Flexi School &

Home Education

How do children access forest school ?

A growing array of organisations offer forest school sessions across Glasgow and we’re developing some information about how they do that in these pages.

Forest school can be accessed through a child’s school, as Saturday clubs, during school holidays, and a growing number of organisations are catering to the increasing number of parents who are opting to home educate or set up flexi school arrangements. Read on for more info.

What’s it all about?

In Scotland, all children of school age (from age five until they turn 16) must receive an efficient education suitable to their age, ability, and aptitude. As a parent, you have the right to provide this education either by sending your child to school or by "other means," which includes home education, and, more recently, flexi-school arrangements.

🏡 Home Education
(Elective Home Education)

Home education is when a parent or carer takes full legal responsibility for their child's education outside of a registered school.

  • Your Right: Parents have the right to choose to home educate.

  • The Law: You must provide an "efficient and suitable" education. There is no requirement to follow the national curriculum, adhere to school hours/terms, or have a fixed timetable.

  • The Process (if your child is currently at school): If your child is enrolled in a public school, you must seek your local authority's (Glasgow City Council's) consent to withdraw them. Consent must not be refused without good reason.

  • Support: Your local council is not legally responsible for providing resources.

⚖️ Flexi-School

Flexi-school plans are an official, agreed arrangement where a child is registered as a full-time pupil at a school but attends school part-time, with the remaining time being educated at home by the parent.

  • Joint Responsibility: The parent and the local authority/school agree to share educational responsibility.

  • No Legal Right: There is no specific legal right to demand flexi-schooling. It is granted at the discretion of the school and the local authority. You would need to apply to your chosen school to explore this option.

  • The Benefit: It offers the best of both worlds, providing a flexible schedule while maintaining a formal link to the school system.

💡 Note: For detailed guidance and up-to-date legal information on both options, we recommend consulting the Scottish Government's guidance on Home Education and contacting Glasgow City Council's Education Department to find out more about flexi-school contracts.

Community Resources and Forest School Directory

We believe building strong connections around home education and flexi-schooling will provide a more diverse learning experience for children in Glasgow, meeting a broader range of needs at an individual level, and the benefits will ripple out into our communities.

Here are some resources for finding information and connecting with other families:

External community resources:

Glasgow Forest School Directory
(coming soon):

Glasgow Forest School is compiling a comprehensive, up-to-date directory of small charities and organisations across Glasgow that provide high-quality Forest School or accredited outdoor learning sessions specifically catering to the needs of home education and flexi-school families.

  • Our Goal: To make it easier for parents to find, contact, and access a variety of outdoor educational provision throughout the city.

  • How to be Included: Are you a small provider running sessions? Please contact us with your details.

  • Launch Date: Check back here in January 2026 for the full directory link.

We look forward to welcoming you to our city-wide woodland community.

Glasgow Forest School Directory

Want to find out more about flexi-school options in Glasgow?

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