Flexi-Schooling

What is flexi-schooling?

Flexi-schooling is a discretionary arrangement in which a child remains on the roll of their school, but attends only part of the week, with the remainder of their education delivered at home.

How does it work?

Parents/carers are responsible for the home education portion. They must ensure that the child is receiving a suitable education during the time spent learning at home. They will be responsible for costs incurred, i.e. resources or private tuition.

Schools are responsible for the child’s education, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance during the time they are in school. Schools are also accountable for the child’s performance while they are on site.

How is flexi-schooling agreed?

Parents initiate the process by requesting a flexi-schooling arrangement. This can happen if parents believe that a combination of school attendance and home education suits their child’s needs.

Schools may agree to flexi-schooling for reasons such as meeting a child’s specific educational, social, or medical needs. The child’s home life or health may be temporarily impacted, and a short-term arrangement may be beneficial to the family.

Agreement to flexi-schooling is always at the headteacher’s discretion; there is no obligation for schools to offer or agree to flexi-schooling.

If the child has an education, health and care (EHC) plan, any decisions about flexi-schooling must be made with the local authority.

Schools may decline a request where they do not feel that it is in the child’s best interests, where it compromises safeguarding, curriculum access or statutory duties, or where it is not operationally feasible.

Schools may initially agree to a request but can withdraw this offer at any time if they do not feel it is working well.

Decisions around flexi-schooling can be complex and may sometimes be challenged by families. It is therefore helpful for schools to have a clear, transparent rationale and a consistent process for evaluating requests.

Schools may find it helpful to use a structured proforma to record their considerations. This can be shared with parents (where appropriate) or kept as an internal record to support transparency and defend decisions if challenged. An exemplar can be found here: Flexi-schooling pro forma

Parents may submit a complaint, but the decision will stand if it is reasonable, well evidenced and clearly recorded.

Where flexi-schooling is agreed, it is best practice for schools and families to establish a written agreement, including information such as which days and times the child will attend school, which party is responsible for specific subjects and how the child’s progress will be monitored and shared.

How does flexi-schooling impact attendance?

Schools must use code C to mark when pupils are educated at home. This is because if you’ve agreed to a flexi-schooling arrangement, you’re granting leave of absence for the sessions the pupil is not expected to be in school.

Find details of Code C in the DfE’s attendance guidance, paragraphs 346 to 351.

The time cannot be recorded as ‘approved off-site activity’. This is because the school has no supervisory role in the pupil’s education or responsibility for the welfare of the pupil when at home.

What are Ofsted’s expectations around flexi-schooling?

Flexi-schooling is a permitted form of education. Although there is no specific reference with the framework, arrangements will be looked at in terms of attendance and safeguarding (Inspection information for state funded schools)

Inspectors will expect schools to demonstrate that they have considered any safeguarding risks, curriculum implications and the child’s needs, and that they have taken proportionate steps to manage risk.

Inspectors will want to understand:

The rationale for the arrangement
How the school ensures the child’s English and Maths continue to develop
How the home education portion supports statutory assessments
How the curriculum is tailored to the child’s needs
How attendance, progress and safeguarding are monitored

Safeguarding must remain paramount

Schools have limited oversight on flexi-schooling days. Many schools choose to set clear boundaries, such as:

Not offering flexi-schooling where there are existing safeguarding concerns or vulnerabilities
Requiring a home visit before approval
Setting a strict review period
Requesting a home learning timetable or periodic samples of work

These measures help ensure that the child’s overall education remains suitable and that risks are understood and managed.

Schools are not responsible for supervising or monitoring the child during home education time.

Does the Local Authority oversee flexi-schooling?

The local authority may become involved if there are concerns that the home education part of the flexi-schooling arrangement is not suitable or if the child’s overall education is not adequate. However, local authorities are not typically involved in approving or managing flexi-schooling agreements unless there are concerns about the child’s education.