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A response to Sir Martyn Oliver’s comments regarding flexi-schooling (5th December 2024)
Flexi-schooling – the practice where parents choose to home educate their children for part of the week – has come under scrutiny by Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty's Chief Inspector for OFSTED. He reported at an online briefing last week that he was not aware of the prevalence of this practice before taking the helm at the inspectorate earlier this year, and said that he is “very concerned” about it. Recent research (Griffin et al., 2025, in press) suggests that this practice is especially prevalent amongst children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and accepts that there are significant gaps in understanding rationales, organisation and outcomes of the arrangements for these children. Previous literature (Lawrence, 2012; Lawrence, 2016; Lawrence, 2017; Lawrence, 2018) has explored flexi-schooling as an option for parents of autistic children specifically. There remains considerable confusion around the circumstances of flexi-schooling. The Department for Education (DfE) guidance on the approach is issued through publication regarding elective home education, implying that flexi-schooling is typically sought where home educating children are introduced to an element of formal schooling to ‘ensure the provision in specific subjects is satisfactory’ (DfE 2019a). However, as a recent scoping review (Paxman, 2022) suggests, ‘this is but one scenario; the DfE does not describe situations where a child already enrolled in school is granted a flexi-schooling arrangement and where learning is predominantly school-based’ (p. 4). Mary Warnock, that great advocate for inclusion in education, conceded in 2004 that true inclusion in mainstream school for many children with SEN has not been possible and may rather result in a painful form of exclusion. Indeed, evidence shows that mainstream schooling is ‘failing to meet the needs of a great number of children with SEN’ (Paxman, 2022 p. 5). In deciding to flexi-school, parents may be making a desperate response to their child’s needs (Lawrence, 2018), articulated as a way to reduce their child’s distress, to support individual learning needs and to ensure that their child’s childhood is not wasted (Lawrence, 2018). There is, indeed, as Sir Oliver suggests, urgent and overdue need for scrutiny of flexi-schooling. There is also similar urgent and overdue need to address an education system in this country that leads parents to make this serious and difficult decision. -
Health and Social Care Lecturer wins national award
Health and Social Care Lecturer Lorena (Lori) Hall, was crowned the winner of The Social Care Superwoman Award. -
Publications (Social Justice)
For all the latest publications from the Social Justice team. -
Meet the Team (BRIDgE)
We are a diverse group of academics, widely published through both peer-reviewed and professional outputs and through conference and presentation. We work collegiately, supporting each other at the intersection of our interests, and we have a host of wider connections within our communities that enable us to implement a vibrant national and international network. -
Current & Recent Projects (BRIDgE)
Check out what the team’s working on and stay up to date with our latest and ongoing projects. -
BGU academic gives keynote for Beyond the Spectrum writing festival
Dr Clare Lawrence, Associate Professor of Participatory Autism Research at BGU, was delighted to give the opening, key-note presentation at Intense Fascination, an autistic-focussed writing festival, hosted by Beyond the Spectrum. Beyond The Spectrum is a UK wide autism arts and creative writing programme led by and for autistic writers. It aims to promote individual wellbeing, public awareness and representation through arts engagement. Clare said, “I was honoured to be asked to open the festival and to be part of such a positive, affirming and interesting day. It was great to be able to share my current research around autism and creativity with such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of people.” Clare is planning to build on BGU’s relationship with the organisation through a three-year, funded research project exploring the use of creative writing to support autistic communication. -
Greater Lincolnshire Social Economy Academy Programme renewed for 2025/26
We are pleased to announce that the contract for the Greater Lincolnshire Social Economy Academy has been renewed for another year.
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