Right now, do this
Right now, do this
You are not starting a fight
Before anything else: asking about flexi-schooling UK-style (part-time school, part home education) is not a confrontational thing. You are opening a conversation about what would help your child. Head teachers hear all sorts of requests.
Many will say no, for reasons that have nothing to do with you, but the asking itself is a normal, reasonable thing for a parent to do. You do not need to apologise for the question.
If your relationship with the school has already broken down, or if previous conversations have gone badly, that changes the dynamic. In that case, you may want to speak to Education Otherwise or another home-education charity before putting anything in writing, so you have someone in your corner.
What is flexi-schooling?
Flexi-schooling is an arrangement where a child stays on the school roll, attends school for some days each week, and is home-educated for the rest. Some families describe it informally as a homeschool and school combination. The child is not "part-time" in the school's formal sense. They are full-time registered pupils whose parents provide education on the days the child is not in school.
The legal mechanism sits in Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 (the duty on parents to provide efficient full-time education, by regular attendance at school "or otherwise", the same provision that underpins home education law in England). On school days, the school meets that duty. On home-education days, you meet it under the "or otherwise" limb, just as any home-educating family does.
The school records home-education days using attendance code B (educated off-site, not a school activity), by mutual arrangement. This is not an authorised absence and not an unauthorised absence. It is a separate category, and getting the coding right matters, because incorrect coding can trigger attendance warnings that should never have been generated.
Is flexi-schooling legal?
Yes. There is nothing in law that prevents it. The DfE's non-statutory guidance on Elective Home Education (EHE, the formal term for home education chosen by parents rather than required by a local authority; see our home education UK overview) acknowledges flexi-schooling as a lawful arrangement.
But, and this is the honest part, there is also nothing in law that requires a school to agree. Flexi-schooling is entirely at the head teacher's discretion.
The School Admissions Code (the rules governing how children get places) treats your child as a full-time pupil. Flexi-schooling does not change the admissions status. It is an attendance pattern agreed between you and the school.
Most schools decline, for understandable reasons: staffing, continuity, Ofsted attendance data, and the administrative friction of tracking a non-standard pattern. That said, more schools agree than the online forums suggest, particularly at primary level and particularly when the request is framed well.
How do I ask?
Put it in writing. A short, clear letter to the head teacher is better than a corridor conversation, because it creates a record and gives the head time to consider it properly.
Your letter should include:
- Your child's name and year group.
- The pattern you are proposing (for example, three days in school, two days at home).
- A brief explanation of why you believe this would help your child. Keep it focused on your child's needs, not on your philosophy of education.
- A note that you are aware flexi-schooling is discretionary and that you are asking, not demanding.
- A reference to the legal mechanism: that on home-education days, you will be providing education under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 (the "or otherwise" provision), and that the school would record those days using code B.
- An offer to discuss it further in person.
Frame it as a shared solution. You and the school want the same thing: an arrangement that works for your child. If you have evidence that your child is struggling with a full timetable, say so. If there is a medical or SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) dimension, name it.
If you are reading this because your child has anxiety, autism, a chronic health condition, or is refusing school, you are not an edge case. You are the most common reason this article gets found. A flexi-schooling request that names a SEND-related reason carries weight with a head teacher, even if your child does not have a formal EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan, the legal document setting out a child's special needs and provision). You do not need a diagnosis on paper to make the request, though having one strengthens it.
The school still has full discretion to say no, but a letter that explains how the current five-day pattern is harming your child's capacity to learn changes the conversation from "we would prefer part-time" to "this child needs a different shape of week."
Keep the letter to one page. Do not attach a curriculum plan. Do not cite case law. You are asking for a conversation, not filing a legal claim.
If you are a shift worker or a single parent, and the pattern you need is driven partly by your working hours, it is fine to say so. Schools understand that families have practical constraints. Being honest about this can actually strengthen the request, because it shows you have thought about what is sustainable.
What if the school says no?
This is the part that is hard to hear. If the school declines your flexi-schooling request, your options are limited.
There is no appeal process. There is no ombudsman for this. The head teacher's decision is final for that school.
Your realistic options at that point are:
- Ask another school. If there is a school nearby that is known to be more flexible, you could apply for a place there and make the flexi request once your child is on roll. This is a big step and not always practical.
- Move to full home education. If your child genuinely cannot cope with five days a week, deregistration is always available (for mainstream schools, this is a single letter to the head teacher). Full home education removes the school from the equation entirely. See our guide on how to deregister.
- Negotiate a smaller accommodation. Some schools will not agree to formal flexi-schooling but will agree to a reduced timetable on medical or SEND grounds, or will allow a phased return after illness. This is a different legal route, and it is worth asking even if the "flexi" label has been declined.
- Wait and ask again. Head teachers change. Policies shift. If the timing is wrong now, it does not mean the answer is permanently no. Some families who move to full home education later return to school once circumstances change.
None of these is a perfect solution. If you are feeling stuck, talking to Education Otherwise or your local home-education community can help you think through which option fits your family.
What about EHCPs, free school meals and SEND support?
EHCPs
If your child has an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan, the legal document that sets out your child's special educational needs and the provision to meet them), flexi-schooling adds a layer of complexity. The EHCP names a school and specifies provision. On the days your child is in school, the school delivers that provision. On the days your child is at home, you are responsible for the educational element, but the LA (local authority, the council department responsible for education in your area) retains its duties under the plan.
