FAQ's

Gaia Bloom is an inclusive online learning hub for schools, built by the specialist online Alternative Provision provider, Gaia Learning.

It is designed to provide schools with the ability and agility to support learners when they cannot be in the physical classroom.

Q1: What is Gaia Bloom?

Gaia Bloom is an inclusive online learning hub that combines resources, CPD training, curriculum, a virtual classroom (GaiaHive), and powerful analytics (Gaialytics) in one place. It is built by Gaia Learning, which specializes in online education for neurodivergent and SEND learners. The platform enables schools to deliver engaging, flexible learning anytime, anywhere.

Q2: Which learners is Gaia Bloom primarily designed to support?

Gaia Bloom is designed for neurodivergent learners and those with SEND. It is particularly effective for supporting pupils who struggle to attend and engage in traditional education settings, including those with:

• Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) or high anxiety.
• Persistent absenteeism or medical needs.
• EHCP learners in transition or students awaiting placement.
• Pupils permanently excluded from mainstream education.

The platform acts as a bridge, offering personalized, low-demand, interest-led learning in parallel with mainstream education.

Q3: Is Gaia Bloom a registered Alternative Provision (AP)?

Gaia Learning itself is a wholly online specialist non-school online AP provider, registered with over 34 local authorities across the UK. Gaia Bloom is the digital platform created by Gaia Learning. The platform is designed to allow mainstream schools to create a flexible “Within School” Alternative Provision or internal online AP solution.

Q4: What are the main components of the Gaia Bloom platform?

Gaia Bloom is an integrated learning ecosystem featuring three core components:

• GaiaHive: A purpose-built inclusive virtual classroom. It has a sensory-considered design and tools like an everlasting interactive whiteboard and various multi-media engagement tools.
• Gaialytics: An AI-driven analytics dashboard. It provides real-time data on attendance, engagement, emotional well-being signals, and learning outcomes. This data helps make the invisible visible.
• Gaia Academy: Provides inclusive curriculum contents, ready-made learner-facing interest-based courses, and CPD educator training.

Q5: Can we use our school’s own curriculum and staff?

Yes, the platform is flexible and customisable:

• Curriculum: You can upload your own curriculum for learners to access or utilize the Gaia Learning spiral curriculum in core subjects.
• Staffing: Gaia Bloom enables schools to utilise their own teachers or TA support team to deliver live or prerecorded lessons in the Gaia Hive. Alternatively, schools can work with a qualified, certified Gaia Educator.

Q6: How does Gaia Bloom support accountability and compliance with the Ofsted framework?

Gaia Bloom is designed to help schools align with the new Education Inspection Framework (EIF):

• Data and Evidence: The Gaialytics dashboard provides high-quality, real-time data on engagement, attendance, progress, and emotional wellbeing, which leaders can use for strategic planning and demonstrating progress. This data can serve as tangible evidence for Ofsted.
• Inclusion: The platform promotes personalised learning and effective, evidence-based support for SEND and EHCP learners.
• Safeguarding: The platform includes secure logins, full audit trails, communication logs, and incorporates trauma-informed practices. The architecture uses Consentware (Consent-as-Default) to ensure data storage and sharing align with explicit consent markers.

Q7: Does Gaia Bloom help track EHCP outcomes?

Yes, one of the platform’s major value propositions is EHCP Outcome Tracking. Schools can input EHCP outcomes and smart targets, track percentage progress per outcome, and generate reports for annual reviews. Gaialytics also helps track learning outcomes linked to EHCP Section F.

Q8: How does Gaia Bloom empower school staff?

Gaia Bloom is built to upskill your trusted, existing staff and reduce dependency on external providers. It provides:

• CPD Training: Staff can access CPD training via Gaia Academy, including the “How to Teach the Gaia Way” program.
• Support Tools: It provides TAs and pastoral leads with high-quality, ready-made curriculum and resources so they can deliver specialized instruction without needing to prep complex lessons.
• Multi-Agency Working: It facilitates strengthened multi-agency working by offering shared access to engagement and progress dashboards, making it easy for SENCOs, social workers, families, and educators to stay aligned.

Q9: How is Gaia Bloom different from a standard LMS (e.g., Google Classroom) or a video tool like Zoom?

Gaia Bloom is unique because it is the only platform designed specifically for neurodivergent learners and inclusive teaching, combining content, connection, and care in one place.

Q10: What is the cost of Gaia Bloom?

Gaia Bloom operates on an annual subscription service. Subscriptions start from £5000 + VAT per school per year, which includes full access to Gaia Hive, Gaialytics, Gaia Academy core curriculum, and ongoing CPD access.