“You are the disrupters and lid lifters. 100 years from now, you will be remembered as the pioneers of this new form of schooling.”
At the first assembly of the 2021-22 academic year – the first ever assembly for Pearson Online Academy UK Global – founding principal Jo Vigneron addressed students from the UK to the UAE, Spain to Singapore, Morocco to Mexico.
Across the world, these students sat at laptops and tablets, ready to embark on the next stage of their education, free from the distractions of a traditional school. For these students would be learning wholly online.
Celebrating neurodiversity
Traditional school environments can be difficult for young people with autism. Online schools can reduce some of the anxieties and sensory issues they face, making achieving academic excellence possible with flexible learning that can take place from home. Online schools are a relatively new concept to many, though Pearson has been running successful virtual schools in the US for 20 years.
At Pearson Online Academy, students work through self-study lessons at a time and pace that suits them, and live lessons are recorded so they can be watched back. It is an innovative school that values and celebrates neurodiversity.
Safe space where those on the autism spectrum can thrive
“We vision that our platform can be a safe space where those on the autism spectrum can thrive,” Kelly Hargreaves-Cox, Success Coach and SEND specialist at the school, says.
“We are committed to overcoming the traditional barriers to inclusion in education, making reasonable adjustments that help to provide a flexible and supportive environment where every student can be successful.”
The school provides tailored one-to-one support to empower students to be successful. The nature of the support depends on the student’s exact needs and is determined in consultation with the student and their parents. It can include individual lessons, group study skills lessons or accommodations made by teachers in the LiveLesson sessions.
Holistic approach
“The holistic approach to education and collaborative approach between myself and other teachers fosters that sense of support and empowerment,” Hargreaves-Cox explains.
“We’re able to get to know the individual and listen to how they see the world. We know that young people with autism can excel in many areas and this strength-based approach is something that really underpins our school ethos.
“We want to be known for listening to feedback from our students so that we can shape our programmes to fit a wide range of diverse learning needs.”
Principal Jo Vigneron agrees: “My aspiration for the academy is for it to become the best online school in the world – and I see no reason this cannot happen.”
More information
Find out more about Pearson Online Academy UK Global at https://ukglobal.pearsononlineacademy.com/