0370 270 6000

Search

Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

Sign in with LinkedIn

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Register with LinkedIn

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

For-profit schools on the horizon

For-profit schools on the horizon?

25 June 2014

If there is one topic in education capable of lighting a touch paper it is that of for-profit schools. In his speech on Tuesday to The Fabian Society, Tristram Hunt, the Shadow Education Secretary warned that applying the profit motive to schools could easily happen if the Conservatives win the next election.

His comments will reignite this debate. Last year there was a leak of alleged discussions within the DfE to consider allowing free schools and academies to make a profit. In 2012 Michael Gove told the Leveson Inquiry that we could move to a position of free schools making a profit but that ‘we should cross that bridge when we come to it’. Whether we are close to that bridge as we move towards a general election remains to be seen.

Tristram Hunt referred to the Swedish experience as an ‘unmitigated disaster’. If the Conservatives do have plans to introduce such a measure it will be interesting to see what examples are used to support any proposals.

Related opinions

Asbestos: Still the UK’s number one occupational killer

A ResPublica report highlighted that asbestos continues to be the UK’s number one occupational killer, with nurses and teachers 3 to 5 times more likely to develop mesothelioma than the general UK population. The House of Commons Work & Pensions Select Committee is investigating how the HSE manages the continued presence of asbestos in buildings.

Head of Education, Mark Blois celebrates 25 years of being an education lawyer

Mark Blois, Browne Jacobson’s national Head of Education, is marking a notable anniversary, an incredible 25 years as an education lawyer.

Be wary of events post-dating the presentation of an Employment Tribunal claim

In Sakyi-Opare v Albert Kennedy Trust, the EAT held that an Employment Tribunal erred in deciding a claim was out of time because it did not first consider the claimant’s application to amend her claim, which included events that post-dated her claim.

A level results: what this means for schools and higher education?

This year’s A Level results have been a resounding success and demonstrate the commitment and resilience of students, schools and school staff during these unprecedented times. However, there will inevitably be some students who are disappointed with the teacher assessed grade.

View all blogs

Adrian Shardlow

Partner

Mailing list sign up

Select which mailings you would like to receive from us.

Sign up