Flexi-Schooling
Flexi-Schooling describes an arrangement between the parent/guardian and a school, whereby children are registered at the school in the usual way but only attend for part of the week.
The rest of the time the child is home educated. It is a perfectly legal option but it is at the discretion of the head teacher to approve it.
The Centre for Personalised Education has a wealth of information about flexi-schooling including downloadable info sheets for parents and teachers. They make an important distinction between flexi-schooling and part-time schooling.
Part-time education is only allowed in law as a temporary solution to a specific problem (usually for medical or mental health reasons, or for integrating a pupil into a new situation).
Flexi-schooling is different as it provides children with a full-time education (even though only part of it occurs at school). Learners are registered as full-time with the school and as such are fully-funded. Schools therefore have the budgetary resource to ensure that it works effectively. The arrangement can be temporary or permanent and is requested for a wide variety of reasons, some of which are listed in our website.
For many families flexi-schooling offers the best of both worlds and is a compromise between school and home education.
Voices from the Sector
You can read our interview with a flexi-schooling parent.
Books About Flexi-Schooling
Flexischooling Guidebook: England and Wales, by Peter Humphreys, Alison Sauer & Emma Dyke
Useful Flexi-Schooling Websites
The Centre for Personalised Education – Promotes educational alternatives, including flexi-schooling.
Finding the Flex – Offers support to families and schools in co-creating flexi-schooling arrangements that better meet the needs of children. This blog by Finding the Flex founder, Sarah Sudea makes the case for flexi-schooling and shares some of the benefits for schools and families.
Flexi-Schooling Facebook Groups
Progressive Education Group – Our supportive forum discussing progressive approaches to education (including flexi-schooling) and why they are so important for the 21st century.