Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Discussion of all things non-11 Plus related

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by mystery »

Anyone affected by this:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pup ... -schooling" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by fatbananas »

That last para is interesting. It would suggest schools can continue to agree to flexi-schooling, though one wonders if they will with fiercer OFSTEDs and league table competition. Are you going to do it again, Mystery?
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by mystery »

It's unlikely any school would say yes now that it has to be coded as authorised absence. Apparently it has been stopped in this convoluted way because some schools were telling parents to keep an unruly child at home for a few days and recording it as flexi schooling rather then an exclusion. It's very annoying. I haven't figured out how to tackle it as I would like to do a little of it this term.
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by um »

I flexi-school my dd to a small extent and plan for my youngest to have a day off a week in Reception, as my fourth did. Then when my fourth reaches KS2, I want to flexi-school him again.
The guidance (as with quite a few other announcements from the DFE) seems to have not reached the TES or even Ofsted, who seem to think flexi-schooling is up, running, and should be acknowledged.

The TES had a super article in last week's TES Pro on flexi schooling (which was very pro flexi schooling and making it work well).

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6332480" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ofsted recently published a section for inspectors on flex- schooling. I can't get the link (I have yet to come across a harder website to negotiate than Ofsted's) but here is the guidance copied:

Ofsted Subsiduary Guidance.

April 2013, No. 110166

From Part 2: Further guidance about specific settings

Alternative/off-site provision
130. It is becoming increasingly common for secondary schools and pupil referral units to use alternative provision in order to meet pupils' particular curriculum needs including college placements, vocational and work placements.
[which would include the home educating element of a school and home educating flexi-schooling arrangement' where a school B Coded children when not in school based attendance]
131. Schools are responsible for the outcomes and provision of all their pupils on roll, including those who attend alternative provision.
132. Inspectors must evaluate the robustness and effectiveness with which the school monitors the learning, progress, attendance and behaviour of pupils that receive alternative provision.

133. Inspectors must evaluate:
how well the school identifies provision that matches pupils’ needs and interests and enables them to gain appropriate knowledge and skills
how well the school assesses the quality and safety of the provision
the quality of information that the school gives to the alternative provider, for example about the pupil’s special educational needs, behaviour and/or literacy levels
how well the school monitors and evaluates pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour and intervenes to support pupils where needed
the progress that pupils make while attending alternative provision
whether any qualifications being taken are at the appropriate level
the quality of support that pupils receive while alternative provision.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by mystery »

Interesting - thanks. Glad it has not affected you; I thought of you when I read it. Do you get supervised in the way that B coded offsite alternative provision should be?
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by um »

The school do trust me and know that I (how do I put this :oops: ) do a good job with my children when they're off-site.
My daughter attends a super Maths tutor one afternoon and the school did ask to see her teaching certificate before authorising that, which she provided. She also used to have an afternoon with me but we've just increased that to a full day now. Her writing APS has gone from 21 to 30 in just under a year, her reading is now solid level 5 (Maths has improved significantly too), and, while she does have a good class teacher, we all know that only 1-1 support can make that kind of jump happen.

With my dc4, he started Reception at a lower than average level. He is bright (imho), but he does have asperger's and motor control difficulties, and to be fair he hadn't engaged that well with the nursery curriculum and certainly couldn't even begin to read basic words or write his name, for example, on school entry.
Through the careful 1-1 support he had at home, combined with great teaching at school on the other 4 days, he was able to make rapid progress, and is now in Year 1, writes short stories without difficulty, enjoys reading short paper backs, and is at a slightly higher-than average level.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by mystery »

Yes - I just wonder if they will get "more formal" with you in the future in order to justify the code B. I would be happy to provide lesson plans, evidence of work, formative assessment etc in order to jump through a code B supervision of offsite activity hurdle, and have no problem with teaching qualifications etc. I think there could be a problem with insurance as technically while a child is placed on code B the school is responsible for any accident that takes place in your care during that period of time. Maybe a parent could sign a waiver; or maybe school insurance does cover this kind of thing so long as it is approved by the school in the right way in the first place.
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by Okanagan »

We could fall into this. While we don't have flexi-schooling on a week-in, week-out basis ds1 does have periods out of school related to his sporting activities which require him to be resident out of the country for a part of the school year. He does have education provision as part of this, and roughly follows the curriculum set by the home school (there tends to be less art and music, more languages and of course more sport), sending work back where appropriate. But this is overseen by locally based teachers. Up to now this has been marked as educated off site I think. It's not clear how it would be regarded in future.
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by um »

That's interesting Mystery. I'll have to take it as it comes. I can't foresee a problem flexi-schooling no.5 during Reception year because, as a summer baby, his provision is not even compulsory until Year 1. He is so young that I think that 5 days of full time school would be genuinely detrimental to him.

The Walsall 11 Plus will be held on Tuesday 2 July (they always have held it on a weekday) so it will be interesting to see how schools 'code' absence for the test. It should of course be 'B' - and shouldn't count as absence.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Changes to flexi-schooling rules

Post by mystery »

I think as long as the requirements for offsite activity are met it should all be OK (and yes of course no problem for a child not of compulsory school age who is in school in reception).

Look at para 78 of "keeping pupil registers guidance on applying the education pupil registration regulations".

Of course, the school needs to say yes and do whatever they feel they need to do satisfy the "supervision" business. So in a way, it's still at their discretion in just the way flexi-schooling was - but maybe more effort for them to show they are doing the right thing and therefore maybe fewer are likely to say yes as they'll feel that using Code B is risky for something that could be labelled "flexi-school".
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now