Petition · Department for Education
Fund/establish free virtual school for those unable to attend mainstream school
Closed
33 signatures
What the petition asks
We are calling on the government to fund and create a free, fully accessible virtual school for children aged 5–18 who cannot attend mainstream school for medical, mental health, or special educational needs reasons.
Over 1.7 million children in the UK are currently out of school. Many of them are not absent by choice — they are autistic, have ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, trauma, chronic illness, or learning disabilities. We feel that the current school system is not built for them.
We think that a government-funded virtual school could change lives — and give families a real option. Private online schools do exist but fees can be high. This can mean that they are out of reach for many families.
We think that a government-funded virtual school could change lives — and give families a real option. Private online schools do exist but fees can be high. This can mean that they are out of reach for many families.
Timeline
| 1 Jul 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 1 Jan 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
33
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Education
Opened
1 Jul 2025
Closed
1 Jan 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 29 Aug 2026.