With SEND costs rising to unmanageable amounts for Local Authorities and 39,000 children in the UK permanently out of school, the need for new, flexible models of education is unquestionable. Is Hybrid Learning the future?
For many pupils, school attendance has been made impossible because their additional needs are not being met. Leicestershire County Council is just one Local Authority admitting that additional funding is required to meet the growing demand for education support.
Every child deserves to thrive. That’s why the launch of Rosmini Hybrid Education Hub, based in Loughborough, is offering a school option to students who are struggling to cope in mainstream settings.
Rosmini Hybrid Education Hub welcomes students aged 11-16 years. It combines the benefits and flexibility of award winning, world class home schooling, Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), with the support of an in-person, holistic learning hub.
As featured on BBC Radio 5 Live and Good Morning Britain, MVA is tackling the underlying reasons for persistent absence from school – with Rosmini Hybrid providing a local ‘bricks and mortar’ setting to provide in-person support and enrichment.
Changes in the educational landscape
The creation of Rosmini Hybrid Education Hub is a catalyst of the changes that are taking place in the landscape of education. The rise of home education, the impact of the pandemic, advances in technology, greater understanding of neurodiversity and concerns about school quality have all contributed to a growing interest in flexible, hybrid learning models.
Rosmini Hybrid replaces the old view of schooling where children need to be on a physical site for five days per week. It combines the best of both worlds: the flexibility and personalisation of online education so that necessary qualifications can be achieved, with the social, academic and holistic benefits of in-person support.
The demand for flexible education options has never been higher.
According to recent data, the number of children in elective home education in the UK reached 111,700 in autumn 2024 – a 21% increase from the previous year. This figure represents 1.4% of the total pupil population, up from 1.1% in October 2023 and just 1% in October 2022.
Councils received over 66,000 notifications of children moving to home education in 2023–2024, more than double the number in 2019–2020.
This surge reflects a broader shift in attitudes towards education. Parents are increasingly seeking models that can be tailored to their child’s needs, whether due to academic, social, or wellbeing concerns. The Facebook group ‘Flexischooling Families UK’ has grown to almost 25,000 members, nearly doubling in size in the past year and a half, while at least 568 schools now offer some form of flexi-schooling arrangement.
Flexi-schooling is a formal arrangement where a parent or carer requests for their child to be registered at a school but attend only part time, with the rest of their education being provided at home. Hybrid schooling is a form of flexi schooling with Rosmini Hybrid pioneering this educational trend. Pupils are registered with Department of Education accredited Minerva Virtual Academy and attend our physical school part-time.
The Future?
The education system has to change. Under Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, the Local Authority has a statutory duty to ensure every child receives suitable education – and that placements meet their identified needs. But the education system is not working for many children and families.
At Rosmini Hybrid, we are moulding a new innovative approach to education to provide a legitimate choice for families struggling in the East Midlands.
