Assisting independent schools and multi-academy trusts, Bates Wells’ education department offers a range of services such as restructuring, school mergers, closures and acquisitions, as well as SEND and Edtech. Jean Tsang, who was promoted to partner in April 2024, heads the department and is experienced in a range of education matters such as merger and acquisitions, establishment and restructuring of schools, as well as charity and governance issues. Real estate specialist Mark Traynor supports education sector clients, including academy trusts, free schools and further education colleges with property issues. Matthew Smith’s practice covers public and regulatory law, working on matters such as advising a school’s inspectorate on policy, and equalities and discrimination issues, data protection and Freedom of Information requests and challenges.
Key clients
- Mulberry Schools Trust
- Olive Academies
- PACT Educational Trust
- City of London Academies Trust
- Central Foundation Schools of London
- Speech and Language UK
- Kisharon Academy Trust
- Raine’s School Foundation
- HMC – The Heads’ Conference
- Lighthouse Harmonize Education Trust
- Noddy’s Nursery School Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised PACT Educational Trust on the restructuring of this independent school’s group, in particular on the successful merger of two of its schools – Oakwood School and The Laurels.
- Acting for Lighthouse Harmonize Education Trust in expanding its site at their Harmonize Academy in Liverpool, an alternate provision academy which is rapidly growing in pupil numbers due to its specialist offering.
- Advised Noddy’s Nursery School Limited in relation to the successful challenge of an Ofsted inspection report, via Ofsted’s complaints procedure, which resulted in the school regaining its ‘Outstanding’ rating.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Jean Tsang