Flexischooling in the UK: A Lifeline for Children Who Struggle With Full-Time School
- Nikki Robson
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Flexischooling – a hybrid model of education that blends traditional schooling with home education – is gaining attention in the UK, particularly among families seeking alternative ways to support children who are struggling in a full-time school environment. This model offers a flexible, child-centered approach, enabling children to benefit from both structured classroom settings and the personalised support of learning at home.
What is Flexischooling?
Flexischooling allows a child to attend school part-time while being educated at home for the remainder of the week. The exact arrangement varies based on individual needs and agreements with schools, but the aim is to create a balance that supports the child’s learning, wellbeing, and development.
It is important to note that flexischooling is not a legal right. In England and Wales, it can only be implemented with the agreement of the school’s head teacher, and if the head teacher declines a request, there is no formal appeals process available to parents.
It is recommended to make a formal written flexischooling request to the headteacher, when applying to Flexischool.
The facebook group Flexischooling Families UK, set up by The Centre for Personalised Education, have resources, such as template letters and leaflets, to support parents making their application.
Benefits of Flexischooling Support for Struggling Learners
For children who find full-time schooling overwhelming—whether due to anxiety, sensory challenges, neurodiversity, or other needs—flexischooling can be a vital option.
It can:
Reduce school-related stress and anxiety.
Provide a more manageable schedule.
Help re-engage children who are at risk of becoming persistently absent.
A Tailored Blend of Education
Combining home education with traditional schooling allows for:
Customised learning experiences at home
Continued access to peer interaction, structure, and extracurriculars at school
A gradual, supportive reintegration for children who have previously been out of school, and who need a less pressured transition than offered with a part-time timetable
More Quality Time for Families
Flexischooling gives parents more time with their children, allowing for deeper involvement in their growth and learning. This can strengthen family bonds and help meet emotional and developmental needs that may not be fully supported in school alone.
Greater Parental Input
Parents have the opportunity to directly influence their child’s education, choosing resources and methods that best suit their child’s learning style, passions, and pace.
1:1 Support Where It’s Needed Most
One of the greatest strengths of flexischooling is the ability to offer individualised support. Whether a child is struggling in a particular subject or excelling beyond the school curriculum, flexischooling provides the time and space for focused attention at home.
The Current Challenge: Code “C” and School Attendance
Despite its potential benefits, flexischooling faces a significant hurdle: how it is recorded on school registers.
Currently, days spent learning at home under a flexischooling agreement are recorded using Code “C” – which categorises them as an authorised absence. However, this code does not distinguish between flexischooling and other authorised absences. As a result, many schools are reluctant to approve flexischooling due to concerns about how it will affect their overall attendance figures.
Although Ofsted generally takes flexischooling arrangements into account, the fear of being penalised on attendance metrics remains a major barrier, often leading to declined requests even when they would greatly benefit the child.
A Push for Change: Petition for Flexischooling Code “F”
With recent and proposed changes to the education system—particularly around attendance and home education—many families and educators are calling for flexischooling to be formally recognised in attendance codes.
A petition has been launched to introduce a dedicated “F” code for flexischooling, which would:
Clearly identify flexischooling arrangements in registers
Giving clear statistical data on the numbers of flexischooling pupils
Enabling more schools to consider flexischooling without fear of penalty
Help normalise this model as a legitimate and effective option for many families
Help schools to recognise that flexischooling is a legal, full time education, and that whilst pupils may be absent from school, they are not absent from education.
Please help us to make Flexischooling more accessible by signing the petition and sharing this information. Together, we really can create a greater sense of educational freedom and have a huge impact on the choices that we as parents have access to so we can gift them the very best form of education for them as individuals.
Introduce a distinct attendance code for flexischooling (Code F).
Sign the petition here:
It has already reached over 6,000 signatures of support to date, we need it to get to at least 10,000 to gain response from Parliament.