BGU academic meets with Ofsted to ‘further understanding’ regarding flexi-schooling

Last month, Associate Professor Clare Lawrence from our Secondary PGCE team met with members of Ofsted including Head of Research and Evaluation Richard Shiner, to share insights into the provision of Flexi-schooling.

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Clare shared her ongoing research, including two recent research articles to discuss this provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Flexi-schooling is a formal, shared education arrangement made between parents and schools where the child receives a blend of part-time school and part-time home education, together making up the child’s full-time education. Such an arrangement can only be requested by parents, with the final decision regarding it resting with the headteacher. It may be requested to meet specific and individual needs in children that may be perceived by parents as not being fully served by mainstream education.

Ofsted became interested in flexi-schooling after Chief Inspector Martyn Oliver suggested that they did have a “proper handle” on the practice.

Clare reported: “I was delighted to share my research on this important subject with members of Ofsted.

“It is a tremendous opportunity to share our BGU research findings together with academics from the Netherlands and Germany, alongside focus and community groups such as The Relationships Foundation and Beyond the Flex with Ofsted.

“Here, we are able to come together to better understand the reasons behind parents’ desire for this shared education.”

Clare has offered to continue to work with the Ofsted team to further their developing understanding of this approach.

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