Unlike mainstream settings all pupils who attend Athena School have an Education Health Care Plan with Social Emotional Mental Health identified as their primary need. School places at Athena are allocated through consultation with the Local Authority Additional Needs Department.

There is a three-step admissions process, which involves everyone involved with the child.

Referral

Referral documents of prospective pupils are sent by the child’s caseworker at Additional Needs to the Head of School. The Senior Management Team will then assess if, from the information received the school would be appropriate and meet the child’s needs. If after discussions the Head of School and SMT feel unsure then a member of the SMT will arrange to visit the pupil in their current setting. The school has 15 working days in which to raise any initial queries with Additional Needs.

Interview

Once the school has informed Additional Needs that there is a place for the child at Athena School the school’s Office Administrator will contact parents/carers to arrange for themselves and the child to come to school for a preliminary visit and interview.

Admission

If the family and the school are in agreement that a place at Athena is in the best interest of the child, the parent/carer will be sent a letter of acceptance. This will be sent within 10 working days of the interview and will have details of the child’s start date and timings for the transition period.

Where no appropriate vacancy exists a member of the Senior Management Team will contact Additional Needs and inform them of the date for the next available place. Once the place has been allocated conditionally to the child through Additional Needs Athena School will contact parents/carers nearer the start date and put into place the admissions procedure.