Bloom Street
Salford
Manchester
M3 6AJ
Schools, Colleges & Universities
Our Education team has extensive experience of advising and representing Schools and Colleges, Local Authorities and educational institutions, as well as parents, who regularly take advantage of our unique combination of employment, public law, and education law expertise. Many members of the team are Governors and one member has recently been accredited as a National Lead in Governance offering mentoring services to Chairs of Governors.
Who we work with:
We work with Parents, Pupils, Teachers, Senior Leaders at local authority Maintained and Voluntary Aided schools, Academy chains, Free schools, Local Authorities, Dioceses and Universities. We recognise the importance of making your choices the correct ones for the regulatory framework within which you work.
Examples of our work:
Special Needs/Looked After Children
We are regularly instructed to represent both Local Authorities and parent at appeals to the First Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).
We advise Local Authorities as well as Senior leaders in schools/Dioceses in meeting their statutory duties to looked-after children and children with special needs. We will help your professional response, particularly in facing criticism after an adverse incident /verdict, and in producing a prompt and appropriate plan for future prevention as well as immediate damage limitation.
Safeguarding
It will often be an adverse incident that triggers an immediate need for a thorough professional review.
We advise Local Authorities, Safeguarding boards, School leaders and Pastoral Management in preventing and addressing abuse, bullying and harassment, bearing in mind both the more vulnerable children and also staff members. We draft Safeguarding policies, providing modern insight into the use of social media, and reviewing and introducing change into contracts of employment.
Conflict management within leadership governance and the employment Law implications.
On occasion, disputes can emerge between Governors and Head, or between Head and leadership team, requiring prompt and independent mediation. Such issues can be strategically damaging to the morale of both staff and your school community. They can also involve issues of Pay and Performance, Part Time Working, Over-Zealous Governors, Harassment or Bullying of staff.
Critical Incident
We advise and support senior leaders at times of potential Police or Heath and Safety investigation.
Training
As importantly, we train both professionals and students. We seek to share our knowledge base in areas as diverse as Special Educational Needs, Safeguarding, Professional or Student Misconduct and Human Resources Management.