Admissions & Appeals in MATs and Single Academies - Speakers

Shan Scott, Chief Schools Adjudicator

Shan Scott was appointed as Chief Schools Adjudicator in April 2016. Shan has been directly involved in education since joining the then Department of Education and Science in 1984. She worked in successive education departments until 2013. She has had direct involvement in individual schools through her work as a school governor and pupil mentor. Shan has also served as a trustee of an educational charity.

During her time at the Department for Education, Shan has worked on a wide range of schools issues and has, at different times, been much involved with matters concerning admissions, governance, school organisation, academies and schools with a religious character.  Her last post was as joint head of the Department’s Due Diligence and Counter Extremism Division. After leaving the Department, Shan was appointed as an adjudicator.  From 2013 until becoming Chief Schools Adjudicator, she was also an education consultant at solicitors Lee Bolton Monier Williams.

Dai Durbridge, Partner, Browne Jacobson

Dai is a Partner in the Education team at Browne Jacobson. Dai specialises in advising schools and academies on all pastoral education issues, including admissions, exclusions, parental complaints, use of force and searching pupils. A recognised safeguarding expert, he regularly supports schools on complex safeguarding issues including handling disclosures of abuse, managing allegations against staff and parental consent.

Yvonne Spencer, Partner, Veale Wasbrough Vizards

Yvonne heads the firm's Academies and Maintained Schools sector.   Yvonne has overseen over 500 academy conversions and MAT formations and is well placed to provide strategic advice to CEOs and Trustees.  Yvonne has been an education law specialist for over 17 years and specialises in admissions, child protection, inspection and regulation, SEN and equality, disciplinary incidents, complex complaints, judicial review, reputation management and the media. Yvonne is well placed to assist schools when complex and often unforeseen incidents occur.  Yvonne also has an international practice, advising governments on the reform of child protection systems, inspection of children's services and the development of equality legislation.  Countries where she has experience include Romania, Tajikistan, Moldova, Bulgaria, Jordan and Japan.  She is an appointed expert to J.K. Rowling's international children's charity, Lumos.

Tracey Eldridge-Hinmers, Senior Associate, Veale Wasbrough Vizards

Tracey works in the Regulatory Compliance Team. She has over 20 years' experience specialising in all areas of education law; advising schools, further education colleges, universities and local authorities on admissions and exclusions, special educational needs, parental complaints, disability discrimination, public law and child protection.

Richard Freeth, Partner, Browne Jacobson LLP

Richard specialises in providing support to our education clients on a range of issues, both operational and strategic, and also leading on academy conversion projects. He has over 14 years' experience of directly supporting schools and local authorities on education (and wider children services) issues.