Education trading companies

Acting for a group of academies who collaborated by using a trading company to address behaviour and attendance issues where the local authority were unable to continue providing services. We provided guidance on the governance structures and also advised on the impact of employment and pensions on the operation of the company. We also put in place stringent arrangements to ensure the academies complied with EFA requirements.

Acting for a group schools (which includes academies, maintained schools and private schools) in forming a company to support collaborative arrangements whereby the schools would jointly tender to sponsor four brand new schools to be built by the local authority through targeted need provision funding. The project involved putting in place robust governance arrangements necessary to support joint working.

Advising a teaching school alliance on establishing a trading company to support their teaching school activities. This involved advising on the most appropriate governance structure and on key aspects of use of a company, including the advice on impact on student loans, ensuring that appropriate membership and alliance arrangements were in place and also ensuring there were appropriate contractual protections in place between the teaching school company and the students.