Gaia Learning, a leading national online alternative provision for learners with special educational needs (SEN) and neurodivergence, has recently been approved as a Pearson Edexcel Online Learning Centre. This approval will enable the provision of a wider range of accredited pathways for learners who require flexible and personalized approaches to education.
The new approval allows Gaia Learning to deliver modular iGCSEs, provide remote invigilation, and support alternative exam arrangements. These options are designed to support learners who may not thrive within conventional assessment models, including those who benefit from greater flexibility around timing, pace, and learning environment.
According to Neeki Armani, Head of Learning at Gaia Learning, “Many of the learners we work with have experienced disruption or exclusion from mainstream education. This approval enables us to offer recognized qualifications alongside approaches that prioritize wellbeing, engagement, and long-term outcomes.”
Gaia Learning’s approach is based on the principle that educational progress does not follow a single, linear route. As a national online provider supporting learners with SEN and neurodivergent profiles, Gaia Learning works with young people whose needs are often not met by traditional settings.
The provision offers a range of learner-centered pathways, including Functional Skills as a foundation for further learning, modular iGCSEs completed over extended or flexible timelines, interest-led and project-based learning, one-to-one mentoring, and tailored academic support, and adjusted exam arrangements where appropriate. These pathways are designed to respond to individual needs, rather than requiring learners to adapt to a fixed model.
Gaia Learning reports that learners following personalized pathways have progressed in a range of ways, including moving into sixth forms, colleges, and apprenticeships aligned with their interests, returning to mainstream education where appropriate, and completing examinations in settings that reduce anxiety and pressure. For many learners with SEN and neurodivergent needs, the ability to take qualifications in a calmer and more structured environment has supported renewed confidence and re-engagement with learning.
Gaia Learning works nationally with families, schools, and local authorities to support learners who are out of education, awaiting placement, or unable to access suitable provision within mainstream settings. The organization emphasizes that progress is not defined by speed or comparison, but by sustainability, inclusion, and wellbeing.
The approval as a Pearson Edexcel Online Learning Centre represents a further step in expanding accredited, flexible education routes for learners who need an alternative approach. Gaia Learning remains committed to providing inclusive education and supporting learners with SEN and neurodivergent profiles to achieve their full potential.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.