Richard Freeth

Richard has supported schools on a range of complex issues including advising on: 

• Admissions – including on compliance with the legislation and School Admissions Code 2021; challenges to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator and/or ESFA complaints; removal from boarding; and judicial review challenges; 
• Admission Appeals – advising on and clerking admission appeal hearings; provision of training to admission authorities and appeal panel members; advising on and representing admission authorities in complaints made to admission appeal processes from the ESFA or Local Government Ombudsman; 
• Exclusions – advising on compliance with the statutory exclusions guidance and advising on responses to behavioural incidents at school generally; clerking GB review meetings and Independent Review Panels; and training schools and panel members on exclusions; 
• Equality Act issues – supporting schools on a range of complaints and claims made in respect of alleged discrimination; representing schools on claims arising from disability discrimination in the First Tier Tribunal;  
• SEND – advising and supporting schools on all aspects of SEND legislation and guidance including funding, admissions and the relationship with the local authority and representing the school in relation to complaints being made to the DfE in respect of LA actions; 
• Complaints – advice and representation in respect of complex complaints arising from all aspects of a school/trust’s operations.  
  
  In addition, Richard is Chair of Trustees at a multi-academy trust in Warwickshire.

• MA in Disability Studies
• Post Graduate Diploma in Law
• LLB (Hons) Law

Richard is chair of trustees at a multi-academy trust in Warwickshire and has been involved in school governance for over a decade.

He enjoys music, going to concerts, reading, running and watching sport, especially football.