Polly Kerr

I qualified as a solicitor in 2009 after completing a two-year training contract with Tees. I was promoted to Senior Associate in June 2016 and advanced to the role of Legal Director in November 2023

I have extensive experience acting for and advising schools and parents in educational matters—both contentious and non-contentious—in reputational risk management (defamation), and I have acted in commercial and civil disputes.

Being the only lawyer from a family of teachers, the highly specialist field of education law was a natural career progression for me, and one I thoroughly enjoy and embrace. I have experience and have advised in respect of:

• • School Admission and Exclusion Appeals and Independent Review Panel Hearings;
  • Special Educational Needs, including needs assessments, Education Health and Care Plans, statutory provision and appeals to the First Tier Tribunal;
  • Discrimination of all types – both in the First Tier Tribunal and the County Court;
  • Data protection and compliance with Educational Record and Subject Access Requests;
  • Increasing published admission numbers and public consultation;
  • Changes to the status of a school, extending years of intake and property disputes, including successfully opposing an application to register a school’s playing field as a new town or village green under the Commons Act 2006;
  • Allegations of professional misconduct by the Disclosure and Barring Service and National Council for Teaching and Leadership;
  • Policy Drafting and consultation;
  • Complaints to the Local Authority and OFSTED;
  • Safeguarding;
  • Allegations of Education Negligence;
  • Advising independent schools on recovery of fees and allegations of breach of contract

Delivering what you really need

The litigation team at Tees boasts a wealth of experience. As part of that team, we draw on each other’s expertise to provide a full wrap-around service for our clients. I can see clients at any one of our six offices, and we have videoconferencing facilities, making client access easier than ever before. The litigation team has forged close relationships with our colleagues in Tees’ other departments to ensure we draw on their skills as and when required.