The 'flexi school' in Cheshire innovating to save itself from closure

Huxley Church of England Primary School has just five pupils.

Before the pandemic, the school - a 20-minute drive from Chester - was threatened with closure.

Now, ironically, it may be saved...because of homeschooling.

In lockdown, many parents have actually fallen in love with that type of education and deregistered their children from school.

Flexi Schooling offers the opportunity for parents who love teaching their own children to also give them access to school education as well - so they get the best of both worlds.

Parents, critical of the normal school system, believe the small classes here mean learning will stay child-centred.

The plan is to encourage parents who don't give their children a formal education to send them in part-time. Some are already making their way in from Stoke-on-Trent - 30 miles away.

It's an innovation that could see numbers quadruple at Huxley School.

Staff at Huxley School hope that by September they'll have two classrooms open again.

The children are just looking forward to making new friends.