Vicky heads the firm’s South West education practice team of education solicitors and HR consultants. Recognised by Legal 500 as a Rising Star since 2021, she is a partner specialising exclusively in education law since 2010.

Vicky advises schools, single and multi-academy trusts (MATs) and independent schools regionally and nationally on contentious matters and strategic projects. She combines deep sector passion, evidenced through extensive school governance roles, with practical, client-focused solutions to complex legal and regulatory challenges.

Vicky’s contentious practice covers the full spectrum of student disputes and parent complaints. She has a strong track record of defending schools in cases involving suspensions, permanent exclusions and disability discrimination claims. Recognising the post-pandemic surge in parent complaints and the impact on staff well-being, Vicky has developed specialist expertise in managing difficult parent relationships and vexatious complaints. She leads Browne Jacobson’s development of cutting-edge complaints management resources, including support packs, CPD courses and bespoke training, equipping school leaders with strategies to de-escalate conflict and maintain constructive stakeholder engagement.

Vicky guides academy trust clients through business-critical projects including academy conversions, MAT mergers, school transfers and re-brokerages. Clients benefit from her expert guidance on governance structures, Articles of Association, schemes of delegation and DfE compliance.

Vicky is a trusted adviser for Church of England schools and diocesan MATs. Following in-house secondments with two South West dioceses and current service on the Diocese of Truro’s Diocesan Board of Education, she brings unparalleled understanding of the unique governance and stakeholder requirements of faith schools.

A sought-after commentator in education media, Vicky regularly contributes to Schools Week, TES and Education Journal on parent complaints, governance and regulatory change.

Vicky has held volunteer governorship positions across maintained schools, academies and higher education since 2010. She currently serves as Trustee of Askel Veur, a member of the Diocese of Truro Board of Education, and governor at Plymouth Marjon University.

Racheal Smith is a leading advocate for parental participation and stronger school-home partnerships. As the lead for Parent-Friendly Schools at Parentkind, she has supported hundreds of schools and trusts across England to build cultures where parents are recognised as genuine partners in children’s education.

With 19 years’ experience as a teacher and school leader, Racheal combines frontline educational expertise with evidence-informed practice. She is a published author and co-creator of Parentkind’s Parent-Friendly Schools accreditation, one of the UK’s fastest-growing programmes focused on parent partnership.

Alongside her work in school improvement, Racheal served as Chief Examiner for Pearson, bringing extensive experience in assessment, standards and educational quality. She regularly speaks to school leaders, trusts, charities and policy audiences about the role parents play in improving attendance, behaviour, wellbeing and educational outcomes.

Known for blending research with practical examples from schools, Racheal’s presentations offer an optimistic vision for how schools, families and communities can work together so that children flourish.

Mark has been a school governor and Multi-Academy Trustee and chair for 15 years, and an invited co-opted member of Windor and Maidenhead Council’s ‘Adults, Children and Health’ Overview and Scrutiny Panel on education matters for the past 6 years. Over this time he has developed, refined and reviewed effective school complaints policies and participated directly in complaints adjuication panels.

In work, Mark has 30-years’ experience in the computing and semiconductor industry spanning technical and business strategy roles, translating market intelligence plus strategic direction into technical requirements for existing and future hardware and software.

Rani leads the Advice team and manages the Gold Advice service, delivering strategic, procedural, best practice and legal information to support effective governance. A regular contributor to NGA’s Governing Matters magazine, she provides clear, practical and accessible advice and guidance for those involved in governance. Her background includes writing and updating governor and trustee resources to strengthen training and development for those involved in school governance.

Rani has governed in multiple settings and held key roles including SEND link governor and Careers link governor. She has chaired committees and held the positions of chair and vice chair of the board. Rani has also been a panel member on numerous governing board exclusion review panels, Independent Review Panels (IRPs) and complaints panels.

She currently serves as Vice Chair of a single academy trust in Solihull.

Vicky heads the firm’s South West education practice team of education solicitors and HR consultants. Recognised by Legal 500 as a Rising Star since 2021, she is a partner specialising exclusively in education law since 2010.

Vicky advises schools, single and multi-academy trusts (MATs) and independent schools regionally and nationally on contentious matters and strategic projects. She combines deep sector passion, evidenced through extensive school governance roles, with practical, client-focused solutions to complex legal and regulatory challenges.

Vicky’s contentious practice covers the full spectrum of student disputes and parent complaints. She has a strong track record of defending schools in cases involving suspensions, permanent exclusions and disability discrimination claims. Recognising the post-pandemic surge in parent complaints and the impact on staff well-being, Vicky has developed specialist expertise in managing difficult parent relationships and vexatious complaints. She leads Browne Jacobson’s development of cutting-edge complaints management resources, including support packs, CPD courses and bespoke training, equipping school leaders with strategies to de-escalate conflict and maintain constructive stakeholder engagement.

