TLC Live Online School

Online School

On 25 and 26 March 2026, Ofsted visited TLC LIVE Online School as part of the Online Education Accreditation Scheme . Through this scheme, providers of full-time online education to school-age children in England can apply to the Department for Education (DfE) for accreditation.

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Online School

Ofsted visits providers to find out whether they meet the minimum standards for online education set by the DfE (the standards). This report sets out what we found during our visit on 25 and 26 March 2026. You can find out whether this provider is accredited by the DfE at Get Information about Schools .

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Key findings

◼ TLC LIVE Online School meets all the minimum standards for online education. ◼ TLC LIVE Online School provides a broad curriculum that has been carefully designed and is delivered effectively by knowledgeable teachers to meet pupils’ individual needs. Pupils have opportunities to study towards a growing number of national qualifications, including GCSEs and IGCSEs in subjects such as English, mathematics, science, and art and design. Leaders’ plans to further enhance the provision to include the opportunity for pupils to study GCSE physical education (PE) are in place and ready for commencement in September 2026. ◼ Leaders at TLC LIVE Online School have high expectations of their staff. A strength of the provider is the communication between staff and pupils and their families. This is held in high regard by parents. ◼ Pupils and parents give another strength of the provider as the nurturing and caring culture created by teachers, including the opportunities to meet in person

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Key findings

on occasional school trips. However, pupils would like more opportunities to meet socially while online to develop their friendships, as well as opportunities to attend a greater selection of after-school clubs. ◼ Pupils routinely demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and frequently engage in mature discussions with their teachers. Teachers make good use of the technology available to them to promote effective learning within their classes. Some staff would welcome greater opportunities to make use of pupils’ cameras to enhance their teaching and, where appropriate, help them evaluate pupils’ work in lessons more precisely.

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Who is this online provider?

◼ TLC LIVE Online School is an online provider for children aged 11 to 16 years. Its ethos is strongly focused on inclusion and is based around the English national curriculum. The provider promotes fundamental British values effectively. ◼ Pupils who attend TLC LIVE Online School study a curriculum that has been carefully amended to take account of the provider’s online context. Pupils have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics, geography, history, science, art and design, as well as aspects of PE. Pupils can also study towards national qualifications such as GCSE, IGCSE, functional skills and AQA awards. Leaders have put in place detailed schemes of work, along with staff who have the required level of knowledge, to deliver a GCSE course in PE. Leaders intend for this to commence from September 2026 and to further complement the current PE curriculum currently being offered by

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Who is this online provider?

the provider. ◼ Most pupils who attend TLC LIVE Online School reside in England and are placed with the provider by their parents. Some pupils are placed by maintained schools or local authorities. A small number of pupils attend from further afield, from places such as Jersey or the United Arab Emirates. Many pupils attending TLC LIVE Online School found attending a mainstream physical school difficult. TLC LIVE Online School strives to provide either a suitable full-time educational provision for them to continue their education or help them engage in learning so as to return to a physical school setting when appropriate. This was illustrated by the comments of a staff member, who said, ‘Many children arrive here carrying some harm from their previous experiences; it is our job to help heal that harm.’ ◼ Currently, 24 school-age pupils study with TLC LIVE Online School full time. Six of these pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan . Twenty-two live

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Who is this online provider?

in England. Another 2 school-age pupils study with TLC LIVE Online School part time.

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How are pupils taught at TLC LIVE Online School?

◼ Classes at TLC LIVE Online School are undertaken live and contain 9 or fewer pupils in each session. Staff and pupils only have their cameras on for specific sessions, such as the daily registration session and art and design lessons. Staff recognise that, in some subjects, such as PE, greater opportunities for pupils to use their cameras during lessons may enhance health and safety and teachers’ assessments of the impact of activities. ◼ Teaching makes effective use of technology to promote learning. Pupils make use of the extensive online chat facilities and shared desktop environments that are provided by the online learning platform. Lessons are one hour in length. Staff plan lessons carefully to ensure that pupils do not waste learning time. ◼ All lessons and learning are recorded. This also allows leaders to undertake quality assurance activities, including tracking the sequencing of teaching to

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How are pupils taught at TLC LIVE Online School?

ensure it systematically promotes the development of pupils’ knowledge and understanding. ◼ Teachers use effective questioning to routinely and habitually assess pupils’ understanding. Evaluations of learning are fed back to pupils and parents at the end of each session. This helps keep parents up to date with what their children are learning. Teachers use their evaluations to amend their plans for future teaching. They use the outcomes of more formal assessments, held each half- term, to measure pupils’ progress, and they share this information with parents in detailed termly reports.

