INSIGHT
Procurement in Profile – March 202426 March 2024
By Rebecca Rees and Lucy James
The education and training landscape has changed progressively in recent years through academisation, decentralisation, and various public/private collaborations in higher education institutions, further education and sixth form colleges and academy schools. From the heart of government to the newest free school – our deep education sector knowledge and practical knowhow is accessible, reliable and timely.
We have one of the largest cross-sector education teams in the UK, with our lawyers advising on all aspects of schools’ funding, governance, employment, and pensions.
Our enduring relationship with the Department for Education positions us at the very centre of the education sector. And while the DfE remain our single largest client, we also act for a diverse range of private and free schools, higher and further education institutions, and developers focused on building schools and colleges. This breadth of experience means we are able to offer unrivalled insights and expertise.
With Real Estate at the core of our firm, our ability to help with every aspect of finding, purchasing and building on land is well known. But our experience reaches beyond bricks and mortar, covering employment law, commercial contracts, and regulatory issues. We are experienced in helping with the conversion to academy status, and often assist clients needing to refinance or improve the terms of their existing agreements.
Helping education authorities to deal with their statutory duties is a key part of our work. We understand the realities of scant resources and the need to deliver vital services to children. You can trust us to guide you as you allocate fairly and legally. You can rely on us to ensure you deliver on your important statutory duties.
More than just legal advice – our ideas about innovative structures and new contract mechanisms help deliver better, cheaper services. And our experience and expertise helps create integrated services that deliver increased accountability and greater economies of scale. The commercialization of the education sector demands the level of informed consultancy advice we are well known for. It also takes a profound understanding of the law. You can rely on us for both.
In brief
- Experts at reviewing policies, procedures and structures to achieve economies of scale.
- Our work with central government offers every client an unrivalled level of knowledge and expertise.
- Working with both authorities and providers gives us a true 360 degree education sector view.
- Our work with authorities to streamline and outsource services offers benefits to clients bidding for contracts too.
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INSIGHT
Webinar: Procurement Act 2023 – 10 things you need to know!19 January 2024
By Rebecca Rees and Lucy James