Athena School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 June 2024

Pupils that join this recently opened school have experienced much turbulence to their education previously. The school is a safe space for pupils to start to re-engage with their learning. Staff encourage pupils to have a voice at school. Pupils value this. This helps the school to identify pupils' needs and interests. Staff are starting to build learning around these. This helps pupils develop a positive attitude to education. The school expects pupils to engage with learning. Pupils are beginning to rise to this. For example, they learn in the local community. This supports pupils to secure some of the important knowledge for their next steps. For example, they grow their understanding of healthy eating and the benefits of a balanced exercise programme through using the local gym. These visits help pupils learn to be responsible when outside school. Pupils get support from staff to manage their feelings and mental health. Typically, there are positive relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils develop respect towards adults. The school works well with other professionals. Pupils benefit from this external support.

What the school should improve

• In some curriculum areas the school has not identified opportunities for pupils to make connections between their learning across different subjects. This means there are some instances where pupils do not have the chance to secure important knowledge. The school should ensure they identify where important knowledge links across different areas of the curriculum. This is so pupils have more chances to secure the important outcomes they need for their next steps.
• There are instances where pupils do not engage with the school's checks on learning. This means assessments do not identify pupils' specific gaps as quickly as they could. The school should ensure staff have the guidance they need to use assessment well. This is so they can quickly identify what gaps pupils have and use this information to inform future teaching and close these gaps swiftly and securely.
• The school is currently identifying priorities for future curriculum improvements. As numbers grow, the school should ensure they have clear systems for checking on the effectiveness of the curriculum. This is so leaders can accurately identify school improvement priorities.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)