Flexischooling in Herts, Bucks or Oxfordshire

[JulesFox]

I was wondering if anyone had experience of or has heard of anyone who has managed to organise flexischooling in Herts, Bucks or Oxfordshire? We are looking to move in the next 6 months and are looking at areas in all of these counties. So far I managed to find a school in Bucks who were open to it but when they talked to the LA then they were told that it would affect attendance registers and mean absences would be higher so were told that the LA would not support it. I was just trying to find if anyone has actually managed to do it or are we wasting our time trying?

That's not strictly true. My DD is flexi-schooled in Powys. She is marked present every morning (as she attends school until lunch time every day) and for the afternoon register they have a different code entered, not an absence, like you were sick, but a code that tells them that she is doing educational activities off-site (as she is home every afternoon doing 'educational activities'). Our LEA were not thrilled when we first started and can put pressure on a school to say no, however the permission is given by the headteacher not the LEA. In our case the headteacher was fine about granting permission.

Do you happen to know what code the school use when your DD as at home in the afternoon? It might help my case if I knew so that I could possibly go back to the LA with more information. Thanks.

Fiona Nicholson has spent a lot of time finding out how flexischooling 'should work' she has a page on her website Ed Yourself that might help.
She says there that it is code B.

Yes indeed, it's one of my hobby horses! I'm even going to a Flexischool conference in London on Friday www.cfbt.com/evidenceforeducation/home_page.aspx

As per Julie's link edyourself.org/articles/helaw.php#flexischool the register can be marked Code B if the person delivering the education (in this case the parent) is approved by the school. The Govnt has included info this in the Guidance on Keeping Pupil Registers and in the Elective Home Education Guidelines for Local Authorities (links from above url)

Thanks Fiona, I knew you'd have the details! Very interested in the flexischool conference, how big is it?, what is discussed?

Thanks for the information. I have already looked at your informative site Fiona but couldn't make out if code B could be used or not. The conference sounds interesting - would be interested in hearing all about it. In fact I would try to go if I lived anywhere near London but we live in West Yorkshire at the moment.

Just to say have looked at your site again and realise it is quite plain the info about code B. My fault cos I looked at the links instead of reading your information!!!