Home Ed or Flexi-Schooling?

[inadreamworld]

My DDs are one and nearly three so I have a while to think about this.

I am considering flexi schooling as a friend has just sent me this article www.theguardian.com/education/2011/dec/05/rise-of-flexi-schooling

Does anyone have any experience of flexi schooling? Do schools usually go for this idea or is it difficult to get a school to accept your children part time?

I would love to home school (DH and I are both teachers) however I want to make sure my children get enough social life - this is my main concern really.

We live in North London so if anyone could point me in the direction of home ed groups I would really like to go along and meet others with similar ideas.

[EauRouge]

We looked into flexi-schooling but our local school said no way.

If socialisation is your only concern then I wouldn't worry. There are plenty of opportunities to socialise if you HE, especially being in London. Have a look on Facebook for local groups, I'm sure you'll be able to find some families that can tell you more about the local scene.

[inadreamworld]

Thanks Eau I thought local schools would be a bit dubious.

[EauRouge]

You could give them a try. A friend of mine in the next LA over flexi-schools her DD, I think she takes her out of school for one day a week and they go to a museum or something.

[kilo]

Hi there, I'm flexi-schooling my 4 year old DS at the moment. He started reception in September last year and he does Mon Tues and Weds at school and the rest of the week at home. I'm really lucky with the school who have been really supportive and genuinely flexible (!). There are also a couple of other mums at the school who do this (in different years). So far it's working really well :)

[kilo]

p.s. I think it really depends on the openness of the school, our Head's wife home-schooled their kids so he was completely un-fazed by it!

[inadreamworld]

kilo that is really interesting - where are you based? Bet it is not North London like me! I will ask about flexi schooling but if I can't get a school to agree I would rather send the DC to school - I am no where near organized enough to homeschool full time.

[ImASecretTwigletNibbler]

I flexi-schooled My DD from Y3 - Y5. I think most HTs either don't know about it or are frightened by it but if you do your research and present your arguments properly (I included case studies of how it works) and make sure you address their concerns you'll stand the best chance of getting them to say yes. They'll mainly be worried that they'll have to catch the child up with everything s/he misses - which isn't the case.

[SleepSleepSleepSleep]

Thank you Twiglet - it can't do any harm to ask. Any links to case studies you used would be much appreciated!

[ImASecretTwigletNibbler]

I've had a look but Im afraid I can't find any now - and it was 3 years ago so I can't remember where I got them from either, so sorry.

There is lots of good advice here though

[FionaJNicholson]

Hi

I'm the author of the web page linked by ImASecretTwigletNibbler above.

The position in England regarding flexischooling is quite varied and might be all changed again by the time your children are school age.

Some schools say it's not allowed or that they don't want to do it, others will agree if you put forward a good case. In a very few cases the initiative comes from schools who have proportionately more flexischooled students (but that's by no means the only way it happens, though it's probably what you'll read about)