Partnering with Local Authorities nationwide - improving engagement, attendance, re-integration & outcomes

Gaia Learning partners with local authorities, SEND teams, Virtual Schools and Social Care across England to deliver reliable, high-quality online alternative provision for neurodivergent and SEND learners aged 7–16+. Our calm, structured online environment provides a safe and supportive space for children who cannot currently access mainstream education — whether due to autism, ADHD, PDA, dyslexia, anxiety, medical needs, trauma or school refusal.

We work with LAs to create flexible, measurable and fully compliant education pathways, ensuring each learner remains engaged, emotionally regulated and connected to learning. Our provision can be commissioned short-term, medium-term, as part of a reduced timetable, or as part of a graduated return-to-school plan.

What Gaia Learning provides for Local Authorities

  • 1:1 specialist online tuition
  • Small-group classes in core subjects
  • Personalised learning plans tailored to each child’s needs
  • GCSE support for exam-year pupils
  • School reintegration support aligned with graduated return plans
  • Executive functioning coaching
  • Attendance tracking and regular reporting
  • Safeguarding procedures aligned with LA and national frameworks
  • Flexible start dates, fast onboarding and multi-agency collaboration

Our educators specialise in supporting neurodivergent learners, using clear routines, visuals, predictable session structures and sensory-aware teaching techniques. Every learner is treated with respect, empathy and curiosity — ensuring emotional safety while building confidence, independence and academic readiness.

Referral → Plan → Short-stay placement → Reintegration & Review


We are a specialist Online Alternative Provision designed for children with SEN.

We’re here for Looked after Children and those Primary & Secondary school learners who struggle in mainstream and need a reliable, safe, flexible, online solution with a focus on engagement.

Gaia Learning is here to help you re-engage pupils who are struggling—whether that’s persistent non-attendance, risk of exclusion, or time out for medical needs.

We provide short-stay, relationship-centred support that plans for reintegration from day one, working alongside schools and families. Our focus is simple: start quickly, lift attendance during placement, return pupils to mainstream well, and check they’re still on track at 6 and 12 months. Throughout, we provide full learner reporting—clear goals, review cycles, and progress summaries—so everyone can see what’s working and what needs adjusting to make reintegration stick.

You can deploy us in two straightforward ways: an In-school AP Unit Kit (on-roll, short-stay) or LA-commissioned Outreach & Re-engagement.

We can be procured via your DPS/framework or a simple LA PO/spot purchase.

Refer a Learner - Book an Exploratory Call

From November 2025 Gaia Learning are an approved Pearson online EdExcel approved centre. This means we offer iGCSE's in modular format to support learners who need greater flexibility and choice.

Gaia Learning are supporting families, schools and learners in the following regions...

  • Ealing
  • Reading
  • Derbyshire
  • Bromley
  • Bracknell Forest
  • East Sussex
  • Norfolk
  • Nottinghamshire
  • North East Lincolnshire
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Oxfordshire
  • Croydon
  • Harringey
  • Surrey
  • Portsmouth

North West Cross-Commissioning Partnership

  • Blackburn
  • Blackpool
  • Bolton
  • Bury
  • Cheshire East
  • Cheshire West & Chester
  • Cumbria
  • Halton
  • Knowsley
  • Lancashire
  • Manchester
  • Oldham
  • Rochdale
  • Salford
  • Sefton
  • St Helens
  • Stockport
  • Tameside
  • Trafford
  • Warrington
  • Westmoorland and Furness
  • Wigan

Honest, Useful Reporting

How we share progress and help learners, together

We believe families deserve a clear picture of how their child is really getting on—what’s going well and what’s hard.

At Gaia Learning, we report on progress and challenges side-by-side, so there are no surprises at GCSE choices, next steps, or when seeking support. Our aim is transparency that actually helps: actionable insights, not just praise.

How we report...

  • Half-termly full reports – a rich update on progress, engagement, and wellbeing, including what’s working, what isn’t, and recommended next steps.
  • End-of-term lighter reports – a concise summary to keep everyone aligned without overwhelming you.
  • Balanced by design – we always include areas of difficulty and the strategies we’re testing, so you can see the full picture.

Conversations that move things forward...

  • Talk to us anytime – book a call with our Principal or SENCO whenever you need to discuss concerns, adjustments, or next steps.
  • Two-way communication – we invite families to share what they notice at home (including anything a learner might be masking online). The more we know, the better we can tailor support.

Evidence that unlocks support...

  • EHCP & EOTAS ready – our reports can be used as evidence, showing both achievements and barriers, plus the approaches that help (and those that don’t) for your child.
  • Flexible to need – if you’d benefit from more frequent updates or additional review calls, we’ll adapt the cadence.

What makes Gaia Learning so special?

Bloom: Inclusive Online Learning Hub

Learn more about how your school can have it's own inclusive online learning hub to support, track and measure learner engagement, progress and wellbeing on their journey back into school.

Find out more

Working in Partnership with the following and more...

Whether the learner child has a diagnosis or not, we can support them to feel happy and confident with learning, delivering online support whilst they prepare to get back into the classroom or learn in the right space for them.

We also offer...

  • Advocacy support including - Personalised Learning Plans & Cognitive Assessment Reports
  • Supporting educational evidence for diagnosis

Local Authority FAQs

Why are your sessions 30-minutes?

We specialise in engagement of neurodivergent children, and we know that whilst many providers may offer the traditional 1hour sessions, actually a focused, impactful, engaging 30-min session has proven to be the most effective. Learners have live teaching in that time and can stay on our virtual classroom and work on an ongoing basis on projects and studies when the live class has ended.

What makes Gaia Learning so special?

  • Expert trauma-informed educators, the same teachers for classes and 1:1 tuition building trust with the learners.
  • Impact focused reporting via our Gaialytics platform
  • We have years of experience and training supporting these young people, moving them through our tier system building trust and helping them tore-engage and re-integrate.
  • We focus on emotional safety and building the foundations of learning, often helping them to understand their own neurodivergence so they can thrive, quicker.

How do I commission you?
Book a call with our team here, or email referrals@gaialearning.co.uk.

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