Collaboration and shared services

Collaboration can help education providers improve outcomes, reduce costs, share expertise and respond to changing funding pressures. Geldards Education advises schools, academy trusts, colleges, universities and other education organisations on collaboration agreements, shared services arrangements, partnerships, joint ventures and outsourcing projects.

We help you put clear legal and governance arrangements in place so everyone understands their role, risk is managed and the relationship can work effectively in practice.

Legal support for education collaborations

Education collaborations can take many forms. You may be sharing staff or operational services with another school, developing a joint curriculum offer, working with a university on research, establishing a shared services company or entering a strategic partnership with a private sector provider.

Whatever the structure, the agreement needs to reflect the purpose of the collaboration and the way the organisations will work together. We advise on the full legal framework, including governance, responsibilities, funding, risk, data, staffing, intellectual property and exit arrangements.

Our advice is practical and focused on the outcome you are trying to achieve. We help you identify issues early and create arrangements that are legally sound, commercially effective and suitable for a regulated education environment.

Collaboration agreements

A collaboration agreement sets out how two or more organisations will work together towards a shared objective. It should explain who is responsible for what, how decisions will be made, how costs and liabilities will be shared and what happens if the relationship changes or ends.

In education, collaboration agreements may cover school-to-school partnerships, academy trust improvement arrangements, university and college partnerships, shared curriculum delivery, teacher training, apprenticeships, research, joint procurement, international education, estates projects, technology partnerships and commercial ventures.

A well-drafted agreement gives the parties a clear framework to follow. It can reduce uncertainty, protect key assets and provide a practical route for dealing with disagreements.

Shared services agreements

Shared services arrangements allow one organisation, or a jointly established entity, to provide services to other participating organisations. They are often used to improve efficiency, achieve economies of scale and create more consistent service delivery.

Shared services may include finance, payroll, budget management, procurement, HR, employee relations, recruitment, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, software licensing, facilities management, health and safety, governance, risk management and regulatory compliance.

We help education providers define the service, set clear standards, document charges and responsibilities and establish how performance will be monitored. We also advise on liability, insurance, data protection, employment, tax and termination issues.

Governance, regulation and accountability

Many collaborations begin with a strong shared purpose but become difficult when governance has not been properly agreed. Clear arrangements are needed for decision-making, delegated authority, reporting, accountability and resolving disagreements.

Governance arrangements must also fit with each organisation’s constitutional documents, internal delegation framework and legal duties. Depending on the parties and the project, this may include charity law, funding agreements, Department for Education requirements, Ofsted expectations, higher education regulation, Charity Commission guidance, public procurement law and competition law.

We help boards, trustees, governors and senior leaders understand how the proposed structure fits with their existing responsibilities and what approvals or safeguards may be needed.

Managing legal and operational risk

Collaboration agreements should allocate risk clearly. This may include service failure, professional negligence, data breaches, cybersecurity incidents, regulatory investigations, employment claims, funding clawback and intellectual property disputes.

We advise on suitable indemnities, limitations of liability, insurance requirements and escalation procedures. The aim is to create a balanced agreement that protects your organisation without making the arrangement unworkable.

Staffing, secondments and TUPE

Collaborative arrangements often involve shared staff, secondments, joint appointments or the transfer of services. Schools and academy trusts may share senior leaders, specialist teachers, SEND professionals, business managers or finance teams.

The agreement should address who employs and manages staff, safeguarding responsibilities, pension arrangements, costs, liability and day-to-day supervision. Where services are transferred or outsourced, TUPE may also need to be considered.

We provide joined-up advice on the contract and the related employment issues, helping you manage operational and financial risk.

Data protection and information sharing

Most education collaborations involve the sharing or processing of personal and confidential information. This may include pupil and student data, employee records, financial information, research data and commercially sensitive material.

We help you document controller and processor responsibilities, information-sharing arrangements, security requirements, breach reporting and confidentiality obligations. This supports GDPR compliance and helps everyone understand how data should be handled throughout the relationship.

Intellectual property and research

Intellectual property issues can arise where organisations develop curriculum materials, research outputs, digital learning resources, software, training materials or commercially valuable products together.

The agreement should make clear who owns existing and newly created intellectual property, what licences are granted, who can publish or commercialise the work and how future developments will be managed.

For university research collaborations and knowledge transfer partnerships, we can also advise on confidentiality, research governance, publication rights, data management and funding conditions.

Financial arrangements and tax

Clear financial terms are essential. Agreements should set out charging mechanisms, budget responsibilities, cost recovery, funding commitments and how unexpected expenditure will be managed.

Shared services and joint ventures may also create VAT or wider tax implications. We help identify these issues at an early stage so they can be reflected in the proposed structure and documentation.

Exit and dispute resolution

Even a successful collaboration may end because of funding changes, new strategic priorities, regulatory developments or organisational restructuring. The agreement should explain how a party can leave, how services and data will be transferred, what happens to staff and assets and how outstanding costs will be dealt with.

We draft clear termination, exit management and dispute resolution provisions so any transition can be handled in an orderly way.

How we can help

• Collaboration and partnership agreements
• Shared services agreements and shared services companies
• School-to-school and academy trust improvement partnerships
• University, college and research collaborations
• Joint ventures and strategic alliances
• Public-private partnerships and commercial projects
• Outsourcing and service delivery arrangements
• Joint procurement and framework arrangements
• Governance frameworks and delegated authority
• Staff sharing, secondments, TUPE and pension issues
• Data sharing, confidentiality and cybersecurity provisions
• Intellectual property, licensing and commercialisation
• Funding, charging, VAT and tax considerations
• Risk allocation, insurance and liability provisions
• Termination, exit planning and dispute resolution

Why choose Geldards Education?

Education collaborations are different from standard commercial arrangements. They often involve public funding, charity law, safeguarding, regulatory oversight and wider public interest responsibilities.

Our team brings together experience in education, commercial contracts, governance, employment, data protection, intellectual property, procurement and disputes. This joined-up approach helps you create arrangements that are clear, practical and capable of working in the real world.

Whether you are developing a school partnership, university collaboration, shared services model, research project, outsourcing arrangement or joint venture, we provide straightforward legal advice that helps you move forward with confidence.