
Further education
At Browne Jacobson, we have been supporting further education (FE) institutions of all types for many years. Through our years of experience in FE and the wider education sector, and our recognition as thought leaders in education, we help FE institutions respond to the challenges of funding decline and the opportunities to do things differently. This, and our ability to develop strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, puts us at the centre of FE modernisation.
Our market leading work in reorganisations, mergers and academy sponsorships puts us at the forefront of the learning and skills agenda and some of society’s biggest issues. Our specialisms include advising on commercial contracts, information sharing and data protection, health and safety, HR and employment law issues, governance, safeguarding and learner conduct and welfare.
Our advice has included supporting an FE college in a collaboration with a multi-academy trust to enhance the provision of education and opportunity in a socially deprived area, advising on safeguarding issues to ensure legal compliance and protection of learners and advising on college mergers including on the impact on local communities.
Our expertise
Featured experience
A further education college
Advising an FE college on a cross-college restructure involving collective consultation with the recognised trade unions.
A further education college
Supporting in a collaboration with a multi-academy trust to enhance the provision of education and opportunity in a socially deprived area.
A further education college
Guiding this college through the due diligence process ahead of merger with another college.
A further education college
Working with this college on safeguarding and data protection issues to ensure legal compliance and the protection of learners.
Key contacts

Bettina Rigg
Partner

Mark Blois
Partner

Selina Hinchliffe
Partner

Dominic Swift
Partner

Nick MacKenzie
Partner

Sam Sharp
Senior Associate

Nick Smee
Partner

James Tait
Partner

Anja Beriro
Partner
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Stephanie McGarry
Partner
What others say...
"Sector specific knowledge, wide range of specialists coupled with local client relationship manager."
"Excellent support from Browne Jacobson. Their extensive knowledge of the education sector gives our organisation peace of mind regarding all legal aspects. Whenever I have contracted the firm I always receive a timely response and partners and associates are always available to talk through any queries and concerns."
"Responsive and high level of understanding of education sector."
"Browne Jacobson has great strength in the secondary education sector. The team’s enthusiasm for our sector is infectious and we really enjoy working with them."
Latest insights and events
On-Demand
Best practice complaints management for schools and academy trusts
Guide
FAQs – academy re-brokerage
Guide
Consultation advice for multi-academy trusts (MATs)
Legal Update
Government guidance on trans-pupils imminent
Legal Update
How multi-academy trusts are involved in school inspections
Legal Update
DfE statistics on suspensions and exclusions published
Legal Update
Regulating harassment and sexual misconduct in higher education
Online Event
Fit for purpose contracting - June 2023 cohort
Legal Update
New support launched to manage school complaints
Legal Update
#EdCon2023 virtual event hailed a success
Legal Update
Government introduces first Streamlined Subsidy Schemes under new regime
On-Demand
The Subsidy Control Act 2022. Putting the new regime into practice
Legal Update
Safeguarding at scale report published
Opinion
Consultation on holiday entitlement – part-year and irregular workers
Guide
FAQs - converting to academy status
Guide
FAQs - becoming a sponsored academy
Guide
FAQs - becoming an academy sponsor
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
Children's commissioner recommendations for SEND reform
The Children’s Commissioner, Rachel De Souza, has recently published a report “Beyond the labels: a SEND system which works for every child, every time”, which she intends to sit alongside the DfE’s SEND Review (2019) and SEND Green Paper (2022) and which she hopes will put children’s voices at the heart of the government’s review of SEND system.
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.
Opinion
The role of benchmarking in setting pay in schools
Emma Hughes, head of HR services at Browne Jacobson, explains how CST’s updated executive pay report and the linked benchmarking service from XpertHR can help trust boards make robust decisions on pay.
Legal Update
Complaints management in schools - exploring a new way forward
Guide
Virtual AGMs
This guidance has been prepared to support academy trusts (Trusts) who want to hold a fully virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) or a hybrid AGM, as we know that Trusts may want to be prepared for future disruption as well as having a general interest in holding more meetings virtually. The guidance also applies to other meetings of the Members (known as General Meetings).
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.
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?
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.
Guide
Commercial contracts: top tips for academies and schools
Guide
What changes does the latest Academy Trust Handbook bring?
Academy trusts no longer need to seek consent for contractual indemnities within the ‘normal course of business’. What do trusts need to consider?
Guide
Assaults on school staff - how can schools mitigate the risk
In this article we set out the most common issues we encounter, along with guidance on assessing and mitigating the risk from assaults.
Legal Update
Subsidy Control Act 2022: economic queries
In July, the long-awaited statutory guidance on the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (Act) was published in draft form (Draft Guidance). A consultation on the draft guidance has recently ended and the results have not yet been published – it may therefore change before the final version is published.
Legal Update
Changes to holiday pay for part-year workers
In July 2022, the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited Judgement in the case of Harpur Trust v Brazel relating to the correct calculation of statutory holiday pay for part year workers. This decision has implications for all part year workers on contracts which subsist all year round, whether their hours are normal or irregular.
Legal Update
Facing the threat of cyber security breaches
Universities and colleges are not immune from deception by unscrupulous bad actors. The extent to which educational institutions can manage and control risk not only depends on financial management and internal controls, but also the robustness of security and processes which can be exploited from outside the organisation.
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.
Published Article
Key steps to avoid falling foul of disability discrimination laws
The law around disability discrimination against pupils is not straightforward – but the reputational risk, let alone costs, of falling foul of the law are huge, so it’s worth upskilling staff whenever possible, as these two lawyers outline.
Legal Update
Academy Trust Handbook 2022 — Latest Edition
Whilst it may be late compared to previous years, the Educations and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has now published their latest edition of the Academy Trust Handbook (the Handbook), ready for implementation in less than a week, on 1 September 2022. The ESFA in their update to the academies sector, did apologise for the delay on issuing the Handbook.
Legal Update
New Guidance on Behaviour in Schools: What has changed?
This month the Department for Education (“DfE”) released new guidance on behaviour in schools which has substantial changes from the previous guidance from 2016.
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.