Minerva Virtual Academy Arvostelua 21

Super flexible & understanding school for young athletes. MVA is enabling my daughter to get a great education whilst training and travelling extensively for tennis tournaments. Highly recommend!

Our admission process was slick, staff maintained good levels of contact throughout. We were encouraged to ask questions. The introduction sessions were useful for us as parents and our son as a student, as they gave us a real sense of what MVA have to offer. This made our switch from Scottish education system to IGCSE straight forward.

MVA is a breath of fresh air. It gives so many young people the opportunity to stay in education when they might not 'fit' into the mainstream offering. They 'get' it and they are unwaveringly supportive of their young people and the families. They understand SEND and flexible needs, and manage to deliver exceptional teaching virtually. The systems are all brilliant (i.e. they all work) and the ops team is always on hand to help. All the teachers are great too. We felt so lucky to have found them when we did and would highly recommend them to anyone.

We are extremely grateful for the support Andrei has received through Minerva Virtual Academy. The scholarship he was awarded has made a real difference for our family and allowed him to pursue an education that truly fits his needs.
What we value the most is the flexibility of the online programme. As a performance tennis player, Andrei has an intense schedule with daily training sessions and frequent tournaments, and Minerva’s structure allows him to balance his academic responsibilities with his sporting commitments without unnecessary pressure.
The academic support has been excellent, and we have seen Andrei grow both academically and personally. He feels motivated, supported, and confident in managing both school and sport at a high level.
Because of this positive experience, Andrei is keen to continue his education with Minerva and pursue his A Levels with them. We would highly recommend Minerva Virtual Academy to other families, especially those with young athletes who need flexibility without compromising on academic quality.

We are very satisfied with the academy. It offers a very flexible approach, high-quality education, and a modern and convenient learning system.
Once a week, my daughter has a personal teacher, which is extremely helpful. My daughter, Sofia, is a tennis player and trains in the mornings. In the evenings, she reviews all her lessons through recorded classes, which helps her stay fully on track with her studies.
We are very happy that this academy exists. Communication is excellent, and we are always able to find common ground and resolve any questions quickly and efficiently.
Thank you very much for your support!

My time at MVA was a life changing for me! Switching to Minerva Virtual Academy was the best decision made. After struggling with the pressure of a traditional school i finally found that i was able to relax and fully engage into my learning. The 1 to 1 mentoring was amazing having that weekly check ins did wonders for my confidence. All my teachers truly cared about me and encouraged me to always try my best and be myself!! I met lots of incredible people and went on some super cool school trips! My experience there really taught me to accept myself. I spent 3 years at MVA and did my GCSEs i was able to do them online which was massive for me because i never thought id even sit them so being able to do that and also being fully supported by the community at mva was truly massive.

Evie has been with MVA for two years now. We chose MVA because Evie‘s showjumping career meant that she needs time during the day for training and competing throughout the year.
MVAs learning model means she has all the time she needs riding without missing lessons. Instead of falling behind, as she was in mainstream school, she has stayed up-to-date with all of her work and it has worked brilliantly.
Now, just completed her second round of mocks, she is looking at all A’s and B’s which she could never have achieved with the amount of school she was missing previously.
The weekly sessions with her mentor has meant that I don’t have to worry if Evie is on top of everything, as I know her mentor will be keeping an eye on all subjects and ensuring that all work is complete.
Overall, we could not be more delighted with the way that things have worked out with MVA.

the flexibility the simplicity and support is what stands out the most from any other school

My son started Oct 25 at MVA in year 7, we weren’t sure how the home schooling was going to work with him being not the keenest student & around his sporting schedule.
However, he has been flourishing.
We have worked his timetable to fit in all his studying & training. He is confident to access all his work & lessons & gets on with everything no problem.
The system has got much easier to use now the more we’ve been on it.
His mentor meetings with Maeve & the support she has given him & myself as a parent, has been incredible.
We feel hugely supported by his teachers too.
As his confidence has grown, his work is improving & he is enjoying getting his work done.
We are really pleased that we chose MVA & look forward to our son continuing his journey.

We have been incredibly pleased with our experience at Minerva Virtual Academy. From the very beginning, the level of support provided to our daughter has been outstanding.
The entire team—including Operations, the Attendance department, the teaching staff, and her personal mentor—has been consistently kind, professional, and genuinely helpful. They truly understand the unique balance required for students pursuing sporting ambitions alongside their academics.
Since joining MVA, we have seen a remarkable transformation in our daughter. She has become far more responsible and has significantly improved her time management and self-discipline. The school’s flexible yet structured approach has given her the tools to take ownership of her learning journey.
We couldn't ask for a more supportive environment and highly recommend MVA to any family looking for an education that prioritises both academic excellence and personal development.

Hi this is Mira, I would say this has been one of the best experience of my life. I love how this school gives me the time to work on myself and my sport. It has also helped so much in my education, that I finally understand maths 😁. Thanks to you guys, I became a better person, athlete and student. 🏆

“As a family, we never really felt aligned with the structure and rigidity of a traditional school schedule. Moving to MVA has given us an alternative that better suits our values and lifestyle.

One of the most noticeable changes has been in our children’s independence.
Both of them (Year 9 and Year 7) are now far more capable of managing their own day-to-day schedules without relying on us, which has been incredibly positive to see.

