Online Schools

Online schools and learning communities became increasingly popular during the Coronavirus pandemic. Many of them are used by home educators as well as school students to supplement their learning. Here are a few examples:

School of Humanity

School of Humanity (SoH) is an online high school with an innovative model and interdisciplinary curriculum. Their learners develop their knowledge, skills and dispositions by tackling real-world challenges.

Their mission is to enable the next generation to create a purposeful future for themselves, and for humanity. The SoH High School program helps learners:

• Learn through projects and challenges
• Have an impact on the world
• Progress through the curriculum at their own personalised pace
• Get mentor support and guidance every step of the way
• Get future-ready, for the universities and career paths that matter to them

“We intentionally designed our model to focus on flourishing, well-being, and happiness. We’ve create a learning experience that enables young minds globally to find their purpose in life while creating an exciting future for themselves and our species.”

Raya Bidshahri, Founder & Principal

The Learning Circle

The learning Circle is a friendly, democratic online learning community for 7 to 14 year olds. They combine “the most valuable parts of school” – friends, engaging live classes and mentors – with flexibility and the freedom to choose what you learn, wherever you are in the world. 

“Bright but bored at school? Learn differently? Struggle with the social atmosphere? Hate homework? Want more of a say in your education? Join other families who home-educate, flexi-school, deschool or world-school together in a warm, connected learning community.” 

Kubrio

Kubrio is a new innovative self-directed online school for home educated students aged 8-18 who are worldschoolers, homeschoolers and/or unschoolers from all over the world.

“Many of the different types of jobs and businesses in the not-too-distant future have not yet been invented. How does one prepare for that? We are here to help your children spark their curiosity, discover incredible learning avenues and become self-directed learners for life. This way they can be ready for whatever comes their way.”

Gaia Learning

Gaia Learning is an e-learning platform designed to deliver bespoke home school and supplementary education programs to students across the globe.

“School and the way we learn is changing, through technology, online communities and the increasingly flexible needs of a modern family. The future of education is not about replicating traditional school online, it’s about using technology to be more free and human in an increasingly digital world.”

Meet Gaia Learning founder, Kirstin Coughtrie in our Voices section.

The Pearl Remote Democratic High School

The Pearl High School provides international high school students with an online democratic education that balances personal and social interests to become informed, competent and involved citizens in a safe anti-racist environment.

“We revolutionize education by preparing young people to create a more just, sustainable and equitable world. Most of all, we are committed to making democratic education accessible to students who have been marginalized in traditional schools.”

Prisma

Prisma is an innovative online school for 4-8th graders who want an education tailored to their interests, abilities and goals for the future. Key features include:

• Kids choose what to learn, at the pace best for them
• Focus on critical life skills in addition to foundational academics
• Kids discover content through making hands-on projects inspired by real-world themes
• Coach’s role is to mentor, inspire and provide rich feedback
• Kids are motivated by the joy of learning
• A close-knit peer cohort within a diverse, global network
• Kids learn when and where they want

Cicero

Cicero connects intellectually curious students with private teachers for one-on-one, personalised classes that range from tutoring to semester-long online courses.

One of the key features of Cicero is flexible scheduling that allows students to set up courses around their own, unique schedule.

“Our focus is on building a strong relationship between student and teacher. We do this through our one-on-one format that is student-centered and facilitated by inspiring, creative, expert teachers.”

Khan World School

At Khan World School, students work together solving real-world problems in a unique online school model that rewards curiosity, empowers agency and provides them with the skills and confidence needed to excel in college and careers. Students master core knowledge and dive deeply into society’s most challenging problems with support from peers and world-class learning guides.

“Khan World School at ASU Prep will unleash the potential of a new generation of students that will change the world we live in for the better. We do this by maximizing opportunities for student mastery, agency, collaboration and passion. A LOT of the thought went into translating the vision from my book The One World Schoolhouse into a comprehensive and engaging high school model.” 

Sal Khan, Founder Khan Academy

School Beyond Limitations

School Beyond Limitations is an online school for students aged 4-18. Each student is guided towards the completion of their own personal goals: university entry, creation of a business or the pursuit of their dream job.

“Our students are involved in the design of their learning – this allows them to see the purpose of their learning as they are valued for their individual uniqueness.

We open the space for students so that they learn for life. Instead of learning notions by heart, students are encouraged to apply their knowledge accordingly.

