this sector including those providing accredited qualifications, those providing inspection services, those which manage and operate educational institutions, those dedicated to supporting and supplementing education provision, those educating the educators in teaching skills, leadership and IT and those involved in youth support.

Professional education: We have established, reorganised and continue to act for organisations providing professional education to, for example, journalists and lawyers, nationally and internationally.

Specialist schools and colleges: We act for organisations providing specialist education to children, for example, in drama, ballet and cookery and a number of specialist drama and performing arts colleges.

Adult education: We reorganised and act for the Sector Skills Council, Lifelong Learning UK and have established, reorganised and continue to act for several of the most prominent organisations in this sector, including the WEA.

International: We have been involved in a wide range of international projects in relation to exchange schemes, the establishment of schools, the expansion of universities through the establishment of international branches and the full range of educational activities undertaken by charities overseas.