A village school is giving families the chance to bring home-schooled children into the classroom.

Pott Shrigley Church School, which was saved from closure last year following a campaign by parents, is launching the unconventional ‘flexi-schooling’ model which will allow children to be taught both at home and in the classroom.

It is hoped the scheme, which suggests parents home-school their children for up to two days a week with three days in the mixed-aged classes, will attract more pupils to the school.

Children would be registered in the usual way and required to follow the National Curriculum while in the classroom. This would also result in more per-pupil funding for the school.

Mark Bertinshaw, headteacher, said: “We are confident that this will provide an attractive option for those parents who wish to access this dual approach to education. Pott Shrigley is the perfect place for it. Our teaching is very personalised and the school feels like someone’s home when you walk in. The children will join our full-time pupils who are caring, creative and welcoming. ”

Pott Shrigley was merged with Bollington St John’s in 2009 in an effort to reduce surplus places. But last year the governing body claimed Pott Shrigley’s outdoor provision for Early Years children did not meet government standards and proposed amalgamating all the children into Bollington St John’s.

Now, thanks to community donations and funding from Pott Shrigley Village Hall Trust, which owns the building, the school is able to build a new outdoor play area which will give the school the facilities it needs to attract more students.

The school has now been ‘de-federated’ from Bollington St John’s with a new governing body in place. Mr Bertinshaw, who is former headteacher at Rainow Primary School, said: “The community fought hard to keep the school open and now there’s good support for it and we’re even looking for build new facilities. Flexi-schooling is something unique we can offer. Home schooling is not a decision to be taken lightly but flexi-schooling can be a great compromise. Children have access to specialist teachers and resources they might not have at home and can join in parts of the timetable such as PE. One issue with home schooling is the social side but this gives children opportunities to work and socialise with their own peer group and join in with activities such as school trips and plays.”

A flexi-school open day will take place on Wednesday, June 14 from 11am to midday.