Philip Wood
Senior Associate
Birmingham
philip.wood@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 2274
Philip is a senior associate specialising in education law and has over ten years of experience in advising a range of institutions including schools, academies, local authorities, and universities with a particular interest in admissions, exclusions/student disciplinary, discrimination and complex academy transfers and mergers.
He works with a huge variety of education clients, from the largest trusts in the country to single schools, and that variety means he’s able to provide learning and experience from one to the other, often acting as a connector to different clients that have experienced similar matters.
Prior to joining Browne Jacobson, Philip worked for a local authority advising on SEND, admissions and disability discrimination including his own advocacy. Philip was previously the advice manager for the National Governance Association, advising and training schools on everything from exclusions to strategic thinking. As part of his role at NGA, he was part of the group that developed various editions of the Academy Trust Handbook and the DfE’s admissions working group that looked at changes to the Admissions Code.
Expertise
Featured experience
Defending a Disability Discrimination Claim
Defending a school against multiple claims of disability discrimination relating to lockdown from a parent, including in relation to the lack of support and reasonable adjustments and denying a place in school during the first Covid lockdown. All claims were successfully dismissed.
Rebrokered Academy Transfer
Representing a large MAT in respect of a complicated academy transfer of an academy in deficit that was being managed by the ESFA.
No Outsiders
Advising a number of schools in relation to the ‘No Outsider’ protests relating to sex and relationships and citizenship education. This included advising on a judicial review claim which was ultimately defended.
University Sexual Harassment complaint
Assisting a Russell Group university on alleged sexual harassment between two students and the ways in which the university should manage the case and process.
Testimonials
"Thank you so much Philip for your excellent advice and work on this … you have been wonderful!!!!"
You may be interested in...
Legal Update
School exclusions guidance: Managed moves between schools
On-Demand
Working to the updated school exclusions guidance – practical steps to take
Legal Update
Changes to Exclusions Guidance for September 2023
Press Release
Education team maintains clean sweep of top rankings in latest legal directories
Browne Jacobson’s education team has again been confirmed as a national powerhouse after securing five Tier 1 rankings relating to Education in the latest edition of Legal 500 and maintaining a Band 1 UK-wide ranking for Education in Chambers & Partners UK 2023.
Legal Update - Public matters newsletter
Public Matters - October 2022
Updates include UK Shared Prosperity Fund, contracts, Subsidy Control Bill, data controller liability, Government Covid-19 procurement and Highway Code revisions.
Legal Update
Update on schools admissions
As we start the Autumn term, the first part of the process for changing school admission arrangements can begin.
Legal Update
New statutory guidance on school suspensions and exclusions now published
New statutory guidance on school exclusions has now been published, along with new Behaviour in Schools Guidance. The new guidance incorporates changes recommended in Edward Timpson’s May 2019 report on school exclusions. The new guidance will apply to any exclusion or suspension decisions taken from 1 September 2022.
On-Demand
The White and Green Papers are out - what next? webinar
At the end of March, the Department for Education finally published the long-awaited White and Green Papers.
On-Demand
School exclusions and suspensions update
Watch our on-demand webinar as we explain the proposed changes and help you understand how they’ll affect you and your school.
Legal Update
School Admissions Code 2021 – are you ready for implementation?
On-Demand
School Admissions Code 2021
The School Admissions Code 2021 was recently published by the Department for Education and, subject to parliamentary approval, will be implemented this September. Catch up on the key changes that will impact the way in which your admissions system will need to operate.
Legal Update
School Admissions Code 2021 – what you need to know
The School Admissions Code 2021 (“the Code”) was recently published by the Department for Education (DfE) following a consultation exercise in summer 2020. The Code is currently subject to parliamentary approval, but it will be in force from 1 September 2021.
Training
Grades without exams: getting equality duties right
In the second of our three-part ‘Grades without Exams’ series, we explored the equality issues arising from the process for determining grades without exams in summer 2021.
Legal Update
Sixth form admissions and over-offering
Following Ofqual’s announcement that GCSE students will be able to take the higher of their Centre Assessed Grades or the standardised grade, sixth forms that made more external offers than they have places have been contacting us about what they can do where they would have many more students in the sixth form than they can accommodate.