Dealing with incidents of poor behaviour remains a key issue in all types of school and continues to attract high profile attention nationally. We support trusts and schools in dealing with incidents and provide practical advice on the options available to ensure teaching and learning is not adversely affected. We also seek to protect trusts and/or schools from complaints or claims.
We regularly provide advice on the exclusions process as well as tailored and comprehensive training on the exclusions framework. We’ve been involved in supporting schools with threatened legal action (including claims under the Human Rights Act 1998) arising from exclusion decisions. We’ve also provided representation for numerous schools at governing body review meetings and/or independent review panels. We have provided training for a secondary academy on the requirements of the exclusions process and have been appointed to support the establishment of Independent Review Panels to review permanent exclusion decisions in a number of academies.
We can advise you in relation to:
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We offer a range of service level options, depending on the needs of your trust and/or school and the specific issues you face.
If you would like to instruct us to assist you, please give us a call and we would be happy to discuss your specific needs.
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"Personal response from partner to queries. Good value of QuickCall service (retainer). High quality and reputation in the education sector."
"They deal with issues quickly and sharply, ensuring that expenses are kept to a minimum."
"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."
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.
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.
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.
In this article we set out the most common issues we encounter, along with guidance on assessing and mitigating the risk from assaults.
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.
This month the Department for Education (“DfE”) released new guidance on behaviour in schools which has substantial changes from the previous guidance from 2016.
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.
The two biggest changes in the new safeguarding guidance revolve around sourcing high quality governor and trustee training and the new requirement to carry out online searches for shortlisted candidates. This article focuses on how and when to carry out online searches. In the coming week we will follow up with everything you need to consider when sourcing high quality governor or trustee training.
The recent case of R (on the application of A Parent) v Governing Body of XYZ School [2022] EWHC 1146 (Admin) provides some welcome and reassuring guidance to governing boards on the exclusion reconsideration process.
National law firm Browne Jacobson has grown its team behind its dedicated Space + Time executive coaching programme with the addition of two more qualified coaches who will work with clients in the education sector.
Watch our on-demand webinar as we explain the proposed changes and help you understand how they’ll affect you and your school.
The draft exclusions guidance does not make any changes to the overall structure of exclusions – the three main stages of headteacher decision, governing board review and, for permanent exclusions, independent panel review remain in place.
Attacks by students on their teachers and their schools through the medium of TikTok is causing considerable distress and anger for teachers and leaders. Is there anything that can be done legally?
Tomorrow, (Wednesday 27th October), national law firm Browne Jacobson will host its second FAIRE: virtual work experience and legal careers insight event, in partnership with Young Professionals.
The Confederation of School Trusts (CST), as the sector body for School Trusts, today releases a salary benchmarking service for executive roles in School Trusts, in conjunction with partners XpertHR, Cendex and Browne Jacobson.
As we approach the end of a particularly turbulent academic year, finding the time, energy and buy-in to review school policies may seem less likely than finding a holiday cottage in Cornwall for mid-August.
In this edition we provide you with the latest in legal updates, news and insight from the sector.
The ‘Everyone’s Invited’ movement has over 9,000 testimonies on its website and, whilst it has recently taken the step to anonymise everything on the platform, a number of schools have been named.
The amended guidance and Regulations extend the existing Covid changes for exclusions through to 24 September 2021. Read on for a reminder of these changes.
From 8 March 2021 attendance at school is once again mandatory - we look at the updates to the attendance guidance for schools.
In this edition we provide you with the latest in legal updates, news and insight from the sector.
DBS filtering rules and a tweak to the KCSiE guidance means that you now need to make some changes to your recruitment and selection policies and processes.
With lockdown 3.0 continuing at least until at least the 8 March, school leaders must again take care to record pupil attendance and absence in line with the latest Department for Education (DfE) guidance, published January 2021.
The transfer of pupil education from the classroom to remote learning has created challenges for pupils, parents and school staff. Whilst most parents participate in these sessions constructively a small minority have acted in a way which undermines the teaching or the teacher.
Over five years after the event, and following a protracted legal process, Norfolk County Council have successfully appealed a finding of negligence against them.
The government decision on lockdown and the subsequent Department for Education (DfE) guidance vulnerable children and the children of critical workers and actions for schools to take during lockdown.
In this edition we provide you with the latest in legal updates, news and insight from the sector.
The majority of pupils have returned to school, it may well seem a very different place and adapting to being back in a school setting will not come easily to some.
The Department for Education (DfE) is currently consulting on a draft version of the School Admissions Code.
Whilst the Department for Education (DfE) has implemented statutory changes to elements of the frameworks relating to admission appeals, exclusions and special educational needs, there have been no changes relating to the legislation relating to admissions.
It will be important to include an element of mental health awareness and planning in the return to school provisions being compiled as part of the requirement for the prevention of mental health disorders.
The Timpson Review of School Exclusions in May 2019 confirmed that pupils with poor mental health are more likely to be excluded. Those with depression, anxiety, ADHD and autism spectrum conditions are more at risk.
Three quarters of mental health problems in adult life start before the age of 18. The top tips below outline what you should consider when managing and seeking to address behavioural problems with a child with mental health issues.
The Department for Education has published supplementary statutory guidance and amended the Regulations on exclusions for all state schools in England due to Covid-19.
On 11 February 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) launched an inquiry into the monitoring and recording of the use of restraints and restrictive interventions within schools in England and Wales, following concerns about the use of these methods and the lack of information available in relation to them.
In this edition we provide you with the latest in legal updates, news and insight from the sector.
Earlier this year Edward Timpson’s review on school exclusions raised the profile of the practice of exclusions, managed moves and alternative provision.
A recent report from the Local Government Ombudsman has highlighted significant concerns with the operation of the SEND system which is resulting in 87% of parental complaints against local authorities on SEND being upheld by the Ombudsman.
The new academic year has started with controversy over school uniform. Last week, a government inquiry heard evidence that costs for parents are being exacerbated by compulsory branded uniform, including clothing with school logos, and operating contractual arrangements for the supply of these items with single retailers.
