Legal advice for schools dealing with parents and pupils
Explore how we can help your charity organisation with any legal requirements.
Contact our teamHome / Services / Business / Charities and independent schools / Independent schools / Pupils and parents
Legal advice for independent schools dealing with parents and pupils
Your relationships with pupils and their parents are at the heart of your success. Key to that relationship is a robust, clear and practical parent contract which sets out what parents and pupils can expect from the school and what you can expect from them.
We can help you make sure that your contracts and policies comply with current law and practice and support you if things go wrong – whether that be parental complaints, unpaid fees, or claims for failure to educate.
Contact us
Our experienced team are based across our offices in London, Southampton, Lymington, Richmond, Woking and Guildford. We can offer specialist support on a local and national level. Please do not hesitate to contact any member of the team to discuss how we can help you.


Contact Joanna
Contact Ben
Contact our independent schools team
Client case study – St Albans Education Group
“I would definitely recommend Moore Barlow. Specifically because of the relationship management that you get from Moore Barlow. They take the time to get to know the individuals in a school and to understand the school context, and that’s really invaluable”
Amber Waite, Principal, St Albans Education Group
Our team of independent schools solicitors
Explore our latest legal insights for schools
Don’t take our word for it…
Moore Barlow’s education team stands out as a leading authority in the sector, particularly in their work with independent schools. Their depth of experience and nuanced understanding of the challenges facing educational institutions make them a trusted and highly valued adviser.
Legal 500, 2026
The team have worked hard over the years developing their school practice. They have emerged as a premier legal company. Large enough to have substance but small enough to still have a strong customer service ethos.
Legal 500, 2026
Moore Barlow distinguishes itself through a combination of expertise, innovation, and first-class relationships.
Legal 500, 2025
General overview advice is extremely useful and followed up by specific well thought out, personalised advice to your own specific situation. The Education Team has a wide and strong skill set and all the team are very approachable and knowledgeable. They will always ensure that the best suited team member’s advice is sought to provide you with well considered, sensitive and sensible advice.
Legal 500, 2025
Moore Barlow give superb, well considered and well thought-out advice.
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Moore Barlow give very timely, practical, solution-orientated and constructive advice.
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Moore Barlow possesses a deep understanding of employment law, pastoral care and commercial issues faced by schools. The team is particularly praised for its expertise in matters intersecting with education law such as data protection, IP and all manner of disputes. The firm is well known for its extensive independent school client base, and recommended for advice on parental complaints, disability discrimination claims and safeguarding issues.
Chambers & Partners, 2024
The education team always give a personal touch and offer supportive advice. They are straightforward, fair and very competent. The team are friendly and respond to requests very quickly, and the quality of the written advice is excellent.
Chambers & Partners, 2024
The practice provides a wide range of advice covering simple debt recovery actions to complex educational, charitable and employment matters.
Legal 500, 2024
I see the team as highly specialised, expert advisers. They have a deep knowledge of the sector and provide clear, concise, accessible and practical advice.
Chambers and Partners, 2023
A well balanced and dependable team, who provide a wealth of sound advice. They are friendly, customer-focussed, understand the sector and have good insight into the business side of a charitable independent school. They deliver good value and consistently high quality advice.
Legal 500, 2023
We have a close and strong relationship with both contacts at the firm who have dealt with HR issues at our school. They are quick to respond and clear in their explanations on what is possible and and not possible. Ben Collingwood and Adam McRae-Taylor are always personable in their approach and helpful with honest and practical solutions.