Research 08/06/2022

New models for organising education: ‘Flexi-schooling’ – how one school does it well

By Paul Gutherson, Janette Mountford-Lees

Download now

This report describes and comments on how Hollinsclough has supported ‘flexi-schooling’, an approach to education which offers to parents, some of whom wish to educate their children at home, opportunities for part-time attendance at the school

Our interest in the flexi-school approach began at a time when we had falling numbers at Hollinsclough: at one point we only had five children on the roll. The fear was that the school would no longer be deemed viable – a big blow for the village and the local community. During this time we had an enquiry from a parent who home-schooled her children, asking if we would consider part-time education for her children as she had difficulty finding a school that would agree to this. The idea seemed to fit with Hollinsclough’s approach to inclusive education and with the support of the then Director of Education for Staffordshire we began to investigate the possibilities of flexi-schooling.

We believe that education should be tailored to the needs of each child, and responsive to their different but developing abilities, irrespective of their age. One of the advantages of such a small school is that we get to know each child and their family to a depth that may not be possible in a larger school. This means we can give each child a personalised learning plan with all the advantages of, for example, one-to-one tuition as well as participation in group work and whole class teaching. We felt that we could develop a working partnership with parents who electively home-school their children but still seek some support from the school system.

Downloads

New models for organising education: ‘Flexi-schooling’ – how one school does it well

Download now

New Models For Organising Education Cover 180X255

Related Content

Article

EDT to support school improvement in Leicestershire through new local authority partnership

EDT is delighted to be working with Leicestershire Local Authority and 29 local schools through the Schools Partnership Programme (SPP), forming a supportive professional learning network (PLN) focused on sustainable school improvement. Working closely with school leadership teams and the Education Effectiveness Team (EET), which supports all education settings in Leicestershire, this partnership focuses on empowering all staff to actively participate in the school improvement process.

Research

Joint practice development through a peer-led school improvement partnership: research-driven recommendations for policymakers and school leaders

This report presents a summary of a three-year project conducted by academics at the University College London (UCL) Centre for Education Leadership, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), evaluating EDT’s Schools Partnership Programme (SPP). On the SPP, clusters of schools conduct peer reviews and support one another’s improvement – leading to improved system leadership and greater accountability in England’s schools.

Research

Joint practice development through a peer-led school improvement partnership: research-driven recommendations for policymakers and school leaders

CLT And Curriculum Reform Insight Listing

Insights

Using cognitive load theory as a touchstone for curriculum reform: recommendations for policymakers

Cognitive load theory can inform curriculum design and classroom practices, offering concrete strategies to improve student outcomes. Dr Richard Churches, our Director of Research and author of the book Neuroscience for Teachers, and Dr David Johnson of the University of Oxford, discuss the potential of using CLT as part of curriculum design.