Richard Freeth

Partner, Stone King LLP

Richard has over 23 years’ experience in advising schools and local authorities on a wide range of education issues including admissions, exclusions, SEN, disability discrimination and other Equality Act issues. His advice has covered both state funded and independent schools. Richard also has significant experience in SEND law and other local authority education issues such as transport, school re-organisation, legal challenges and complaints.

1 Workshop series one

Implementing reasonable adjustments: Principles and guidance

With SEND tribunals rising and expectations around reasonable adjustments increasing, trusts face growing pressure to balance legal compliance with classroom realities. This session introduces a series of principles curated by Stone King to support leaders in making defensible, consistent decisions about adjustments. We will explore how schools can meet their duties while navigating capacity, workforce, and operational constraints.

1 Workshops series two

SEND reform: Implications for governance

The reform of the SEND system places significant new responsibilities on governance. Boards will be accountable for developing a workforce that can deliver, repurposing school estates, and stewarding the cultural shift toward a more inclusive mainstream. This session offers practical guidance and clear takeaways on how boards can approach their strategic role in SEND reform, strengthen oversight, and ensure their trust is ready to meet the expectations of a more inclusive, high‑accountability system.