Legal advice

Weaving health and safety into school culture

28 February 2022

Health and safety needn’t be complex or onerous. It’s about being curious and using common sense, especially when it comes to risk assessments. Stephen Horn offers some advice for school leaders

Flexible working: How can it work for your school?

5 October 2021

Over the last 18 months more school staff will have worked flexibly than ever before, but what does flexible working actually mean in the secondary school context? Louise Hatswell looks at employment law, best practice and offers some guidance for employers

Covid-19: Managing and supporting your school's staff

21 October 2020

With increased staff absence due to Covid-19, increased anxiety among our colleagues, and an ever-changing landscape, supporting and managing our teaching colleagues is a priority for school leaders this year. Employment law expert Jane Hallas offers some tips

GDPR in schools: One year on...

12 June 2019

GDPR recently celebrated its first anniversary, but there is still confusion in schools about data duties and obligations. Richard Skipper provides clarity on some common problems

Reviewing your safeguarding practice

19 September 2018

A big focus for schools this term will be ensuring proper implementation of the updated statutory safeguarding guidance. Sam Preston considers the new requirements and offers some practical advice

Are you aware of fraud risk?

16 May 2018

Figures suggest that discovered fraud in the schools sector was in the region of £1 million last year. Expert Dave Verma offers eight steps schools can take to lower the risks

The risks of social networking

2 September 2015

Social media has brought a new way of communicating into our schools. It has also brought a risk of us sharing too much. Suzanne O'Connell seeks expert advice for school leaders

Detecting fraud: Advice for governors

3 July 2015

Following the jailing of an academy’s head of finance for diverting school money into her own bank account, legal expert Helen Otty asks just how liable academy governors are

Legal options for tackling social media abuse

5 February 2015

Last week, SecEd looked at practical steps teachers and schools can take to stay safe online. Here, experts Andrew McGregor and Paul Maddock look at what legal recourse schools have when tackling social media abuse.

Academies: Conflicts of interest

13 November 2014

In light of two damning reports looking into conflicts of interest within academies, legal expert Tom Wainwright warns of the importance of having clear policies to prevent conflicts arising.

Addiction among teachers

9 October 2014

What happens when one of your teachers faces a personal problem of addiction? Legal expert Clare Young offers her advice.

Ensuring safeguarding compliance

22 May 2014

Schools contract out services to external organisations all the time. Legal expert Nicholas Barker looks at what must be done to ensure these providers are compliant with safeguarding laws.

Fair recruitment processes

1 May 2014

Can schools discriminate when recruiting teaching staff? Legal expert Kerren Daly offers her advice.

The Equality Act and your pupils

27 March 2014

Ensuring your school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and does not discriminate against pupils is vital. Legal expert Amanda Lyons looks at some key areas.

Strike advice

20 March 2014

With on-going industrial action affecting schools across England, legal experts Paul Menham and Paul Maddock look at how school leaders might minimise the disruption for pupils and parents while still respecting their staff’s right to take strike action.

Handling difficult parents

6 February 2014

Schools often have to handle high expectations and demands from their parents, but what happens when things get out of hand? Helen Otty and Andrew McGregor look at what lessons can be learned from a recent legal case involving a private school.

Are you responsible when hiring third-party contractors?

9 January 2014

When bringing in third parties to carry out certain functions, to what extent is your school liable when things go wrong? Legal expert Ben Collingwood looks at the ‘non-delegable duty of care’ and the implications of a recent court case.

Legal advice: Student injuries at school

9 January 2014

Student injuries are always a possibility during the average school day, but to what extent can schools be held liable? Katrina Boyd offers some legal advice.

Historic claims of abuse

26 September 2013

Following the Jimmy Savile scandal, there has been an increase in the number accusations of historic abuse. Legal experts Michael Pether and Sarah Firth explain the essential steps that schools must take should they receive notification of such a claim.

Whistleblowing in education

5 September 2013

Whistleblowing is a sensitive subject – both for the employee raising concerns and those at the school who have to respond to them. Legal experts Paul Menham and Joanne Thorley offer advice to those on both sides of the coin.

Defibrillators in schools – a legal viewpoint

4 July 2013

With more than 600 young people a year dying from cardiac arrests, a campaign is calling for defibrillators to be placed in schools. Legal expert Katrina Boyd considers the implications of medical emergencies in schools.

School exclusions – staying legal

20 June 2013

Earlier this year, a report highlighted the serious problem of illegal exclusions in some schools. Legal expert Perry Hill looks at recent changes to the law and how schools can stay compliant.

The law when dealing with difficult visitors

18 April 2013

What legal ‘armoury’ can a school use to defend itself when excluding difficult parents, unwanted visitors or other trouble-makers? Legal expert and former headteacher Roy Woollard explains.
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