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Closed Introduce a distinct attendance code for flexischooling (Code F).

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We want the Department for Education to introduce a new attendance code for flexischooling (Code F). We want this code to act in a similar way to code B (educated off site) in that it would not negatively impact attendance data, recognising that the child is receiving a full time education.

Flexischooling is a legal arrangement where a child receives a full time education, partly in school and partly as home education. Current DfE guidance states that FS should be marked as Code C, authorised absence. As this code is used for multiple purposes, it is impossible to obtain accurate data on the number of flexischooling pupils - a point Sir Martyn Oliver recently made. Some schools are hesitant to agree to FS if they feel it will negatively impact their attendance data.

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  • Petition closed

  • Government responded to this petition

    The Government has no current plans to introduce an attendance code for flexi-schooling. Attendance codes were updated in 2024 after extensive consultation and will be reviewed again in due course.

    Read the response in full

    Following extensive consultation, the DfE reviewed and updated the attendance and absence codes in 2024 in the new School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 and in the relevant section of our Working together to improve school attendance guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance), both of which came into effect in August 2024. Therefore, the government no current plans to introduce a code for flexi-schooling arrangements. The attendance and absence codes will be reviewed again in due course and any changes would be made at that point.

    The government wants every child to receive a high quality, safe and supportive education which enables them to achieve and thrive. Flexi-schooling is an arrangement where a child is home-educated. However, a school has agreed to provide part of the schooling for that child. Schools are under no obligation to agree to such arrangements, which are wholly at the discretion of the headteacher, but some are happy to do so and there are many examples of this arrangement working well.

    Where a child is flexi-schooled, it remains the responsibility of the parent to ensure that the child receives a suitable full-time education overall.

    As noted in the petition, attendance code B is used by schools where a child is attending an approved educational activity. It is important to note that this will be under the supervision of a person considered by the school to have appropriate skills, training, experience and knowledge to ensure the activity fulfils the educational purpose for which the pupil’s attendance has been approved by the school.

    The proposed code would not be an appropriate way for schools to record the attendance of children whose parents are responsible for their full-time education needs. It is not for the school to judge whether a child’s time outside of the school setting is appropriate to meet the parent’s duty under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure their child receives a suitable full-time education. Moreover, the school has no supervisory role in the child’s education for the sessions they are not expected to be in school, and also has no responsibility for the welfare of the child while they are at home.

    If a school has agreed to a flexi-school arrangement with a family, the child’s absence from school is recorded as a leave of absence using code C.

    Concerns have sometimes been raised that such absence may have a detrimental effect for the purpose of Ofsted inspection, but this is not the case; many schools with significant flexi-schooling numbers have had good outcomes from Ofsted inspections.

    Department for Education

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    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 24 July 2025.