It is being reported that Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted is worried by the rise of flexi-schooling within England’s schools.
Ofsted’s annual report warns about a rise in “unorthodox patterns of education”.
Within this description is included the small number of schools that allow children to be flexi-schooled, where parents choose to home educate their children for part of the week and in school for the other part of the week and it being recorded as authorised absence by the school.
While he believes that it can be done well in some areas of the country, he is concerned that Ofsted are not able to track how many children are having some time being home educated and sometime being educated in school.
Ofsted notes that a growing number of children are on part-time timetables and a mix of online and in-person education is increasingly being used for pupils with SEND and behaviour or health needs.
Does your school provide flexi-schooling? Do you know what is involved in elective home education and part time timetables? Have a look at the DAG Busy Governance Guide to Elective Home Education for more information.
14-05-2026