flexi schooling - how does it work??

[nappyaddict]

I would like to home ed ds when the time comes but as I am a single parent and have to work I think flexi-schooling might be the answer for us.

Is it confusing for the child?

Is it only private schools that will agree to this?

If so, how do they work out the matter of fees? Do you still have to pay the full amount?

Does anyone know if steiner schools allow flexi schooling?

Some information about flexi-schooling here

My friend did flexi schooling with her DSs in the secondary school. They went in only for the subjects they wanted to take for GCSE. It is a normal, large comprehensive. It was successful in terms of education but not very good on the social front because they simply weren't there when friendships are forged. Now the eldest is in the 6th form he is full time and is part of a lovely frienship group because he is there all the time.

It would be possible in the Primary school but a bit more difficult because the timetable isn't set in stone.

To do it in State primary you need to find a head teacher who will agree. I know a few people who wanted to do it (Brighton) but nobody who ever managed it. When DS2 started in a (private) school I was able to negotiate that he only attended for 4 days and I only paid 4/5 fees, but I know that now although you are welcome to flexi-school you have to pay for full attendance as otherwise the school loses out. This was a fairly alternative school where a lot of kids had been home educated, and people often took their kids out for a year or so to home ed before returning them. I would look at HSE (Human Scale Education) schools if there are any near you, they will be fee paying though.

already looked - none near me

Nappyaddict, - depending on the age of your child, steiner school children don't go full-time until they are 10-11 years.

I would study anthroposophy first though to make sure you really want to join a steiner community or like Sunnydelight has mentioned look at human scale education

Sorry Nappyaddict, didn't see your last post!

When we tried both steiner and human scale we moved to the area, I met parents who had moved country to take their children to a particular school

oh .... the school by me goes full time at 6/7.

I think that you would need a Head who was sympathetic because it most probably muddles up their funding and could be a drain on resources (I am not sure how it works but schools get so much funding per child).
I don't see how it would work for primary because things change so much from day to day. For example I was doing supply work in a small village school today and was prepared for a Maths lesson and then found we were in the Hall instead, practising singing for a play and people had forgotten to tell me so I would imagine they would forget to tell a flexi child. They would miss out badly in a school play because they could only be the back of the chorus if they were not in for all rehearsals which take place on an ad hoc basis. It will be even more difficult now that schools are abandoning the structure of the literacy hour etc and going back to topic based learning (a huge improvement IMO).

I think that you would need a Head who was sympathetic because it most probably muddles up their funding and could be a drain on resources (I am not sure how it works but schools get so much funding per child).
I don't see how it would work for primary because things change so much from day to day. For example I was doing supply work in a small village school today and was prepared for a Maths lesson and then found we were in the Hall instead, practising singing for a play and people had forgotten to tell me so I would imagine they would forget to tell a flexi child. They would miss out badly in a school play because they could only be the back of the chorus if they were not in for all rehearsals which take place on an ad hoc basis. It will be even more difficult now that schools are abandoning the structure of the literacy hour etc and going back to topic based learning (a huge improvement IMO).

Sorry-don't know why it went twice!

Flexi-schooling is entirely at the discretion of the head teacher.

In the past, they used to receive the full funding for the child, so it was a good deal for them financially, but I think our Glorious Leaders may have changed it recently to be a pro-rata thing. You'd need to check that out.

If it isn't possible in your local state schools, you might want to get yourself onto the single parent HE list www.education-otherwise.org.uk/Links/internet_lists.htm because there are lots of people there who do all sorts of creative things to manage educating their children and working as well.

If you are looking for first hand informed opinions about flexischooling and HE as a single parent, email lists are probably better places for that kind of conversation than Mumsnet tbh.