Q1. What is Bloom?
Bloom is an inclusive online learning hub built by Gaia Learning, a specialist online Alternative Provision provider.
It brings together curriculum resources, CPD, virtual classrooms and powerful analytics in one secure platform, giving schools, learning providers and local authorities the ability to support learners when they cannot fully access the physical classroom.
Bloom is designed to help teams deliver, monitor and evidence learning intervention and provision — without replacing existing education pathways.
Q2. Who is Bloom designed for, and who can use it?
Bloom is designed to support neurodivergent learners and those with SEND, particularly pupils who find traditional classroom settings challenging.
It is commonly used to support learners who may be:
Bloom can be used by:
Bloom acts as a bridge, supporting learners alongside mainstream education and helping plan safe, confident reintegration.
Q3. Is Bloom a registered Alternative Provision (AP)?
Gaia Learning is a wholly online specialist Alternative Provision provider, registered with over 34 local authorities across the UK.
Bloom is the digital platform created by Gaia Learning. It is not a school or provider in itself. Instead, Bloom enables schools and services to:
Q4. Does Bloom replace classroom teaching or require teachers to deliver extra online lessons?
Learning on Bloom is delivered by the existing professionals already supporting the learner, including teachers, SENCOs, case workers, teaching assistants and classroom support staff.
Bloom allows one member of staff to support multiple learners online at the same time and, where appropriate, to run Bloom alongside in-person classroom delivery, extending support to learners who are not able to access lessons in the usual way.
For example, at the same time:
Where appropriate, learners who are not physically in the classroom may:
depending on their learning needs, regulation and the staff-to-student ratio required.
All of these learners remain supported through the same platform, using:
This means Bloom extends and connects existing provision, rather than replacing classroom teaching or increasing workload.
Q5. How does Bloom support multiple learners safely?
Bloom can support hundreds of learners simultaneously across a school, service or local authority.
For live virtual classrooms, we recommend:
Outside of live sessions, learners can access content, activities, check-ins and support asynchronously, allowing teams to support many learners flexibly while maintaining safeguarding and oversight.
Q6. Does Bloom count as attendance?
Bloom itself does not determine attendance.
Attendance is recorded by the school or authority in line with national guidance. Bloom supports learning, engagement and evidence within arrangements that are already recognised, rather than trying to redefine attendance.
Q7. Is Bloom approved by the DfE?
The DfE does not approve platforms or “remote learning models”.
What the DfE recognises are attendance categories and codes. Bloom is designed to support education that already sits within recognised categories — such as hospital education, alternative provision, LA-commissioned education and dual registration.
Q8. When can learning supported by Bloom be recorded as attendance in England?
In England, learning supported by Bloom can sit within existing recognised contexts, including:
In these cases, pupils remain on roll and attendance is recorded using the appropriate DfE attendance codes (for example B, D or K), as determined by the school or LA.
Q9. Can Bloom support reduced timetables and reintegration?
Yes.
Bloom is commonly used to support:
By tracking engagement, learning activity and wellbeing, Bloom helps schools evidence progress and readiness to return, while attendance continues to be recorded in line with guidance.
Q10. How can Bloom work in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland does not operate under DfE attendance codes.
Education delivered away from the main school site is already recognised through EA and DE guidance, including:
Bloom supports these pathways by providing a secure, monitored platform that tracks learning, engagement and progress, strengthening oversight and continuity without changing a learner’s status.
Q11. Will using Bloom put schools at risk with attendance or inspection?
No.
Bloom is designed to reduce risk and support inspection readiness, particularly under the current Ofsted inspection framework, which places increased emphasis on inclusion, SEND, alternative provision and how schools meet the needs of learners who struggle to attend or engage.
Bloom helps schools evidence:
By bringing learning activity, support provided and outcomes into one place, Bloom gives schools the clear, structured evidence inspectors look for when evaluating how well learners with additional needs are supported.
Bloom supports what schools are already doing — it does not require schools to operate outside attendance guidance or inspection expectations.
Q12. In simple terms, what role does Bloom play?
Bloom is not an attendance workaround.
It is a platform that helps schools and services deliver, monitor and evidence learning intervention at scale, keeping learners safe, supported and connected wherever learning happens — and supporting their return to the classroom when ready.
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