A “significant number of children” have been “opted out of more orthodox patterns of education”, Ofsted has warned, as it expressed misgivings over the use of “flexi-schooling” and part-time timetables. The watchdog has published its new-look , the first since Sir Martyn Oliver became chief inspector and since headline grades were scrapped in September. In place of the usual pages and pages of statistics on the performance of schools and other education settings, the shorter report instead sets out a narrative on what is working well and what is not working well. 1. Spread of part-time timetables 鈥榗annot be good鈥 The report pointed to known figures on absence rates – higher than pre-pandemic, and with one in five pupils missing a day a fortnight. But absence figures 鈥渁lso speak to a broader disruption and fragmentation of education for too many children鈥. Ofsted said it was 鈥渃oncerned about the number of children whose pattern of education is disjointed鈥. 鈥淎gain, this phenomenon appears to have grown since the pandemic.鈥 An estimated 34,000 children are on part-time timetables, which are supposed to help children back to school after illness or a period of school refusal. But Ofsted said the 鈥渟pread of part-time timetables suggests they are becoming more readily used, which cannot be good鈥. 2. 鈥楽ignificant鈥 numbers opting out of 鈥榦rthodox鈥 education The watchdog also said a mix of online and in-person education was 鈥渋ncreasingly used for children with SEND and behaviour or health needs鈥. And a 鈥渟mall number of schools allow children to be flexi-schooled, where parents choose to home educate their children for part of the week鈥. 鈥淪chools record this as an authorised absence, so we cannot be sure how many children are flexi-schooled.鈥 Ofsted said the numbers 鈥渕ay not be huge鈥, and the watchdog later clarified it did not even have a figure for the number of schools using the approach. 鈥淏ut alongside the tens of thousands of children who are home educated (many of whom receive a good education), as well as an unknown number attending illegal, unregistered schools, they represent a very significant number of children who have, one way or another, been opted out of more orthodox patterns of education.鈥 3. 鈥榁icious cycle鈥 of school absence The report warned high absence rates created a 鈥渧icious circle鈥. 鈥淢issing education makes it harder to catch up and progress. This can easily dishearten children, and lead to further and more entrenched absences. 鈥淎nd as with childcare deserts and oases, this is a national problem that bites particularly hard in more disadvantaged areas.鈥 4. School sector is 鈥榦verwhelmingly strong鈥 The government scrapped headline Ofsted grades for schools with immediate effect in September. Last month, Ofsted published the final set of national statistics including that metric. It showed 90 per cent of schools were 鈥榞ood鈥 or 鈥榦utstanding鈥 at the point headline grades were canned. The report said responses to the Big Listen consultation had 鈥渕ade it clear that there was significant scepticism about whether this national grade profile accurately reflected the strength of education across the country鈥. But 鈥渂e that as it may, what the figures clearly show is that the schools sector 鈥 along with the other sectors we inspect 鈥 is overwhelmingly strong and providing a good standard of education to children鈥. 鈥淭his is no small feat, when set against the challenges that I will go on to describe. The role of schools has become harder and more complicated in recent years.鈥 5. SEND system 鈥榳ill always leave some disappointed鈥 On SEND, Ofsted said it was 鈥渃lear the system is not there yet鈥. Outcomes are poor, 鈥渁nd we have heard many heartbreaking stories of families鈥 struggles against the system鈥. New money pledged at the budget is 鈥渨elcome鈥, but there is a 鈥渇undamental mismatch between the scale of demand and the level of resource鈥. 鈥淭his will always leave some families disappointed, no matter how much additional money is forthcoming.鈥 6. Using EHCPs ‘too widely’ stretches resources The watchdog said it was 鈥渞ight to consider demand as well as supply; not all children with an identified need will (or should) receive an EHC plan鈥. The needs of many children with SEND 鈥渃an and should be met in mainstream schools with high-quality targeted support鈥. 鈥淲e should, collectively, look at the early interventions that can be made 鈥 for instance in the early years and key stage 1 鈥 to stop needs escalating and becoming entrenched. 鈥淚f EHC plans are used too widely, the resources that follow them will always be stretched too thinly for those in most need.鈥 7. 鈥業nconsistencies and weaknesses鈥 in SEND Ofsted also continues to see 鈥渋nconsistencies and weaknesses鈥 in SEND arrangements. Many children with SEND 鈥渄o not receive the right support at the right time鈥. This situation is 鈥渁ggravated where there is ineffective use of information across partnerships, and weak joint commissioning, governance and oversight鈥. Arrangements for supporting children and young people during long waits for health assessment and services 鈥渁re often insufficient鈥. 鈥淚n the more effective practice, we see education, social care and health leaders working together to decide how services are best coordinated in the interests of children and their families.鈥 8. AP 鈥榰sed to fill the gaps鈥 The watchdog also warned inspectors 鈥渢oo often see AP used to fill the gaps in SEND provision鈥. Almost one in four children in school-arranged AP have an EHCP. AP 鈥渃an and does play an important role for children who, for many different reasons, are not able to attend mainstream schools. But it should be viewed as a fixed-term intervention not a long-term solution鈥. 鈥淢uch AP鈥 is offering a 鈥渧ery good and valuable service鈥. But not all AP is regulated and inspected. 鈥淭his can be legitimate, where it operates for limited hours a week and works with small numbers of children. But sometimes these rules are breached, tipping the provision into the same category as illegal schools.鈥 Ofsted has 鈥渓ong highlighted the scourge of illegal schools, and in some cases prosecuted them鈥. 鈥淭oo many of the institutions we investigate do a poor job, sometimes in hazardous premises. The government is set to give us the additional powers we have long called for to help crack down on this wild west of education.鈥