Nottingham school receives Charity Commission Approval for co-education

October 1, 2014 10:44 am - Categorised in: EFN-News

Hollygirt School based in Nottingham has received approval from the Charity Commission to admit boys from the start of the 2014 academic year.

The objects of the Rhoda Jessop Educational Charity which is responsible for the School originally restricted the School to the education of girls and young women however the Trustees of the Charity and School Staff felt that the time was right to change. The Trustees wanted the School to become co-educational enabling boys to also benefit from the school’s distinctive ethos and approach.

The change in the charity’s objects required the permission of the Charity Commission which led the charity Trustees to approach Ellis-Fermor & Negus Solicitors of Beeston, Nottingham to handle the legal work. The project involved submitting an application for a cy-pres Scheme permitting the change of objects.

Although, the Charity Commission set a series of hurdles for the School to jump through Simon Hale, Director at Ellis-Fermor & Negus and head of the charity law team was able to achieve the desired result for the Trustees. Pleasingly, the Scheme was approved on the last day of the summer term meaning the Trustees and Staff now have the summer to prepare for the intake of boys and girls in September.

School Bursar, Debbie Fisher commented ”we felt this was the right decision for the future of Hollygirt School but we were up against a tight timescale to get everything approved for September. The fact that Ellis-Fermor & Negus were able to have the Scheme approved by the end of the summer term was fantastic. We are looking forward to a very exciting new academic year.”

Please address enquiries about Hollygirt School to: bursar@hollygirt.notts.sch.uk

Please address enquiries about Ellis-Fermor & Negus’ Charity law team to Simon Hale or Ben Bourne at 2 Devonshire Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham (tel: 0115 922 1591) or via the website – www.ellis-fermor.co.uk