Specialist neurodivergent-led online education — a briefing for schools & local authorities
From Autistic Girls Network — the UK’s only national, neurodivergent-led charity of its kind. A non-profit provision
The cohort we exist for
The young people generalist provision can’t hold. We routinely onboard learners who have been out of education for up to five years, who may not have left the house in months, and who cannot turn a camera on or speak out loud when they start — and we re-engage them, often quickly.
- Long-term non-attenders and “school-refusal” presentations
- Selective mutism, complex anxiety, demand-avoidant profiles
- Autistic girls and gender-diverse young people whose needs have been missed or misread
- Learners with an EHCP, awaiting assessment, or self-identified
Why The Haven, not a generalist online school
- Most of our educators are neurodivergent themselves – lived experience, not training-manual theory.
- Genuinely neuro-affirming: no forced masking, accommodations as standard, identity-building built in.
- Relational safety first, academic progress second – the order these young people actually need.
- Mentoring plus clubs, entrepreneurship, Neurodiversity University and Preparing for Adulthood included as
standard. - Part-time through to full-time GCSE curriculum (with a plan to begin A level courses in 2027), with a gentle
re-entry route (Back to Balance) for the least engaged.
Three ways to place a young person
| Route | How it works | Who funds |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative Provision | Young person remains on the school’s roll; we deliver their education. | Commissioning school |
| EOTAS via EHCP | Education Other Than At School, arranged through the EHCP | Local authority |
| Privately funded | Family arranges the place directly; often a bridge while statutory routes resolve. | Family |
What re-engagement looks like
These are identity and trajectory shifts, not just attendance figures. Outcomes vary by young person and take time, but this is our core work:
- Non-speaking learners becoming communicative and expressive
- Young people with no prior friendships building real ones
- Learners out of school for years re-engaging with structured learning
- Young people growing into confident self-advocates
Accreditation & assurance
We are applying for accreditation under the Department for Education’s Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS), for which Ofsted is the inspection body, and are currently awaiting inspection.
Safeguarding: operated in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, with enhanced DBS and safer- recruitment checks and records for all educators and freelancers
Discuss a placement
To talk through a specific young person, placement and support package, contact us: admissions@thehavenonline.school
