Independent Schools - June 2007
Welcome to the first Weightmans Bulletin
for Independent Schools. Each term we aim to bring you an
update about recent and forthcoming changes to the law, recent case
law and guidance about particular areas of the law of relevance to
you.
We hope that you find our bulletins informative
and practical and we would welcome feedback on ways in which we can
ensure that the bulletin best meets your needs. The Editor is
Andrew Cooper who is head of our Education Group. Andrew can be
contacted at: andrew.cooper@weightmans.com.
Be Aware of Human Rights as You Monitor Your Employees:
Following a recent European landmark ruling you may well be
contravening the human rights of your employees if you monitor
their email and telephone use. Laura
Kearsley of our Employment team considers how far you can now
monitor what your employees get up to in the work place.
Religious Discrimination - Azmi v Kirkless MBC:
The decision in this much publicised case of the Muslim
female teacher who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in
the presence of male colleagues. Laura
Kearsley reviews the decision made in this case
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006:
Exposure to asbestos kills 3,000 people in Britain every
year. The annual mortality rate is estimated to hit 10,000 by
2020.It is against this background that the new Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2006 came into force on 13 November 2006.
Peppy Marshall considers how this regulatory
regime affects schools and provides practical advice on managing
the asbestos risk and what to do in the event of accidental
exposure.
Big Bother Could Follow Racist Bullying:
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty could have a legal claim under
employment legislation against Channel 4 following her treatment
in the Channel 4 programme, Big Brother.
Kully Singh reviews the potential legal consequences
of racism in the workplace and what a employer should be doing -
both to prevent it and to protect itself, should such bullying
occur.
New Inspections for Independent Schools:
On 1 January 2007 Ofsted announced new inspection arrangements
for non-association Independent Schools. Andrew Cooper discusses the new inspection
arrangements for non-association independent schools.
The Education and Inspections Act 2006 includes Key Changes in the
Law Relating to School Discipline:
The new provisions within the EIA 2006 which came into force on
1 April 2007. Eve Francis advises on
the recent changes to schools’ powers and duties with regards to
discipline and in particular in the areas of search, confiscation
and detention.
Are You Complying with the Latest Regulations on Staff
Recruitment:
New Regulations came into force on 1 May regarding staff
recruitment. This article sets out the practical steps
Independent schools must now take when recruiting staff and
discusses some of the pitfalls of the current law. Eve Francis considers the impact of these
regulations
Duty on Schools to Disclose Information About Individual Children
to the Secretary of State or Local Authority:
New Regulations came into force on 30 April which place a duty
on Independent schools to supply specific information about their
pupils. Eve Francis discusses what effect
these regulations may have
This update does not attempt to provide a full analysis of those
matters with which it deals and is provided for general information
purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice and
should not be treated as a substitute for legal advice.
Weightmans LLP accepts no responsibility
for any loss that may arise from reliance on the information in
this update. The copyright for this update is owned by
Weightmans LLP 2007