Provision in Wales
Working together to ensure every child in Wales thrives
Working in partnership with schools and local authorities across Wales, Academy21 provides high- quality online education for students in Years 5 to 11. Our shared goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people who need more tailored support to re-engage with education. Together, we’re creating inclusive, inspiring education experiences that help every child thrive.
Making a difference, together
Provision in Wales
Academy21 was founded in Wales in 2011 with a vision to create meaningful, flexible education solutions that respond to the real needs of young people, schools, and local authorities. Deeply rooted in our Welsh heritage is a profound alignment with the ethos of the Curriculum for Wales. We believe that every learner, regardless of their circumstances, should be empowered to achieve the four core purposes: becoming an ambitious, capable learner; an enterprising, creative contributor; an ethical, informed citizen; and a healthy, confident individual. Our shared goal is simple but powerful: to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people who need more tailored support to re-engage with education. Partnership is at the heart of this mission. By working closely with schools, local authorities, and families, we develop cost-effective, adaptable programmes that truly meet diverse needs and open pathways to success.
At Academy21, we provide high-quality, live online teaching delivered in small, nurturing groups by specialist teachers—many of whom are based here in Wales—who understand the importance of relationship-based learning. Using research-informed approaches such as formative assessment and spiral curricula, we ensure every learner receives the support and encouragement they need to build confidence, resilience, and academic achievement.
Our provision at a glance:
High-Quality Teaching with Recognised Accreditation
Academy21 is proud to be the first online alternative provision accredited by the Department for Education (DfE) in England, recognised for its rigorous quality standards. While the DfE accreditation is specific to England, our provision maintains equally high standards and quality for students in Wales. It fulfills Welsh Government frameworks and inspection standards,
ensuring excellent educational outcomes
100% live teaching with recorded lessons
Our teachers deliver 100% live lessons, fostering real-time engagement and interaction. Recorded lessons support students who need to revisit content, enhancing learning flexibility.
Qualified and experienced teachers
Our team consists of highly qualified specialist teachers, supported by experienced senior leaders. All staff participate in our programme of professional learning, which includes training on trauma-informed and quality-first teaching, comprehensive safeguarding training, including contextual safeguarding, and relational practice to maximise confidence in all of our students.
Highly effective safeguarding
Student safety is our highest priority. Our safeguarding measures include enhanced DBS checks for all staff, online safety education, robust filtering and monitoring, and a team of experienced designated safeguarding leads (DSLs). Crucially, all our teaching and support staff in Wales are registered with the Education Workforce Council (EWC), ensuring the highest standards of
professional conduct and safety
Dedicated client and student induction
We ensure a smooth start for both students and partners. Our twice-weekly student induction sessions help learners settle in, while our customer services team is available to support partners and ensure they maximise the benefits of our provision.
Reporting and monitoring
When a student is enrolled, attendance and engagement expectations are agreed from the outset and monitored from day one. Teachers record Effort, Understanding, and Interaction (EUI) scores for every lesson, alongside attendance — all visible in real time via the Mentor Portal. Weekly attendance summaries and termly academic reports provide clear insight into progress, enabling mentors and schools to review performance and adjust targets where needed. This consistent monitoring supports improved engagement, academic outcomes, and successful reintegration.
“For us, Academy21 has been invaluable in giving children instant access to education, regardless of their location. For students with anxiety who are unable to leave the house, the remote learning functionality meets their needs without compromising their learning, particularly for core subjects like Maths, English, or Science.”
Vale Of Glamorgan
“Academy21 [supports] them to keep learning and achieving and helps them to reintegrate back in to mainstream education. It keeps these children in education and what could be more important than that.”
Claire Armitstead
Director of ASCL Cymru
97%
Of students say Academy21 teachers’ feedback helps them to understand their areas of success and improvement
93%
Of students, state they have more confidence in their learning now that they study with Academy21.
Alternative Education Pathways
Read or download our guide for schools and LAs in Wales
Students we support
Whatever the reason, when a student cannot access mainstream education, Academy21 offers critical support. Click to read about the cases we can support.
why trust us
Successful provision to shout about!
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