"A big thank you for helping us with our academy
application. You have been superb."
Robert Farmer,
Vice Principal, Upper Shirley High School - converted to academy
status 1 April 2011
(see more comments about us...)
legal conversion to academy status
The opportunity to convert to academy status has been widened
potentially to virtually all maintained schools. We offer an
experienced team of lawyers who have already advised a number of
schools on academy conversions to help you through the process.
There are clear advantages to having access to all the legal
services you need from one firm. We offer an integrated team of
education and
charity,
regulatory,
commercial, real
estate, employment and pension lawyers for academies that delivers a
service of advice, audit and training for all your legal needs.
The wider team has continuously acted for numerous schools in no
less than seven local authority areas since the inception of
the academy conversions programme and has a well established
practice and reputation in this area.
In addition to individual school conversions, the team acts for
three large Diocesan authorities in relation to the conversion of
Church schools and a number of free school projects.
our academy conversion service
Our experience of conversions pre-and post-Academies Act 2010
helps us to provide a focused practical conversion process
supported by useful checklists and other useful materials. Our team
comprises education and charity,
commercial, real estate, employment and pension
lawyers for academies, with a track record of
advising on the conversion of maintained schools. We also advise
Church of England and Roman Catholic dioceses on the conversion
process for church schools.
We offer a free initial consultation and
briefing to schools that are interested in using our
services on conversion. This is available at any of our offices in
Oxford, Southampton, London or
Portsmouth. If you are
interested in our free offer, please contact Elizabeth Davis on 023
80857011 or elizabeth.davis@bllaw.co.uk.
We offer the following legal service on conversion:
governance
- confirming the governing body
- company incorporation
- advice on the suitability of a single or multi academy
model
- trustee/foundation consents local authority consent and or
participation in transfer arrangements
- directors' declarations for church schools
- governors and senior management team briefings and training as
required
funding
- funding agreement
- supplemental funding agreement
property
- due diligence
- report on title
- Secretary of States direction and land registry transfer
- shared use arrangements
- residential property, eg caretakers houses
- leases
- supplemental agreement for church schools
school transfer
- due diligence
- transfer of contracts and or replacement of contracts
- commercial transfer agreement
- employment and pensions advice
employment and pensions advice
- due diligence
- advice on TUPE transfer and
consultation
- ancillary employment law and pensions advice as
needed
post conversion services
Once the conversion has completed, the school will be
independent of the local authority and may have a variety
requirements for legal and governance support. We offer the
following on going services post conversion:
- annual fixed fee service for academies. See our special
annual fixed fee package details
- governance, charity and company secretarial support and
training
- employment law and pensions advice, including an annual
employment law support contract
- a full range of legal services in relation to school land
and use of others' facilities including charity real estate, site
management and capital and construction projects
- health and safety compliance advice, including an annual health
and safety support contract
- admissions, appeals and exclusions
- disciplinary, including auditing and rewriting if necessary
disciplinary rules and procedures
- safeguarding, including auditing and rewriting if necessary
safeguarding rules and procedures
- training on disciplinary procedures relating to staff and
pupils
- commercial law and procurement including a fixed fee contract
review service.
