YOU could cut the tension with a blunt comment in our house as the day of the GCSE results arrived. The same nervous wait befell a large number of households across the UK and judging by the outcome many students were soon smiling as almost a quarter of all marks were A* or A, a step up on last year's results. Congratulations to all those hard working students. Commiserations to those who fell short.

I can just about remember passing my O-levels, I think I did rather well. Not quite as well as my daughter this year but well enough.

So now it's A-levels then most probably college or university and then…?

Hopefully a job offer, although it is going to be tough for this generation.

But as those students look forward to either college or university things are changing back at school. Most head teachers would testify that budgets have always been tight but the purse strings are pulling ever tighter. They now have options to shape the future of their establishments and become independent of local authority management. Independence of action and greater freedom to manage your own destiny.

Academies are springing up all over the UK and I understand an increasing number of schools in the North East are taking positive steps towards gaining Academy status.

What that will mean for students and parents alike is as yet a little unclear. As ever the prospect of change has caused some concern. However, the quality of head teachers in our region is very high and I'm confident they'll reach the best conclusion for their particular establishment and above all students.

I can empathise, however with the new role these head teachers will be performing. I trained to be a lawyer as the heads trained to be teachers. Now I'm working with a CEO to run my practice and the heads too will have to concentrate even more on running the business end of the school.

If they didn't already, they will need to work with lawyers and other professionals to deal with HR, property, commercial, corporate and governance issues that were once left in the hands of the local authority. How do they appoint the right people? How do they ensure value for money and real expertise? Most important of all, who best fits the culture of the school? One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of suitors.

Whether academy, free or traditional school I wish the next set of GCSE students all the very best and offer their head teachers an open invitation to come and talk to us. If nothing else, the coffee and biscuits are good, and we all might learn something.

:: If you have a legal problem you'd like me to discuss a particular topic please drop me a line at robertgibson@samuelphillips.co.uk  or tweet @samplaw_hr