be prepared for the 2022-23 academic year
At the end of a year characterised by government turmoil, a cost-of-living crisis and policy U-turns, we’re facing further uncertainty as we enter 2023.
What’s clear, though, is the need for preparedness, resilience and an ongoing focus on achieving the best outcomes for children and young people. We’re committed to tackling these challenges with you, working together.
That’s why we’re constantly developing the support we offer to equip you to face current and emerging challenges, as efficiently, effectively and safely as you can.
Here's how we can help you be prepared for 2023:
- Complaint management
- Keep children safe
- Manage exclusions effectively
- Handle admissions appeals
- Handle personal data securely
- Get the best from your people
- Join a multi academy trust
be prepared for complaint management
Many schools are reporting a significant increase in the workload generated by the volume and complexity of complaints from parents.
We recognise the challenges this poses schools and trusts so we’re taking several steps to help reduce the impact this can have:
Managing complaints — exploring a new way forward
We’ll be sharing our report and recommendations from this roundtable event early in the new year.
Complaints management support pack
We’ll be providing a suite of best practice resources – including model letters, investigating templates, policy and procedure - with supporting guidance to help you handle each step of the complaints process effectively.
- Efficient and effective processes – save time, increase quality, improve outcomes
- Avoid common pitfalls – mitigate the risk of costly mistakes and unnecessary delays
- Ensure compliance – developed by experts, tried, tested and proven best practice
Make sure your complaint management process enables you to be thorough, consistent and professional… yet more efficient.
Register interest in complaints management support pack
be prepared to keep children safe
What are the implications for your school following the publication of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report? Find out how the report’s recommendations could impact schools and what steps you can take.
A range of high quality safeguarding training sessions tailored for:
The safeguarding lead governor / trustee
MAT Designated Safeguarding Leads
Engaging online compliance training for all staff
Other support includes:
Free on-demand webinar running through the key changes
Safer Recruitment Support Pack
Briefings, guidance and updates from our safeguarding experts
All safeguarding children support
be prepared to manage exclusions effectively
The latest DfE guidance on exclusions and suspensions changes the behaviour, suspension and exclusion framework; is your school or trust ready?
Available support includes:
Guidance on Behaviour in Schools – advice on how you can adapt
A support pack of resources and templates to manage the whole process
Training sessions for senior leaders and governing boards
be prepared to handle admissions appeals
The School Admissions Appeals Code 2022 is now in force and offers the option of virtual and physical hearings for appeals. Admission authorities are expected to adapt their operations accordingly.
We’re on hand to help prepare you for any appeals that come your way.
- Advice on handling issues such as:
- prejudice statements
- parental complaints
- investigations by regulatory bodies
- Training sessions for clerks and admissions officers
- Clerking services
These services are available in-person or virtually, to fit your requirements.
All admissions appeals support
be prepared to handle personal data securely
Our expert data protection lawyers assist on the approaches you should be taking, advising on all areas of information law from the implications of data protection and GDPR to the Freedom of Information Act.
Available support includes:
Continuous professional development for Data Protection Officers (DPOs)
- available at foundation, intermediate, advanced levels, providing DPOs with all they need to keep up to date in 2023. Topic-specific masterclasses coming soon.
- providing instant access all year round to our expert education data protection lawyers
Data protection e-learning for all staff
- engaging online training, providing you with management tools to evaluate outcomes and plug knowledge gaps.
All managing data and mitigating risk support
be prepared to get the best from your people
Your people are your most valuable asset and we know you’ll want them to hit the ground running, come the start of term!
Our HR Services for schools and academies offer high-quality employment advice and with fixed-term, pay as you go or bespoke support as you need it, we have a solution to meet your needs.
Other support includes:
- high quality documents to help you be compliant and ensure consistency
- hundreds of ready-to-use documents to support your processes and meet best practice
- continuous professional development for trust leaders
Executive coaching for education
- ideal for CEOs and trust leaders
Top tips for recruiting staff on a budget
be prepared to join a multi academy trust
The academies programme has been successive governments’ flagship education policy and the DfE recently announced the 10,000th academy conversion.
We’ve helped handle one in five (over 2,000) of these conversions so we’re well placed to advise schools who are yet to embark on this journey. We’ve prepared guidance to support senior leaders, trustees and governors of maintained schools and single academy trusts as they consider the future of their school.
Available resources include:
‘Taking the next step’ guidance
- developed in collaboration with the NGA and ASCL
- a guide for trustees developed with the NGA
- essential advice to avoid falling foul of the EFSA
Contact
Dai Durbridge
Partner
dai.durbridge@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 2105
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