Education Solicitors | Lawyers | Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Education and Charities

For more than 50 years, Harrison Clark Rickerbys has had a significant presence in the education and charities sector, and we’ve gained a national reputation as a key player in the field of education law. Our work covers the full spectrum of legal affairs that affect educational institutions, and we provide clear advice to help solve their problems and achieve their aims and objectives.

Education and Charities

Our Experience

Our dedicated team of legal experts are all passionate about education and charities – in fact, many of our lawyers act as school governors. As a firm, we have extensive collective experience in the sector; we understand the interplay of education law and best practice, and we’re familiar with how schools and educational institutions operate and the documentation used.

Working collaboratively with governors, heads, bursars and senior leadership teams, we offer practical and results-focused solutions across the breadth and depth of education law:

Governance
Safeguarding and child protection
Parent and pupil issues
Mergers and Acquisitions
Property
Building issues (both planning and construction)
Dispute Resolution and fee recovery
International issues (both incoming in the UK and setting up overseas)
Charity law issues
Employment and HR
Immigration
Commercial contracts and Intellectual Property
Regulatory and Health and Safety
Risk and insurance.

Legal 500: “Excellent knowledge of the property sector combined with a friendly approach towards clients.” “Excellent communication and speedy responses.” “Matters are handled promptly.”

Chambers: “Professional, attentive, responsive and hard-working – particularly responsive to our needs.” “Very professional, with excellent knowledge of the areas they operate in.”

Our Clients

We’re trusted by over 200 educational establishments including independent schools, academies, free schools, maintained schools, higher- and further-education colleges, specialist colleges and nurseries. In addition, we act in an advisory capacity to the highest level of education associations, including the Independent Schools Council (the public face of the independent sector), the Boarding Schools Association and the Independent Schools Bursars’ Association.

Our expertise in shaping guidance and policies led to us developing a national Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy for the ISBA, and our Head of Education, Kristine Scott, is regarded as a safeguarding expert in relation to children and schools.

How can we help you?

Moments that Matter

Business Journey

Education and Charities

Services offered by our team

Kristine Scott, Head of Education and Charities Sector

Education and Charities

KEY CONTACTS

Endorsements & Awards

Education Investor Awards 2022 Winner

50 Years Advising Schools

Our Experience

Our Clients

Specialist legal support enables academy to open new sixth form

University/corporation collaboration benefits from specialist legal expertise Successful collaboration between a university and a large corporation to establish new commercial income streams was supported by Nicola McNeely’s expertise. view full case study

University/corporation collaboration benefits from specialist legal expertise

In 2016, we were appointed to advise the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) on a new template Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and regulatory checklist for the independent school sector in England, around 1200 schools. view full case study

How can we help you?

Hear what our clients say about our Education and Charities Service

Quick resolution secures sporting grounds for school

Excellent legal and technical advice for sale of school

Tremendous support for an Independent School

Expert training to keep schools up to date

More than just technical expertise for schools

Expert advice to support school investment

We can also help you with

UK education in Latin America

Shared parental leave and term time only working

Unfair dismissal: The risk of failing to set clear expectations and withholding evidence

Fixed Recoverable Costs: What is the impact upon the education sector?

Ofsted: academy trust challenge of decision

Guidance for academy trusts on trust partnerships

Crumbling concrete and asbestos management in buildings

Consultation on changes to Working Together to Safeguard Children

School exclusions – the Public Sector Equality Duty

Government launches inquiry into the use of historic building material RAAC in schools

Academy Trust Handbook 2023: what has changed?

Single academy trusts who are thinking of joining a MAT

Artificial intelligence in the education sector: is there a place for it?

New ICO guidance for employers on subject access requests

KCSIE 2023: Use of school premises for non-school activities

Filtering and monitoring in schools

KCSIE 2023 – What can we expect?

Top five cybersecurity tips for academies when prioritising safety, prevention and awareness

Case note: Liquidator seeking re-payment of school fees that constituted a ‘transaction at an undervalue’

ICO publish data security trends

New employment protections for parents and carers receive Royal Assent

Ofsted: what is on the horizon for multi-academy trusts?

Update on the possible increase in TPS employer contribution rate

Charities Act 2022 implementation – part II

Cost-effective solutions for Charities facing financial difficulties

Can a charity lose its relief if it provides fee-paying services?

The Importance of correct management of charity funds

High Court decision: parents unfairly treated by academy trust’s admission policy

School exclusions: the headteacher’s powers

Teachers’ pension scheme: strategy following the SCAPE discount rate announcement

Welsh government consults on reforms to independent schools

Department for Education update Independent School Action Plan Guidance

Ethnicity pay gap reporting: guidance for employers published

Government announces changes to employment law

HCR nominated twice at EducationInvestor Awards

New ACAS guidance on reasonable adjustments for mental health: Implications for schools

The Spring Budget 2023: Implications for the education sector

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill: Implications for Schools

Voluntary registration of land at the Land Registry

EHRC publish report on children’s rights in Great Britain

The Online Safety Bill

Can your school terminate a commercial contract for material breach?

Governance within your academy trust

Q&A: the role of an academy trust’s accounting officer

Ofsted inspection: what will take you from Good to Outstanding?

Terminating your school’s contracts: Do you still need to engage?

Independent review of relationships, sex and health education in schools

Harpur Trust v Brazel: Government consultation update

Teachers’ Pension Scheme: Are employer contribution rates set to rise?

OFSTED – Inspection and your school’s options

White Paper – where does it go from here?

Trustee recruitment for academy trusts

Use of reasonable force and restrictive practices in schools

Academies regulatory and commissioning review

Academy trust governance 2023

University/corporation collaboration benefits from specialist legal expertise

Successful collaboration between a university and a large corporation to establish new commercial income streams was supported by Nicola McNeely’s expertise.
view full case study

In 2016, we were appointed to advise the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) on a new template Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and regulatory checklist for the independent school sector in England, around 1200 schools.
view full case study