GBH Law helps Longacre School implement practical legal solutions
Over the years, GBH Law have provided support and practical guidance to Longacre School. Here is a case study of our working relationship over the years.
Longacre, an independent co-educational preparatory school set in rural Surrey, has been educating children between the ages of 2 and 11 since 1946. At Longacre, children are valued as individuals and are encouraged to fulfil their potential in every facet of school life. The school motto is “A happy heart goes all the way”.
With around three hundred children and sixty-five staff, Longacre has sought legal guidance and support from GBH Law over the years to help their HR function deliver and implement practical legal solutions for the school and staff.
Clare Coley-Maud has worked at Longacre School since 2019. Her role is bursar and so much more. Her overarching aim is to ensure happy staff, happy parents, and happy children at the school and that is run smoothly and fairly.
The operations team at Longacre come from a variety of backgrounds with a mixture of corporate and educational experience. The team have professional qualifications to support them in their roles and has a strong culture of ongoing professional development.
The team call on GBH Law for more complex matters and when they need help and guidance on how to apply the law in practice or to understand the wider legal implications of any actions they look to implement. Clare has worked directly with the employment team and Andrea Tishler across the areas of HR, GDPR, and corporate law.
Clare: “We have used GBH Law as a critical friend, double checking our understanding of the law and its implications before acting. Where Andrea and the GBH Law team have really come into their own is in offering reliable, timely, strategic, and objective advice, sometimes at critical inflection points.”
Clare Coley-Maud, Bursar, Longacre school.
A few years ago, GBH Law helped the school regarding the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). The Governors of the school wanted to provide the teaching staff with a comprehensive consultation process to consider possibly coming out of the TPS. Andrea supported the team to ensure they followed the right processes, and that the Governors engaged the staff at the right time.
Over the years, GBH Law has continued to provide support and practical guidance to Clare and her team.
Clare Coley-Maud says: “Their legal expertise and Andrea’s experience collaborating with other independent schools has really benefited us. GBH Law helps to apply the technical knowledge that both myself and the team have and continue to develop. They take our knowledge and show us best practices from a legal perspective for practical application. Andrea helps us to understand any potential pitfalls and to see the bigger picture, a more long-term view, and any potential future implications. This means we can make more informed decisions for the benefit of our pupils, our staff, and the school.“
When I contact GBH Law, they are always responsive. If I can’t speak to Andrea straight away, I know someone will get back to me without delay. When I discuss a case with her, she really tries to understand what we are doing and what we are trying to achieve. I have confidence that GBH Law will offer legal and practical advice, specific to our circumstances, whenever we need it.”
Clare Coley-Maud, Bursar, Longacre school.
Find out more about how GBH Law help independent schools here. Alternatively, call our school’s specialist Andrea Tishler, on 01483 421234 or email her here.