The motivations for schools and academies wishing to establish a trading company are wide and varied, including supporting income generation, teaching school alliances, effective collaboration with other schools and organisations, to ring-fence risk or as a means to develop the use of trust facilities to support the wellbeing and transformation of communities.

Our expert team has extensive experience of advising on a wide range of issues relating to trading companies and the creation of pragmatic, robust arrangements to ensure the right bedrock for success. It is important to have in place an agreement that not only sets out the basis of the provision of services between the school and its subsidiary but also ensures the governing body of the school has appropriate oversight and control over the activities of the subsidiary.

In addition to the formal legal services we provide, many of our clients regularly ask us to contribute to their strategic planning and development, giving us the opportunity to offer a wider service, including our business, collaborative-working and leadership-development expertise.

We provide:

  • Comprehensive advice on all forms and sizes of companies, from small companies to support after-school, community-enrichment activities, to diocesan-trading companies serving multiple schools and academies.
  • Company set-up including establishing suitable commercial and governance arrangements and advising on the practical and legal issues, including property, employment, intellectual property and pensions. 
  • Joined-up working with tax advisers and accountants to ensure the most effective tax and financial arrangements for your proposed company.
Chris supervised the establishment of two diocesan MATs and a trading company, Lichfield Diocesan Academies Services Ltd, and brings his creative thinking to bear on devising pragmatic solutions to complex organisational issues. He is very interested in the concept of social justice and how social capital can be realised through partnerships and has a flair for finding common ground between individuals.
Colin Hopkins, Diocesan Director of Education, Lichfield Diocese.
Helping teachers as people

call the service specialist on 0121 214 3693

As a teacher, or a professional working in the education sector, there are multiple issues that you may face. Whilst we do offer advice about educating children from a variety of backgrounds in a safe and caring environment, we also offer advice to you as an individual. We understand that the pressures and numerous challenges facing those in charge are not always classroom based.

Education is one of our core sectors. This allows us to combine our specialist subject knowledge and experiences with our personal approach to individual cases. Our clients tell us that the service they receive from us is unique, and we believe this comes directly from our commitment to the purpose of our firm: 'to improve lives, communities and society’.

To understand more about how we can help you as an individual click here.

Services
View profile
Phil Watts Senior Associate

I advise charity and education clients on a wide range of governance and commercial matters.

View services profile
View author profile

Latest news and ebriefings

Academies Financial Handbook 2018
Academies Financial Handbook 2018

The Education and Skills Funding Agency has published its annual update of the Academies Financial Handbook, which became effective on 1 September 2018.

Sign up to Newsroom

To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.