Governance of schools and colleges
Effective governance is an essential part of any organisation. School, academy and college governors have a difficult task – as unpaid volunteers they are responsible for providing effective leadership, direction and control of their schools and colleges. Good governance requires an active governing board working with a strong leadership team to create effective corporate governance throughout the organisation.
Our experienced team gives you access to experts (including National Leaders in Governance) in the full range of corporate and governance issues. Those relevant to the education sector include academy projects, governance structures, multi-academy trust structures, joint ventures and commercial arrangements, collaboration, alliance arrangements and trading companies. Our team has an excellent reputation for providing practical, commercial and innovative advice.
- Advising on all constitutional matters and on conflicts of interest
- Facilitating board strategy days
- Governance training on a range of issues including legal duties, decision-making and board relations
- Governance reviews in line with the National Leader of Governance criteria
- Strategic support to boards
- Advising on EFA, DfE and OFSTED requirements.
- Providing options appraisals
- Delivering horizon-scanning sessions for boards on latest developments/trends in the sector
Featured experience
A well-established and traditional multi-academy trust
Supporting a well-established and traditional multi-academy trust in reviewing its governance arrangements. We provided a succinct report including a range of options that could be adopted to enhance their governance arrangements together with links and sign-posting of relevant research. The MAT were then able to use the meeting with us and the advice note to make the enhancements they wished to adopt.
A high-performing primary multi-academy trust
Working with a high-performing primary multi-academy trust that had been successfully operating for a number of years to review its approach to governance including local governance. We worked with the MAT to design a suitable approach to governance that supported their vision and values whilst also meeting the DfE’s requirements.
A multi-academy trust comprising secondary, primary and special schools
Supporting a multi-academy trust comprising secondary, primary and special schools with a number of twilight training sessions for their main board and their local governing bodies. The sessions were interactive and supported the continued development of links between the local and main boards. Following the training we then provided a short report on recommended actions that could be adopted to enhance governance arrangements at the MAT.
Key contacts
Nick MacKenzie
Partner
.jpg)
Victoria Hatton
Senior Associate
.jpg)
Hayley O'Sullivan
Senior Associate
Testimonials
“They were excellent. They listened to our requirements, worked with me and our Chief Executive Officer to develop the structure for the event and activity associated with any input. They designed a session to provoke discussion on effective governance in preparation for continual improvement in the governance arrangements for our Trust.”
You may be interested in...
Press Release
Browne Jacobson’s school leaders survey illustrates rising volume of parental complaints and impact on teachers
Podcast - #EdInfluence
#EdInfluence podcast (series 3) - in conversation with inspiring leaders
Legal Update
All change at Companies House - Corporate Transparency Act
Legal Update
New case on the reasonable adjustment duty for pupils in schools
Published Article
Proactive handling of vexatious complaints and abuse of staff in schools
Published Article
Navigating parental complaints in turbulent times
Legal Update
Inspector conduct – what will Ofsted do about it?
Legal Update
School staff pay – how are academies responding to national recommendations?
Published Article
Parental complaints surge: how can schools stay afloat?
Opinion
Cross-sector collaboration and civic leadership: Round table insight
Guide
Education sector contracts – top 10 tips on how to get it right
Opinion
Overcoming barriers: Building leadership resilience in MATs
Legal Update - RAAC
RAAC: the tip of the iceberg for school building safety
Legal Update
School exclusions guidance: Managed moves between schools
Legal Update
Academy Trust Handbook 2023: Short sharp focus
Legal Update
Lessons learnt: Handling a vexatious complaint - case study
Published Article - RAAC
RAAC: 5 questions to guide investigations
Legal Update
Back to school – prepare to make light work of managing complaints
Press Release
School leaders significantly dissatisfied with current government policies across the board, new research reveals
Legal Update
Government guidance on trans-pupils imminent
Legal Update
The Academies regulatory review and school complaints
On-Demand
Flexible working in schools webinar
Legal Update
High Court dismisses Welsh RSE right to withdraw claim
Guide
FAQs - converting to academy status
Legal Update
The Schools Bill – law no more
In July, we published an update on the Schools Bill with the news that the proposed legislation relating to new academy standards and extended intervention powers for academy trusts would be removed. Last week, we received broader news of the dropping of the Bill, with education secretary Gillian Keegan announcing that it will not reach its third reading in the House of Lords.Guide
Good governance essential to avoid falling foul of the ESFA
There’s been little evidence of interventions or financial management reviews this year and it appears the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has re-focussed on financial delivery. It’s also telling that there were no discernible changes to the reporting of financial irregularities in the Academies Trust Handbook 2022.
Legal Update
Hair discrimination – stop pupils being unfairly singled-out for their appearance
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHCR) recently issued new, non-statutory guidance regarding the wearing of natural or protective hairstyles, specifically in reference to their representation in uniform, behaviour or standalone appearance policies.
Legal Update
Complaints management in schools - exploring a new way forward
Guide
Virtual AGMs
Guide
Setting up a trading subsidiary – a guide for academy trusts
We’re pleased to collaborate with Lloyds Bank, who recently asked us and audit and risk specialists Crowe UK to offer guidance that academy trusts would find helpful when considering setting up a trading subsidiary.
Legal Update
DfE Trust Capacity Fund
The DfE has published new guidance and opened the application process for window two of the Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF) for 2022/2023, with a fund of £86m in trust capacity funding focused particularly on education investment areas.
Press Release
Law firm picks up record breaking sixth Education Investor Award
Browne Jacobson’s education team has been named as winner of the ‘Legal Advisors to Education Institutions’ category at the Education Investor Awards 2022 for a record sixth time.
Press Release
Thousands take part in virtual careers event to help increase diversity in the legal profession
Over 3000 young people from across the UK and Ireland took part in a virtual legal careers insight event, aimed at making the legal profession more diverse.
Opinion
How does the UK Education Sector fare amidst the energy crisis?
Opinion
Grammar schools revisited?
The words “Grammar schools” are once again being whispered in government and the question of whether the creation of new grammar schools will finally be implemented as a central focus to DFE policy has re-surfaced.
Opinion
Why you shouldn’t buy a dragon with school budget
As a result of a recent Charity Commission legal action, the former trustee of a Welsh charity was ordered to pay over £117,000 to Wrexham charities which support cancer patients.
Opinion
School complaints culture and staff support
In this article we set out some of the support that's available to schools in a bid to reduce the overhead that complaints management generates.
Opinion
Insights from the DfE on pandemic recovery and major policies
On 21 September 2022, we had the pleasure of hosting a Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) lunchtime briefing, delivered by the Director General for the DfE’s Strategy Group, Julia Kinniburgh.
Legal Update
Browne Jacobson’s market leading Education expertise recognised again in latest Legal 500 rankings
The new set of Legal 500 directory rankings have been published and we are proud to once again be recognised as one of the country’s leading firms advising the Education sector.