Vicky guides academy trust clients through business-critical projects including academy conversions, MAT mergers, school transfers and re-brokerages. Clients benefit from her expert guidance on governance structures, Articles of Association, schemes of delegation and DfE compliance.

Vicky is a trusted adviser for Church of England schools and diocesan MATs. Following in-house secondments with two South West dioceses and current service on the Diocese of Truro’s Diocesan Board of Education, she brings unparalleled understanding of the unique governance and stakeholder requirements of faith schools.

A sought-after commentator in education media, Vicky regularly contributes to Schools Week, TES and Education Journal on parent complaints, governance and regulatory change.

Vicky has held volunteer governorship positions across maintained schools, academies and higher education since 2010. She currently serves as Trustee of Askel Veur, a member of the Diocese of Truro Board of Education, and governor at Plymouth Marjon University.

With a career rooted in the classroom, Sarah is a passionate advocate for the power of parental engagement. Sarah brings extensive frontline educational experience to her role at Parentkind, where she currently supports schools and multi-academy trusts in achieving the Parent-Friendly Schools accreditation.

Prior to joining Parentkind, Sarah enjoyed a comprehensive teaching career spanning the entire primary phase, from Nursery to Year 6. Her leadership experience is equally broad, having served as a Phase Leader for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, alongside managing multiple subject specialisms. This deep understanding of school operations and leadership allows her to provide practical, empathetic, and strategic insights into building the collaborative parental partnerships necessary to reduce friction and manage complaints effectively.

Jane McNally is an experienced education leader with more than 30 years working in and alongside schools. A former Executive Headteacher, Trust Safeguarding Lead and Assistant Director of School Improvement, she now leads LPI Education Ltd, providing safeguarding supervision, consultancy and workforce development to schools and trusts across the UK.

Jane is also a serving Catholic School Inspector for the Catholic Education Service. Her work brings together sector‑aligned safeguarding expertise with a relational and reflective approach, enabling leaders to navigate complex safeguarding and complaints issues with clarity, confidence and professional courage.

David is committed to addressing educational disadvantage through high standards, evidence-led approaches and humour. He has held senior leadership positions in the West Midlands and South Yorkshire since 2012, and currently serves as the Principal of Astrea Academy Woodfields which was rated as OFSTED ‘Good’ within 15 months of David taking up his post having been in ‘Special Measures’ or ‘Requiring improvement’ since inspections began.

Brought up in Teesside and having graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2008 in Natural Sciences, David joined the Teach First Programme in 2008 in the West Midlands. He has been a Head of Science in two schools, in both cases leading them to their best ever results, and first served as an Assistant Headteacher in 2012. Having held a wide range of briefs in either curriculum or pastoral areas; David has always been committed to the long term best interests of children so that they can live a great life full of opportunity and choice.

Astrea Academy Woodfields is the Secondary School of the Year in Yorkshire, a Special Award Winner from Poetry by Heart and a Top 100 Uk Changemaker according to the Big Issue. Every child who joins learns a musical instrument and takes part in an innovative family dining programme. This Doncaster school that serves an area with high levels of deprivation continues to make bold moves that are disrupting disadvantage.

Vicky heads the firm’s South West education practice team of education solicitors and HR consultants. Recognised by Legal 500 as a Rising Star since 2021, she is a partner specialising exclusively in education law since 2010.

Vicky advises schools, single and multi-academy trusts (MATs) and independent schools regionally and nationally on contentious matters and strategic projects. She combines deep sector passion, evidenced through extensive school governance roles, with practical, client-focused solutions to complex legal and regulatory challenges.

Vicky’s contentious practice covers the full spectrum of student disputes and parent complaints. She has a strong track record of defending schools in cases involving suspensions, permanent exclusions and disability discrimination claims. Recognising the post-pandemic surge in parent complaints and the impact on staff well-being, Vicky has developed specialist expertise in managing difficult parent relationships and vexatious complaints. She leads Browne Jacobson’s development of cutting-edge complaints management resources, including support packs, CPD courses and bespoke training, equipping school leaders with strategies to de-escalate conflict and maintain constructive stakeholder engagement.

Vicky guides academy trust clients through business-critical projects including academy conversions, MAT mergers, school transfers and re-brokerages. Clients benefit from her expert guidance on governance structures, Articles of Association, schemes of delegation and DfE compliance.

Vicky is a trusted adviser for Church of England schools and diocesan MATs. Following in-house secondments with two South West dioceses and current service on the Diocese of Truro’s Diocesan Board of Education, she brings unparalleled understanding of the unique governance and stakeholder requirements of faith schools.

A sought-after commentator in education media, Vicky regularly contributes to Schools Week, TES and Education Journal on parent complaints, governance and regulatory change.

Vicky has held volunteer governorship positions across maintained schools, academies and higher education since 2010. She currently serves as Trustee of Askel Veur, a member of the Diocese of Truro Board of Education, and governor at Plymouth Marjon University.