SEND concerns prompt notice to improve for Athena

A controversial academy trust has been given a notice to improve (NTI) amid concerns over exclusions and inclusion arrangements. 

The Athena Learning Trust in the south west has been issued with the letter this week after officials identified “significant disproportionality” in the number of exclusions for pupils with SEND. It also featured as the focus of a BBC Panorama investigation in August. 

An Athena spokesperson stressed it was complying with all the terms of the notice, with work underway to address the areas identified. 

“We have commenced a review of governance and are mobilising additional change and support across our schools, with a clear focus on strengthening them and ensuring every child can thrive.”

Exclusions and SEND

The government said it was concerned that governance arrangements had not provided effective oversight, challenge or assurance in relation to suspensions and permanent exclusions across the trust. 

Scrutiny of outcomes for vulnerable pupils, particularly those with SEND, had not been “sufficiently robust”. 

Officials identified “limited evidence that significant concerns regarding suspensions, permanent exclusions and inclusion were consistently escalated to, scrutinised by, and assured through the trust board”.

Athena records did not provide sufficient evidence that trustees scrutinised suspension and permanent exclusion trends, including “comparative data, persistent outliers and the effectiveness of actions taken to secure improvement”. 

And while rates had improved, “significant disproportionality for pupils with SEND remains”. 

The DfE said the trust had established policies to “support inclusive practice and proportionate use” of exclusions. 

However, trust papers did not “provide sufficient assurance that these arrangements are being monitored effectively and implemented consistently” across its schools. 

‘Deeply concerning’

All but two of Athena’s nine schools have Ofsted ratings of either ‘good’ under the old grading system or ‘expected standard’ across the board under the new framework. 

But two – Bideford College and Pool Academy – received ‘needs attention’ marks for attendance and behaviour, inclusion and leadership and governance.

At Bideford, inspectors found “high levels of absence among pupils with SEND”. Suspension rates for the same group were also high. 

Ofsted noted a “significant minority” of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils were not supported well enough to improve their behaviour and attitudes to learning. 

Some spent too much time out of lessons as a result of their behaviour, missing crucial learning. 

Jonny Uttley, a fellow at the Centre for Young Lives and former trust chief executive, said it was “deeply concerning” that the inspectorate gave Athena’s schools “largely a clean bill of health”. 

He found it “difficult to understand” how the DfE could reach such “a damning conclusion”, while Ofsted did not. 

‘Strengthening’ practice

The trust announced earlier this year that it would transfer all its schools. 

Following the news, local MP Ben Maguire said a number of deeply concerning accounts about SEND provision, culture and the welfare of pupils at one of Athena’s schools had been brought to his attention.

He had raised the issues “directly” with the education secretary.

In August, Athena was also the subject of a Panorama investigation called “Britain’s strictest schools”.  

Athena was led by Ben Parnell from 2022. He announced in May he would step down this summer. He has  co-founded a school improvement firm.

Mark Blackman, a trust consultant, has stepped in as the interim chief executive. 

Long-term improvement

The NTI acknowledged “the progress made in strengthening behaviour, inclusion and SEND arrangements in recent months, together with the trust’s decision to transfer its schools as part of its plans to secure long-term improvement and sustainability”. 

But Athena was given the notice because of the “seriousness” of the issues and concerns remaining “in relation to weak governance and oversight”. 

The spokesperson said the trust took its responsibility for pupil wellbeing, inclusion and learning seriously. 

It was using external expertise and redeployment of existing staff to strengthen support for inclusion.

The trust had also placed “greater emphasis” on listening to the experiences of children and their families and “acting on their feedback”.

“We are also strengthening SEND provision through more consistent identification of needs and further staff training in inclusive classroom practices,” the spokesperson said.

“Our focus is to ensure we are fully promoting positive behaviour and wellbeing, improving inclusion and individual support for students with additional needs, and creating environments where students feel supported and able to thrive.”