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for keeping children safe?

◼ Ofsted’s visits to online providers can give only a limited level of

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inspections of schools and other providers of face-to-face education

and training. However, we found that the arrangements for keeping children safe at TLC LIVE Online School are appropriate. ◼ A comprehensive safeguarding policy that refers to the most up-to-date guidance issued by the Secretary of State is in place at TLC LIVE Online School. The policy is implemented consistently by knowledgeable and vigilant staff. Frequent and routine training in safeguarding ensures that staff keep their knowledge up to date. ◼ Leaders have a strong understanding of safeguarding, including the recognition of specific threats due to the online nature of TLC LIVE Online School, as well as its international context. Leaders have ensured that appropriate monitoring and filtering of the provider’s internet connections are in place. Leaders have also ensured that an appropriate written risk assessment policy and risk assessments are in place for TLC LIVE Online School. ◼ Leaders ensure that all appropriate checks on the suitability of staff to work with

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inspections of schools and other providers of face-to-face education

children are completed prior to them starting employment. The outcomes of all suitability checks are recorded meticulously in a single centrally held register. TLC LIVE Online School does not currently use supply staff. However, leaders demonstrate a secure knowledge of what suitability checks are required for such staff and have systems and procedures in place to undertake them if necessary.

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LIVE Online School?

◼ Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning during lessons at TLC LIVE Online School. These attitudes are matched by their positive views of the provider. Pupils told inspectors that attendance at TLC LIVE Online School had been ‘life changing’, enabling them to ‘re-engage again in learning’. Pupils particularly relish the nurturing culture of the provider and the approachability of staff, who they feel go beyond what is expected to help them succeed. Pupils also enjoy the after-school chess club and are looking forward to the face-to-face school trip. They would, however, like more opportunities to socialise and develop friendships with their peers while attending TLC LIVE Online School. Pupils would also like a greater variety of after-school clubs to choose from. ◼ Parents have an overwhelmingly positive view of TLC LIVE Online School. This is illustrated by comments such as, ‘The compassion shown is exactly what is

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LIVE Online School?

needed’ and ‘The online school has been an absolute life saver for my child and our family.’ All parents spoken with told the inspector that they feel well informed about their children’s education. Parents spoke highly of the availability of staff, including senior leaders, and the responsiveness of staff to any concerns that they have raised. Parents say that they are made to feel part of the TLC LIVE learning community from the outset, highlighting the positive impact of initial meetings and the welcome pack that all pupils receive as part of the induction to TLC LIVE Online School.

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About the visit

◼ This is TLC LIVE Online School’s first accreditation visit. John Nixon HMI was the Lead Inspector.

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education

This section reports on how well TLC LIVE Online School meets the standards for online education. It is included primarily for the benefit of the DfE, to help inform their decision whether to accredit TLC LIVE Online School. TLC LIVE Online School meets all the applicable standards for online education set out by the DfE. The standards that are not applicable to TLC LIVE Online School are listed below:

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education

The full list of standards can be found in DfE’s guidance on meeting the online education standards .

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Section 1. Quality of education provided (curriculum)

The provider meets all the standards in section 1 of the standards.

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Section 2. Quality of education provided (teaching)

The provider meets all the standards in section 2 of the standards.

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pupils

The provider meets all the standards in section 3 of the standards.

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Section 4. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The provider meets all the standards in section 4 of the standards.

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Section 5. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

The provider meets all the standards in section 5 of the standards.

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Section 6. Provision of information

The provider meets all the standards in section 6 of the standards.

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Section 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

The provider meets all the standards in section 7 of the standards.

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service

The provider meets all the standards in section 8 of the standards.

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The following standards do not apply to this provider:

◼ Standard 1.8 only applies where the provider has at least one full-time pupil of above compulsory school age ◼ Standard 5.8 only applies if a staff member lives or has lived outside of the UK ◼ Standards 5.11, 5.12, 5.13, 5.14, 5.16, 5.17, 5.18 only apply where the provider uses supply staff ◼ Standard 5.22 only applies if a proprietor lives or has lived outside of the UK ◼ Standard 6.3 only applies where a provider has a governing body ◼ Standards 6.5, 6.10 only apply where a report on the provider has been published under the Online Education Accreditation Scheme at the time of the visit

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Address

2 Ducketts Wharf South Street Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3AR

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DfE unique reference number

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to

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DfE unique reference number

the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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DfE unique reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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DfE unique reference number

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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