Our students learn out of curiosity based on their interests, talents, experiences and competencies – this increases their intrinsic motivation.”

Outschool

Founded in 2015, Outschool offers online classes for young people aged 3-18 years via group video chat. Their 15,000+ unique classes span all subjects and reflect the diversity of their teachers who include teachers, artists, scientists and other adults with an expertise or interest to share.

“From phonics to AP Physics to Minecraft to Piano, Outschool feeds your kid’s curiosity and elevates their learning. With Outschool, families choose their teachers and their classes based on their needs and interests. Choice empowers learners – families choose their teachers and their classes based on their needs and interests.”

My Online Schooling

The MyOnlineSchooling.co.uk website offers a full time British National Curriculum delivered live online by qualified teachers for students aged 8 to 18 years (Key Stage 2 to A Level).

Nisai Group

Nisaai Group offers a British curriculum to learners up to the age of 25 with courses accredited by OCR, Cambridge and NOCN. They are a Cambridge International School and can provide Cambridge IGCSEs and A levels to students worldwide.

“We believe that everyone has equal value and should have access to quality assured education around the world. It is our mission to give traditional and non-traditional learners the skills to flourish through innovative education and by influencing positive institutional change.”

Varsity Tutors

Academic, enrichment, test prep, certifications… Varsity Tutors offers expert live instruction for students of all ages.

“Whether you’re looking for classes for your child, yourself, or someone else, we’ll help you find the right class for your needs. Connect live with an expert instructor and work with peers in a collaborative and truly engaging online space.”

Thinkers Meet Up

Offering live online enrichment classes, ThinkersMeetUp.com aims to link students worldwide, aged 7-18 years, with the best teachers to create exciting and challenging courses.

“We believe in innate curiosity. We believe in challenging bright minds. We believe in respecting learners as students and as individuals. We believe in teachers’ creativity. We believe in learning beyond and outside the curriculum. We believe in learning driven by the search for knowledge. We seek deep, life-altering learning, learning that expands the mind, presents new ideas, and helps shape the person into a critical, engaged, global citizen.”

Flowers Flexi Academy

Online learning with Flowers Flexi Academy offers experienced teachers who make online learning fun and engaging. GCSE pupils can study with their online service and sit their GCSEs with an accredited exam centre.

“Virtual learning with Flowers Flexi Academy enables learners to flourish from the comfort of their own home.”

Echo Education

Created by home educators for home educators, Echo Education aims to offer all the structure, lesson planning and knowledge you need to guide your child through IGCSE and Key Stage 3 curriculums.

Lights On® Academy

The Lights On® Academy isn’t a school as such but is a replacement for school for parents who want to drop their old school thinking around grades, curriculum and learning through subjects, and focus in on passion-led, purpose-driven learning.

“We work with changemaker families who are ready to achieve extraordinary things. If you are ready to take full ownership of your family’s learning adventure, so you AND your children can learn, thrive and flourish, you are in the right place…”

Meet Lights On® Academy founder, Julia Black in our Voices section.

Twinning

Twinning is a global community of learners led by their passions, talents and skills. As active learners, they share their questions and challenges, create their own educational contents. Promoting purpose-led and peer-to-peer learning approaches, Twinning supports parents and educators with relevant insights and recommendations to assist kids in their learning journey.

“Make education an engaging and inspiring experience for learning and teaching!”

Minerva Virtual Academy

Minerva Virtual Academy is an online independent school for 12-18 year olds. Students learn at their own pace through a mixture of live group lessons and online modules, with the support of a personal mentor. They can take GCSEs and A-levels, join clubs, attend weekly school assemblies and make friends. They say that their founding vision was:

“to help professionalise the tutoring industry and to offer parents an alternative approach to the norm – complimenting the standard methodology of “exams-based” tuition with a broader educational approach that would benefit pupils for the long run, not just to help them pass exams.”

CTL Academy Global

CTL Academy Global is an online offshoot of their accredited US aligned school. The Global program offers learners aged 12+ the opportunity to earn a fully accredited, US high school diploma that is recognised globally for university applications, careers and beyond.  Courses can be taken individually or part of a full time educational program. They say:

“Our courses follow a project based learning design aligned to the UN Sustainable Goals and work to engage and empower learners to take control of their future by supporting the development of future-proof skills both academically and socially.  

Within our courses students receive 1:1 support and will be assigned a learning coach to help the students map out their academic trajectory with input from content teachers, parents and mentors and of course the students themselves.”