Flexi-Schooling vs Online School in the UK: What Is the Difference?

Flexi-schooling vs online school: the short answer

Flexi-schooling usually means a child remains registered at a school but attends for only part of the week or timetable, with the rest of the education provided at home or elsewhere. A full online school normally means leaving the roll of a school and enrolling with a fee-paying online provider, while elective home education (EHE) means the parent chooses to educate otherwise than at school. These routes can look similar from the kitchen table, but the legal and practical responsibilities are different.

The Department for Education’s elective home education guidance is the key primary source. It says schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi-schooling, although some do. The arrangement must be requested and agreed with the school; it is not a parental entitlement. The Education Act 1996 section 7 sets out the parent’s duty to secure efficient full-time education suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and special educational needs, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

How flexi-schooling works

There is no single national flexi-schooling timetable. A school might agree attendance on certain days, mornings, subjects or a pattern reviewed each term. The headteacher and school will need to decide whether the arrangement is workable and set out what happens when the child is at home. Ask for the agreement in writing, including attendance recording, safeguarding contact, curriculum responsibility, review dates and what happens if either side wants to end it.

During the home-education element, the school is not necessarily supervising the child in the same way as when they are on site. GOV.UK’s guidance says pupils who are flexi-schooled should be marked absent from school during periods when they are receiving home education. This is one reason a school may want a clear, documented plan rather than an informal promise.

• It requires the school’s agreement; parents cannot insist on it.
• The child normally remains registered at that school.
• The parent provides the home-education element and must consider the full-time education duty.
• The school and parent should agree how learning, attendance and welfare will be reviewed.
• The arrangement may be withdrawn if it is not working or the home provision is not suitable.

How a full online school differs

A full online school is usually a separate independent education provider. The child is not simply attending their existing school fewer days; the family is choosing a different educational setting. Depending on the provider and the child’s circumstances, this may involve deregistration from a school and enrolment with the online provider. Read our is online schooling legal in the UK guide and deregistration guide before taking action.

Online schools vary widely. Some offer live lessons and a full timetable; some combine recorded content with tutor support; others are more like a structured distance-learning course. Ask whether the provider describes itself as a school, what inspection or registration status applies, how safeguarding works, how attendance is monitored and how exams are arranged. The label “online school” alone does not answer those questions.

Online school, EHE or flexi-schooling?

Use the reason for change as your starting point. If your child wants to retain a trusted school relationship while reducing campus time, flexi-schooling may be worth a conversation. If the current school cannot offer the necessary flexibility and you want scheduled teaching, pastoral contact and a complete programme, a full online school may be a better fit. If you want to design the education yourself, EHE may offer maximum autonomy but also leaves more responsibility with you.

• Flexi-schooling: school agreement, part-time attendance, parent-led provision at home.
• Full online school: separate provider, usually a complete online timetable and provider-led teaching.
• EHE: parent-led education, which may use tutors, online resources or other settings.

None is automatically best. Consider your child’s age, independence, SEND, friendships, access to practical subjects, family time and ability to provide structure. If anxiety or non-attendance is part of the picture, read our school-refusal guide and involve relevant professionals rather than treating a change of setting as the only intervention.

Questions to put to a school or provider

• Who has responsibility for the child on each day and in each setting?
• How will attendance be recorded and how will missed learning be followed up?
• What curriculum and assessment will be used at home?
• How are safeguarding concerns shared when the child is not on site?
• What support is available for SEND, anxiety or medical needs?
• Can the child take GCSEs and, if so, through which exam centre?
• What happens if the flexi-schooling agreement or online-school contract ends?

For a fee-paying online route, check the full cost, notice period and equipment requirements. Our fees and costs guide gives a framework for comparing offers. Families seeking a flexible start can also read about starting online school in January.

Also consider friendships, transport, meals, physical activity and access to specialist teaching. A written review date helps everyone see whether the arrangement is improving attendance, progress and wellbeing, rather than drifting without a clear decision.

Making the decision carefully

Do not deregister simply because a school has declined flexi-schooling. First establish what you want, what the school is willing to agree, and what education will be in place on every day. If a full online school is the preferred route, confirm acceptance, start date, support, exams and safeguarding in writing before ending the current arrangement. Online Schools can provide a free, no-obligation introduction to suitable providers, but the final decision should follow your own checks and your child’s needs.

FAQs

Is flexi-schooling a legal right?

No. DfE elective home education guidance says schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi-schooling. It is an arrangement that requires the school’s agreement.

Does a child stay on the school roll during flexi-schooling?

Usually the child remains registered at the school, with the agreed home-education periods recorded as absence. Confirm the school’s proposed arrangement in writing.

Is a full online school the same as elective home education?

No. A full online school is normally a separate provider-led education route. EHE is parent-led, although parents may use online tuition and other resources.

Can a school suggest flexi-schooling?

The DfE guidance focuses on arrangements requested by parents. Ask the school to explain its policy and responsibilities rather than relying on an informal suggestion.

Should I deregister before finding an online school?

It is usually safer to confirm the new provision, start date and support first. Read the deregistration guidance and make sure the child will receive suitable education throughout.