Our home for learning

Welcome to The Family Learning Flexi-School, offering unique and progressive education, ideally located on a working farm in the beautiful Kent countryside, but only ten minutes from Orpington train station and the M25.

We deliver inspiring, creative, personalised education to very small classes with high staff-to-child ratios, valuing autonomy and creativity as well as academic learning.

At FLS our mission is simple: to foster every child’s innate love of learning and intrinsic motivation, discover how they learn best, build their confidence in every area of learning and development, and uncover their passions. All whilst giving them magical childhood memories surrounded by friends in a caring, supportive community and a sense of belonging to something very special.

There is something for everyone at FLS: group project-based sessions; one to one tutoring; Self-Directed sessions, Performing Arts, private music lessons; Maths Investigators and Literacy for Life workshops, swimming lessons, Woodland Explorers sessions…

We are open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 09.45 - 15.15 for our Primary age group, and also on Tuesdays 10.00 - 14.00 for our Secondary group.

FLS is here to support you in creating a bespoke package of sessions ideally suited to your child’s needs, to enable them to fulfil their potential.

Click here to discover our FLS options and become part of our learning community. We look forward to welcoming you.

Principles

Our model emphasises balance: freedom and responsibility, creativity and structure, community and individuality.

Our children explore and discover at their own pace, in mixed age groups, gently guided and supported by experienced learning professionals. We encourage learning experiences outside of the classroom, work with a range of different specialist practitioners, and are situated on a working farm with an abundance of outdoor learning opportunities.

We avoid the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach of teaching and testing. We don’t accept that long days or homework are necessary to educational success. And we expect our children’s families to play as vital a role in their development as we do.

Location and Environment

FLS operates from Skeet Hill House, set in seven acres of beautiful rural Kent, in Greater London, UK. Orpington Station is just ten minutes away by car, as is Junction 4 of the M25. We share the site with Sadeh Farm, whose work focusses on engaging young people in environmental education; practising and teaching regenerative land practices. There is a wealth of expertise at the site and we are always looking for opportunities to build links between FLS and the farm.

Our indoor learning spaces are situated in the 450 year old house, originally built as a Dower house for Lullingstone Castle. The site has a rich history and huge potential for us to grow into as an educational setting. Inside our learning spaces are cosy and homely. Children can play games and read while relaxing on large sofas or lying on rugs, and inspired by the Finnish, everyone wears slippers when indoors. Outdoors there is a tennis court, swimming pool, chicken coops, polytunnels, large open spaces and a woodland area.

Throughout the day, children can explore and enjoy a variety of experiences that channel learning through a balance of creative play, facilitated project work and investigations, as well as adult-directed focussed activities. The emphasis on academic learning increases as each child demonstrates that she or he is ready. Children work in small groups ensuring they become confident and able learners ready to face challenges and learn from their mistakes.

We are passionate about providing autonomy in learning and we support children in following their interests and passion. The morning is based around our cross-curricular, interdisciplinary Big History Project curriculum, and Maths and Literacy skills. We offer different options in the afternoons and we aim to cater for every child’s interests and learning style at FLS. We are always open to new ideas of sessions to be delivered.

We value nurture and well-being above all else, and our Key Teachers and Directors provide exceptional pastoral care through highly effective communication between all team members and parents.

Community

Last but not least, we are a truly inclusive Learning Community of like-minded parents.

We are a family – one that’s open to all.