Talk to your SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, the school's designated SEND lead) and your LA caseworker before requesting flexi. If you are also considering full deregistration from a special school, see our guide on deregistering from a special school with an EHCP. For difficult EHCP situations, IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) can help.
Free school meals
Do not assume free school meals (FSM, the entitlement for children from low-income families to a funded school meal) continue on home-education days. In most local authorities, they do not. Your child will receive a meal on the days they attend school, but you will need to provide lunch on home-education days. Some LAs handle this differently, so check with your school and LA, but plan on the basis that FSM will not cover home days.
SEND support on home days
If your child receives speech therapy, occupational therapy or other support through the school, that support will generally only be delivered on school days. On home-education days, you would need to arrange any additional support yourself, which may have cost implications. Factor this into your planning before you make the request.
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
England
The default position described in this article. Flexi-schooling is legal, entirely at the school's discretion, and covered (briefly) in the DfE's EHE guidance. Code B is the attendance mechanism. Subject to current DfE guidance, which has been under periodic review.
Wales
Broadly similar to England. The Education Act 1996 applies. Welsh Government guidance has been somewhat more sympathetic to flexi-schooling than the DfE, but the practical position is the same: schools have discretion and are not obliged to agree. The Welsh Government's home education guidance is worth reading if you are in Wales.
Scotland
A different statutory framework. Home education in Scotland sits under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, not the 1996 Act. Flexi-schooling is even less established and there is no direct equivalent of the code B mechanism. If you are in Scotland and interested in a part-time arrangement, Schoolhouse (the Scottish home-education charity) is the best starting point.
Northern Ireland
Broadly follows the English position. Home education is legal, and flexi-schooling is theoretically possible by agreement with the school. In practice, it is very uncommon. The Education Authority (NI) is your contact for questions.
A real example: two outcomes
The family. A mum in the Midlands works shifts, three days on, two days off. Her seven-year-old is in Year 2 at a small primary school. He is bright but overwhelmed by full weeks, coming home tearful by Thursday, and the teacher has flagged that he "switches off" on Fridays. Mum wants to try three days in school (Monday to Wednesday) and two days at home (Thursday and Friday), where she can work with him one-to-one on the days she is off shift.
Outcome one: the school agrees. She writes a one-page letter to the head, explaining her son's pattern, the teacher's own observations, and the proposed split. She names the code B mechanism and offers to meet. The head agrees to a trial term. Her son stays on the roll.
Thursdays and Fridays are recorded as code B. She does not follow the school's curriculum on those days; instead, she takes him to the library, does practical maths at the kitchen table, and lets him read. By half-term, the teacher reports he is more engaged on school days. The arrangement continues.
Outcome two: the school says no. Same letter, same family. The head is sympathetic but says the school's Ofsted attendance data cannot absorb another code B pattern. He suggests a "wait and see" approach. Mum is frustrated but not surprised.
She spends a week reading about full home education, talks to two families in her local home-ed group, and decides to deregister fully at the end of term. She writes the deregistration letter on a Wednesday evening. Her son starts home education the following Monday.
Both outcomes are normal. Neither parent did anything wrong. The difference was the school's position, not the quality of the request.
If you are a single parent or have caring responsibilities that limit your flexibility, the same principles apply, but the stakes feel higher because you have fewer fallback options. It is worth naming that honestly: flexi-schooling is harder to arrange when your schedule has less give in it, and full deregistration is a bigger commitment when you are doing everything alone. Neither of those facts should stop you asking. They just mean you should have a realistic plan B before you send the letter.
This article is information, not legal advice. If your situation involves an EHCP, a safeguarding concern, or a dispute with the school, speak to one of the organisations above before making a decision. The legal position described here is subject to current DfE guidance, which is reviewed periodically.
Frequently asked.
- What is the B code and why does it matter?
- Code B (educated off-site, not school activity) is the attendance code most schools use for flexi-schooling days. It means the absence is recorded by arrangement, not as truancy. If the school is logging your child's home-education days as unauthorised absence, that is a problem. Ask the school office which code they are using.
- Do free school meals continue on home-education days?
- In most cases, no. Free school meals (FSM) entitlement normally applies only on days your child is in school. Your child will not receive a meal or a voucher on home-education days in most local authorities. Check with your school and LA, because some areas handle this differently.
- What about school transport on home-education days?
- If your child has council-funded school transport, it will usually only run on the days they attend school. You are responsible for any travel on the home-education days. Worth asking the LA transport team directly, because the rules vary.
- Can the school revoke a flexi-schooling arrangement later?
- Yes. Because flexi-schooling is discretionary, the school can end the arrangement at any time. They should give you reasonable notice, but there is no legal minimum. If the arrangement is working well, most schools will not disturb it, but a new head teacher or a change in Ofsted pressure can shift the position.
- Does flexi-schooling work differently at secondary level?
- It is harder to arrange at secondary. Timetables are more rigid, GCSE coursework runs across fixed terms, and secondary heads tend to be more cautious about gaps. It is not impossible, but you may need to make a stronger case and accept a less flexible pattern.
- My child has an EHCP. Can we still flexi-school?
- Possibly, but it is more complicated. If the EHCP names a specific school, that school must deliver the provision in the plan. On home-education days, you would be responsible for covering what the school cannot. Talk to your SENCO and your LA caseworker before putting in a request. For complex EHCP situations, IPSEA can advise.
- What counts as education otherwise on the home days?
- Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 requires you to provide efficient full-time education suitable to your child's age, ability, aptitude and any special needs. On home-education days, you do not have to follow the National Curriculum or match the school's timetable. The standard is the same as for any home-educated child.