Written evidence submitted by Minerva's Virtual Academy

(SFC0056)

Minerva’s Virtual Academy (MVA) is a DfE-accredited online school under the new Online Education Accreditation Scheme (URN: 150780). Since launching in December 2020, we've grown to over 900 full-time students aged 11 to 18, studying Key Stage 3, GCSEs and A Levels. We have ongoing high levels of demand for urgent places.

60% of our students require SEND support. Many of these students have struggled in traditional schools, often dealing with school-related trauma impacting both their education and family life. Our SEN department has grown from one staff member in 2021 to nine by January 2025, reflecting our commitment to meet this demand.

Challenges with School and Local Authority Collaboration

While many schools work well with us, we’ve also encountered cases where local authorities and schools have prevented students from joining MVA due to perceived safeguarding issues or misunderstandings about DfE guidelines on attendance. Here are some recent examples:

1. Nottinghamshire Case: A mainstream school refused dual registration with MVA due to misinterpretation of DfE guidelines, leading to lost learning time for the student. We believe this stance is inaccurate and not reflected in recent documentation, including the "Working Together to Improve School Attendance" guidance. Specifically, we believe schools can use attendance codes such as "Code B" or "Code D" to facilitate dual-registration or authorised absences for education off-site.

2. Cheshire West and Chester Case: A student with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) who wished to join MVA was refused funding despite our DfE Accreditation. The local authority instead directed the family to other online providers, demonstrating inconsistency in access to the most suitable options.

These examples highlight the need for clearer guidance to help schools and authorities support students effectively whilst also removing some of the adversarial interaction.

Parent Advocacy and Feedback

Parents at MVA have formed an action group to advocate for better support. They often feel isolated and left to navigate challenges independently. Their children are academically able but are often unable to access a mainstream education system that does not meet their needs.

Our Call for an Accredited Pathway for Online Schooling

We believe all children should have an education that suits them. For many, a DfE-accredited online school with a dedicated SEND team and trained SEND mentors is the perfect solution. We recommend that the Department for Education create a clear pathway for families to access accredited online schools if mainstream education isn’t meeting their child’s needs.

This could also address the issue of persistent absence in schools, which currently affects 1.7 million students.

Cost-Effectiveness of Accredited Online Education

Accredited online schooling, like MVA at under £8.5k per year, is a cost-effective option compared to other provisions often recommended for students who need more support than mainstream schools can provide. We propose that high-needs top-up funding be directed toward accredited online schools to better use existing resources.

Positive Outcomes for Students

We’re proud of the achievements of our students, many of whom have found success in their exams and future educational choices:

●       iGCSE Results: For students who took iGCSE exams privately, 72.9% achieved grades 4-9, above the national GCSE average of 67.4%.

●       Remote Invigilation Success: Of 86 students who took exams remotely through Pearson’s Remote Invigilation Service, 62.8% achieved grades in the 4-9 range. These students often join us partway through their iGCSE programme or need additional support, making their success particularly meaningful.

November 2024