Dr Chris Lowe CBE, a well known educationalist and lawyer, founded QGP Ltd in 2000. Chris has a vast experience of Headship and was a former President of SHA (now ASCL). Writing over many years about legal issues, Chris set about attracting many experienced people to his Editorial Board at QGP. From small beginnings with fifty policy documents on a CD, the support provided to schools/colleges/academies today is represented by over 400 policy and guidance documents available on a content-managed CM SYSTEM.

The QGP Board includes:

Chris Lowe CBE, Executive Director & Editor-in-Chief was the former Headteacher at Prince William School, Oundle. He is a Lawyer, writer of The Times Educational Supplement’s Legal Issues column, author of Teachers’ Rights, Duties and Responsibilities, editor to Croner’s School Governors Briefing, former Legal secretary to SHA, honorary legal consultant to SHA, visiting Professor of Education to Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia.

Russell Clarke, Finance Director of QGP Ltd. After a career in senior college management, Russell became Deputy General Secretary and Head of the legal services of SHA (ASCL) with responsibility for setting up the HOTLINE legal and Field Officer Service.

Simon Lowe, who is the Managing Director of Handsam Ltd, a sister company to QGP. The two companies merged in December 2010 and now are called Handsam Ltd.

Stephen Szemerenyi OBE 1942 - 2012

We are very sad to have to report the death from cancer of Stephen Szemerenyi, one of the founders of QGP (Quick Guides Publishing) Ltd and Company Chairman and Director. Each year Steve made brilliant summaries and guidance documents on pay and conditions of service and performance management. He was meticulous and rigorous in this task. Only a few days before he died he submitted his last amendment of the PAY documents based on the 2011 Pay and Conditions Document. His final revision was put up on the Quick Guide site earlier this month. It was very fitting that he was honoured by the award of the OBE for his work in education.

Steve was born in Hungary and came to this country with his parents after WWII. He read Classics at Cambridge University where he also played soccer for the university, later playing for Brentford as an amateur. His vocation was for teaching and after a career at Highgate School became Head of Finchley Catholic High School for 16 years. After early retirement in 1995 he became an active Pay and Conditions of Service consultant, working mainly for the Secondary Heads Association (SHA) which became the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), and for QGP.  At Handsam/QGP we will miss his wise counsel, but we owe it to Steve to ensure that his replacement is as professional and committed as him.  I am sure our clients will join us in our condolences to his wife Jan and family.

Members of the Editorial Board include Richard Bird, David Brierley, Max Hill, Michael Howells, Rona Tutt and Gail Treml. They draw upon many years of Headship and/or Legal Experience. Other experienced contributors who have their own specialist knowledge about the legal and management issues facing schools today support the board as well.

QUICK GUIDES CM SYSTEM

We specialise in providing easy-to-read, bullet-point summaries of legislation, guidance and case studies for all levels of school and college management.

The editors work through government legislation, guidance and cases to provide succinct information, model policies, checklists and procedures for the  effective, legal running and management of schools, colleges and academies in the maintained and independent sectors. Areas covered include: health, safety and risk assessment; child protection; management of staff and pupils; school organisation and governance.

The online system of documents is accessible to subscribers on payment of an annual licence fee . For more information on the CM SYSTEM click on the button on this page.

CONSULTANCY – small queries

Subscribers to the QGP Quick Guides for School Management can contact QGP if they have a legal query which they cannot resolve themselves with the help of their own advisers or Local Authority.  Queries should be sent in writing, or emailed in to QGP via qgp@qgpsolutions.com  detailing precisely the nature of the problem and the specific questions posed.  QGP will then forward this query on to the Editors who will aim to resolve the problem as soon as possible.  Please allow a couple of days for your query to be resolved as the Editors are not based in the office.

CONSULTANCY AND AUDITS

Where legal advice would be more extensive, perhaps involving a site visit and audit of your own school and policies, QGP consultants can arrange a visit.  Daily fees and expenses are negotiated on an individual basis.  Please contact QGP preferably by letter or email at qgp@qgpsolutions.com with your request.

Please note, one of the requirements for a consultancy visit or audit, is that the school or academy must first sign up to our CM SYSTEM and thus be a subscriber with access to our policies and documents.