Academies and schools

The education sector is unique and its schools face ever evolving challenges. Our education teams specialise in the sector and understand your drivers. We can help you realise your ambitions.

Schools and academies – and their owners, proprietors and sponsors – are tasked with providing a leading education in a legal framework that can feel extremely fluid. Our lawyers are education sector experts and are able to advise all types of schools on the full spectrum of legal challenges.

Whether you're a charitable trust seeking charity or governance advice, an academy dealing with a SEN or admissions challenge, an independent school raising finance or setting up overseas, or a school group expanding acquisitively or streamlining through sale, we can guide you through the legal issues.

Our experience

We have a wealth of experience from many years working in the education sector that we can apply to help you achieve your ambitions.

We've acted for Academies Enterprise Trust and London Academies Enterprise Trust in respect of every one of their conversions and rebrokerages.
We represented the University of Brighton Academies Trust and Hastings Academies Trust on their merger, including advising on governance and funding structures, and the creation of the enlarged schools estate.
We've advised King’s School, Ely on a wide range of legal issues, including its acquisition of the long leasehold interest in a Grade II listed building to be refurbished for a sixth form centre and its international expansion to the UAE.
We've advised a number of schools on the establishment of overseas campuses, including in the UAE and China.
We advised the sellers of Knightsbridge School on the sale of their school to the Dukes Education Group.
We advised a significant Chinese group in relation to its acquisition of a group of English schools.
We've advised a large number of leading schools on a range of financing facilities, including development loans, public bonds and private placements.