It has also had a meaningful impact on our home life. Things feel much more relaxed, and we’re able to enjoy more quality time together—not just at weekends, but throughout the week as well.

MVA has encouraged our children to think more openly and confidently, helping them understand that there isn’t just one path when it comes to education. That mindset has been invaluable for them.”

You are the future! Giving the chance to excel in both. School and sport. Since joining MVA, my son has grown in confidence and feels happier than dealing with stresses that traditional school provides. The freedom of doing motorsport and still have a class feel environment is the best we could have done for our child. The frequent school trips are just a cherry on the top. Having personal tutor to deal with ups and downs and keeping our son in check is a privilege to have. Absolutely the best choice we could have made. Highly recommend it.

As CEO of Sensational Minds, an autism, ADHD and dyslexia assessment and post-diagnostic support service, a key part of my role is building meaningful connections with providers who share our vision and values. We are always seeking safe, nurturing, and truly understanding environments for the children and young people we support, and Minerva Virtual Academy is exactly that.

From the very beginning, Liz Parry has been exceptional. Taking the time to connect, travelling to Colchester, and sharing the Minerva story with such authenticity and passion. It was clear straight away that this was something special.

Since then, we have referred children to Minerva who were previously unable to access mainstream education due to environmental factors and significant distress. To now see those same children thriving academically, socially and emotionally is incredibly powerful. It is not just education, it is transformation.

To know that there is a pathway forward for the young people we assess, one that aligns so closely with our values as a service, brings a huge sense of reassurance and hope for families.

Every single member of staff at Minerva who contributes to this level of care, understanding and provision deserves recognition. What you are creating truly changes lives.

Liz, thank you for continuing to share this journey with us. The difference you make is immeasurable.

Once you have processed the inescapable truth that a bricks and mortar school, one that suited your other 3 children so well, is failing your 4th, it’s uncharted waters.
My advice - grasp the nettle, embrace the notion that we do not have cookie cutter kids and then do your research! Home schooling comes in different guises, Minerva was the perfect fit for my son who needs direction, face to face engagement, encouragement and a sense of community - studious independent working in splendid isolation is not his gig.
Is his world a little smaller, undoubtedly; has personal hygiene taken a bit of a hit, I’m saving a fortune on Lynx Africa; but is he learning and is he happy - absolutely. Whatever your reasons for exploring home schooling, take it from me, Minerva is best of breed.
You are only as happy as your unhappiest child; I am happy to report that the temperature in our household is creeping back up to optimum.
You don’t have to navigate the choppy, uncharted home schooling waters alone, Minerva will hold your hand.
Come on in…. the water’s lovely!

As a family we rate MVA very highly. Our daughter is one of those who was 'lost in the middle' - not able to cope with mainstream but not quite having complex enough needs requiring the expertise of a specialist setting either. The state system was breaking her (and us all), so we felt we had no option but to look for an alternative. That's when we found MVA. It sounded ideal for what we needed; flexible but structured, traditional but modern, familiar but fresh, supportive and caring, with a child centred approach. Most of all though it was their pastoral approach that appealed. Her Mentor has been great, its a lovely relationship that ensures she has a point person when needed. The compassion with which MVA approach education, whilst still offering a robust academic experience, is a stark contrast to our previous experience. Initially it was a leap of faith, even though I knew we'd made the right choice, it felt difficult at first to rid myself of the old stereotypes of what education looked like and it was an adjustment for me. That said it was a pretty easy and rapid adjustment when I saw the transformation in my daughter. Her attendance and enjoyment is night and day to her previous settings and we have found MVA to suit her really well. It takes time to build up friendships but the in-person school trips do gradually help with that. No setting is perfect, but what we have found so refreshing is their openness to feedback and their desire to get it right. Plus the availability of senior staff to discuss problems/issues and the willingness to work truly collaboratively (rather than paying lip service) has been key. It's also been a relief that I didn't have to become my daughter's teacher, I'm still mum, and school is still school but without the negative connotations! I'm so glad we found MVA as I dare not think about where we would have been otherwise. It won't be right for everyone, but it fills a huge gap in the context of education in the UK and I can see it becoming a standard option in the future. We would choose MVA time and again based on our experience.

MVA was a godsend to us after our child struggled with mainstream. The onboarding was comprehensive (both for parents and students)and the pastoral care has been second to none. Academically my child has been stretched where necessary and supported in areas of need. I would recommend MVA to anyone looking for an anecdote to the rigidity of mainstream schooling. The mentor system is also an amazing support for pupil and parent with someone on hand for queries who really ‘gets’ your child.

MVA has a dedicated and caring team who always put their pupils’ wellbeing and success first. They create a supportive environment where students feel valued and gives them the space to grow in confidence and learn to the best of their ability!

Having worked with the team, they are lovely to work with and it is clear that they have a deep care for the students.

We worked with MVA as an advertiser and the whole process was incredibly smooth from start to finish. The team were lovely to deal with and made everything feel easy and well organised.

Liz in particular was brilliant, friendly, responsive and incredibly on it throughout. A real pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!

MVA is fantastic.... the fact our daughter has a personal mentor every week has made an incredible difference. My only wish was that we'd found it sooner. We started in March last year and haven't looked back.