be prepared for the 2022-23 academic year

With the challenges posed by government policy U-turns, a cost-of-living crisis and now ongoing industrial action it’s clear that preparedness, resilience, and retaining focus on achieving the best outcomes for pupils is more important than ever.

We’re committed to tackling these challenges with you, working together.

That’s why we’re constantly developing the support we offer to equip you to face current and emerging challenges, as efficiently, effectively, and safely as you can.

Here's how we can help you be prepared for 2023:

• Complaint management
• Industrial action
• Keep children safe
• Manage exclusions effectively
• Handle admissions appeals
• Handle personal data securely
• Get the best from your people
• Join a multi academy trust

be prepared for complaint management

Many schools are reporting a significant increase in the workload generated by the volume and complexity of complaints from parents.

Many schools have experienced a significant increase in the workload generated by the volume and complexity of complaints they receive, particularly from parents. That’s why our team of legal experts has prepared best practice resources to enable academies and trusts to handle complaints efficiently and effectively.

Complaints management support pack

This comprehensive range of resources includes model complaints procedure and policy documents and a suite of editable letters and supporting resources to give you the confidence that you’re:

• implementing policy and processes that are up to date and legally compliant
• following best practice and consistent in the way you handle complaints
• saving time and resource, getting it right first time, every time. 

Register for the complaints management support pack

be prepared for industrial action

With strike action ongoing for the weeks ahead, effective planning and management is essential to minimising disruption to your pupils’ learning.

Industrial action can also raise some difficult personnel issues, regarding strike participation and pay.

That’s why we’ve developed a range of best practice resources to help you prepare, including:

• industrial action timeline with step-by-step guidance
• template letters to employees, unions and parents
• compliance checklists and risk assessments

Our practical guidance draws on the issues raised with us since the strikes were announced such as:

• Can we ask staff whether they are part of a union?
• Can non-union members strike and be protected?
• What do we do about safeguarding if we bring in agency staff?
• Can we require striking teachers to set work?
• What if a teacher says they can’t come in because their child's school is closed?

We address all of these issues and more, offering pragmatic solutions to the challenges you face.

Register for the Industrial Action Support Pack

be prepared to keep children safe 

What are the implications for your school following the publication of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report? Find out how the report’s recommendations could impact schools and what steps you can take.

High quality safeguarding training, tailored for:

Governors and trustees

Lead governor / trustee

Designated Safeguarding Leads

Safer Recruitment

Accessible online compliance training for all school staff

Other support includes:

Quickcall

MAT PartnerPlus

Free on-demand webinar running through the key changes

Safer Recruitment Support Pack

Briefings, guidance and updates from our safeguarding experts

All safeguarding children support

be prepared to manage exclusions effectively 

The latest DfE guidance on exclusions and suspensions changes the behaviour, suspension and exclusion framework; is your school or trust ready?

Available support includes:

Guidance on Behaviour in Schools – advice on how you can adapt

A support pack of resources and templates to manage the whole process

Training sessions for senior leaders and governing boards

For all the support you need to manage school exclusions visit:

All school exclusions support

be prepared to handle admissions appeals

The School Admissions Appeals Code 2022 is now in force and offers the option of virtual and physical hearings for appeals. Admission authorities are expected to adapt their operations accordingly.

We’re on hand to help prepare you for any appeals that come your way.

• Advice on handling issues such as:
  • prejudice statements
  • parental complaints
  • investigations by regulatory bodies
• Training sessions for clerks and admissions officers
• Clerking services

These services are available in-person or virtually, to fit your requirements.

All admissions appeals support

be prepared to handle personal data securely

Our expert data protection lawyers assist on the approaches you should be taking, advising on all areas of information law from the implications of data protection and GDPR to the Freedom of Information Act.

Available support includes:

Continuous professional development for Data Protection Officers (DPOs)

• for Data Protection Officers (DPOs). Available at foundation, intermediate, advanced and master class levels, providing DPOs with all they need to keep up to date in 2023.

DPO helpline

• providing instant access all year round to our expert education data protection lawyers

Data protection e-learning for all staff

• engaging online training, providing you with management tools to evaluate outcomes and plug knowledge gaps.

All managing data and mitigating risk support

be prepared to get the best from your people

Your people are your most valuable asset and we know you’ll want them to hit the ground running, come the start of term!

Our HR Services for schools and academies offer high-quality employment advice and with fixed-term, pay as you go or bespoke support as you need it, we have a solution to meet your needs.

Other support includes:

Education and HR Policies

• high quality documents to help you be compliant and ensure consistency

Template support pack

• hundreds of ready-to-use documents to support your processes and meet best practice

HR Pathways

• continuous professional development for trust leaders

Executive coaching for education

• ideal for CEOs and trust leaders

Top tips for recruiting staff on a budget

All HR services and support

be prepared to join a multi academy trust

The academies programme has been successive governments’ flagship education policy and the DfE recently announced the 10,000th academy conversion.

We’ve helped handle one in five (over 2,000) of these conversions so we’re well placed to advise schools who are yet to embark on this journey. We’ve prepared guidance to support senior leaders, trustees and governors of maintained schools and single academy trusts as they consider the future of their school.

Available resources include:

New guidance: understanding academy trusts

‘Taking the next step’ guidance

• developed in collaboration with the NGA and ASCL

MAT mergers

• a guide for trustees developed with the NGA

Good governance

• essential advice to avoid falling foul of the EFSA

Why join a trust

Understanding academy trusts

All academy conversion support