School, built for SEND and neurodiversity
Calm learning at home. Clear structure. Personal mentoring for every student.
Department for Education accredited online school for ages 11 to 18. Minerva Virtual Academy combines live teaching with independent study and one-to-one mentoring, so each student can learn at the right pace with the right adjustments.
- DfE AccreditedThe only online school of our kind fully accredited by the Department for Education.
- Good Schools GuideCalled MVA the “holy grail” of online schooling.
- SENDCO & pastoral teamLed by a Vice Principal Pastoral with dedicated SENDCOs for every family.
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How we support SEND & neurodivergent learners to thrive
Safe, low-stress environment
Learn at home with predictable routines and fewer sensory demands.
Personal mentor
Meet your mentor weekly to plan workload, build confidence, and co-ordinate support.
Flexible learning model
Live lessons plus guided independent study; lesson replays available; planned time out for appointments or recovery without falling behind.
Small classes & clear expectations
Taking every step to reduce anxiety and help build focus.
Wellbeing at the core
Built into the curriculum at every level, our wellbeing programme includes sessions on breathing and healthy study habits.
Inclusive community
Be welcomed by students who understand and teachers who have more time for every child.
Introducing Rebecca
Led by Rebecca Pinfield, Vice Principal Pastoral, alongside Wayne & Lacey (SENDCOs), our team works with families to put the right support in place from day one.
Rebecca Pinfield
Vice Principal, Pastoral
Rebecca leads pastoral care at MVA, working with families to put the right support in place from day one.
Wayne
SENDCO
Wayne co-ordinates SEND provision, tailoring adjustments and support around each student’s needs.
Lacey
SENDCO
Lacey supports students and families through the SEND process and reviews provision as needs change.
Freddie’s week
Example daily schedule
What SEND families tell us
“What an amazing community and vision to be a part of… we are so thankful for what MVA offers and the way in which it has so met our daughter’s needs.”
“It felt like a monumental decision to leave bricks and mortar, but we’re 12 months in and we’ve not looked back once — except in relief!”
Join an inclusive, supportive community
Friendships form in social rooms, after-school clubs and termly trips — with students who understand and teachers who have more time for every child.
Social rooms throughout the week
Drop-in social rooms give students a relaxed way to connect between lessons.
After-school clubs
Art Club, Run Club, Esports and a dedicated Neurodiversity Club.
MVA trips
Termly UK trips help students make friends in person. On a recent Nottingham trip, one student said: “It’s the best school trip I’ve ever been on!”
Life at MVA
See what learning with Minerva Virtual Academy looks and feels like — calm, supportive and built around every student.
Worried about your child’s EHCP?
- We can meet most EHCP provisions through our flexible online model.
- A few provisions are reviewed case-by-case, depending on your child’s plan.
- The easiest next step is a quick chat — book a call and we’ll talk it through.
Most asked questions about our SEND support
We can meet most EHCP provisions thanks to the flexibility of our online learning programme. Some provisions may not be deliverable in our setting and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Some examples: daily check-ins with a key member of staff (students do have weekly 1:1 mentor sessions); direct provision of therapies such as Speech and Language Therapy or Occupational Therapy, which are arranged by the local authority and delivered at home or elsewhere; and physical or multi-sensory learning environments, which are managed by the student and family at home.
Mentors are trained to support SEND students effectively. Some are qualified SENDCos and many are employed specifically for their experience working with children with SEND. Our SEND team delivers regular staff training throughout the year on topics such as PDA, plus a virtual SEND module for all staff on our platform.
Learning from home gives students more autonomy over their environment, which suits many who need to control their surroundings. It also means more responsibility; where that is difficult, additional adult support at home may be required.
We have a cameras-on policy to build lesson rapport and for safeguarding. If a child is particularly anxious we can arrange an exemption that all teaching staff are aware of. Students can also use the private chat function with the teacher instead of the microphone.
There is no official requirement to attend Live Lessons, though it is encouraged. If a student won’t attend, we ask that they attend their 1:1 mentoring sessions and the school assembly. Please notify us if your child will not be attending Live Lessons.
Useful organisations include SENDIASS, IPSEA, Special Needs Jungle, Sunshine Support, and Not Fine In School.
Results & outcomes
Every student’s path is different. See how MVA students progress and where they go next on our exam results page.
A better way to do school. Starts here.
Book a Discovery Call to meet our pastoral and SEND team, ask your questions, and find out if MVA is the right fit for your family.
Prefer we get in touch?
Send a quick enquiry and a member of our SEND team will reply.