This plan complies with the statutory guidance laid out in the SEN Code of Practice 2014 and the Equality Act 2010 which replaces the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 & 2005. The 2010 Act imposes equality duties in respect of the protected characteristics which include

• Age
• Disability
• Gender re-assignment
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Marriage and civil partnership

This plan should be read in conjunction with

• Equality Act 2010: advice for schools DfE February 2013
• SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (Sept 2014)
• Schools SEN Information Report
• Statutory Guidance on Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions April 2014
• The National Curriculum in England Key Stage 1 and 2 framework document September 2014
• Safeguarding Policy

The SEN Code of Practice 2014 states that under the Equality Act 2010 schools:

• Must not directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled children and young people
• Must not discriminate for a reason arising in consequence of a child or young person’s disability
• Must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children and young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. This duty is anticipatory – it requires thought to be given in advance to what disabled children and young people might require and what adjustments might need to be made to prevent that disadvantage
• Must make reasonable adjustments to procedures, criteria and practices and by the provision of auxiliary aids and services.
• Must publish accessibility plans setting out how they plan to increase access for disabled pupils to the curriculum, the physical environment and to information.

At Athena school we are committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible environment for all pupils, staff, parents and visitors. This accessibility plan outlines how we will meet the needs of disabled pupils, staff and visitors within our school over the next 3 years.

Overall aims:

• To ensure that disabled pupils and pupils with additional needs have access to relevant equipment to support their access, development and learning.
• To continue to ensure that all pupils are able to access the curriculum and wider school life and that reasonable adjustments are made when required.
• To ensure that all parents and carers are able to access the school’s wider community and support with their child’s learning.
• To ensure that staff are trained in meeting the needs of all pupils including those with additional needs and disabilities to enable them to access the curriculum.

Click the link below to access our most up to date accessibility plan.

Accessibility plan

This plan will be reviewed and updated annually

Next review date: November 2021.

Athena School Behaviour Policy

Please see the attached Behaviour Policy below.

Behaviour Management

Introduction

The children at the Fortuna and Athena Federation experience complex emotional, social and learning needs. These needs find expression in behaviours that are at times destructive for the child and alarming to themselves and others. How, as a group, we manage the behaviour will depend on our shared values and beliefs in relation to children and discipline.

Shared beliefs and behaviour

That all behaviour has a meaning. That destructive behaviour can have various sources:

• Anxiety and panic.
• A limited repertoire of responses.
• Low self-esteem and self-hate.
• Attention-neediness.
• Immature emotional development.
• A disguise for vulnerability and a means of survival.
• That external factors in the environment affect behaviour.
• That dynamics between individuals affects behaviour.
• That behaviour can change.

The child has a right:

• To safety and protection.
• To be treated with respect.
• To be understood and listened to.
• To be dealt with fairly.
• To privacy.
• To a broad and balanced education and access to the national curriculum.
• To play and learn.
• To be involved in decision making that relates to them.
• To be valued equally with regard being paid to any differences in race, culture, gender, religion or disability.

Shared beliefs about our responsibility

• To exercise a duty of care in respect of each child.
• To place the well-being of the child as our paramount concern.
• To respect the rights of the child.
• To work together as a professional team in a positive and optimistic atmosphere.
• To work in a non-retaliatory manner at all times.

Behaviour management is inherent in all our interactions throughout the curriculum: the environment we create; the activities we provide; the language we use; the way we dress and the relationships we build.

Practise and procedures are geared towards helping children find constructive ways of understanding their feelings and managing their own reactions and responses. We believe that in order for this process of positive growth to occur we need to minimise the opportunities for disruptive and dangerous behaviour to arise.

Our shared focus is firmly on prevention

• Preventing the children becoming out of control.
• Preventing wherever possible the need for an adult to physically intervene with a child.

Primary prevention of destructive behaviour occurs when a staff team adheres to a shared ethos and consistently follows procedures and guidelines in implementing behaviour management.

Shared ethos

A code of conduct for the way we live together at the Fortuna and Athena Federation is explained to the children in assemblies at the beginning of each year.This states:

• Respect myself and others and treat everyone with kindness.
• Keep myself and others safe in our mind, bodies and feelings.
• Make good choices that help me to learn.
• Be in the right place at the right time.
• Ask for help and share my troubles.
• Stop and Think before I Act Then Act Responsibly.

Staff in the course of their work regularly refers to the code of conduct. The children become familiar with the overall message and identify with the inherent culture.

Rules

• Each classroom activity base has its own set of rules, which are carefully displayed.
• The rules are clear and understood by all children.
• Children are reminded of the rules regularly.
• The rules are consistent between classrooms and teachers, avoiding confusion.
• Sanctions for breaking a rule must also be consistent throughout school and extra curricular activities.
• Rules are worded in the positive – stressing the “Do’s” not the “Don’ts”.

The environment

How we organise our working area, be it classroom or dining room, will make an enormous difference in preventing destructive behaviour.

Remember many of our children are chaotic and need careful structure to settle in.

We provide bases which are:

• Clean, inviting and orderly.
• All equipment and resources are safely and tidily stored.
• Materials needed for an activity are prepared before children arrive.
• If children are not able to share, then provide individual equipment until they learn this social skill.
• Be mindful of space individual space and an area to encourage co-operation.
• A specific place for children to go to when they need to have privacy, a place to think or calm down.
• Attention given to noise levels and eases of movement around the room. Conflicts often occur in transitions.

Relationships

The relationships we build with each child are the cornerstone of our work and the greatest influence in preventing harmful behaviour. Our emphasis is on developing attachments whereby the child learns to trust the adult. From this position of trust a child will listen and be guided by the adult. The most successful intervention in preventing or de-escalating challenging behaviour is the power of the adult child bond.

• Aim to work with the ‘whole child’ with your ‘whole self’.
• Know your general procedures.

Make regular contact with the SMT and CAFO who can inform you of any factors, which could affect behaviour.

Building Bridges

• Demonstrate unconditional acceptance of the child.
• Disapprove of the behaviour but not the child.
• Offer emotional involvement as well as primary care.
• Listen to the child; know their fears and perceptions, their interests and dislikes.
• Understand the sources of their difficulties, do not judge their families or carers but work with them towards solutions.
• Be the adult and do not collude with the child.
• Be consistent in all your interactions.
• Work on praise and self-esteem positive comments should far outweigh negative ones. “Catch them being good”.

Provide clear boundaries of control. Set limits for behaviour and confidently stick to them. The children have to know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.

• Apply limits and sanctions firmly but fairly.
• When dealing with difficult behaviour be calm and non-retaliatory.
• Remember the long-term goals agreed with the child. A child will not reach them immediately. Remember you can lose a battle and still win the war.

It is important that we remain fundamentally on the side of the child.

Curriculum and play activities – primary prevention

• Prepare activities and lessons, which engage the children and cater for individual needs.
• Carefully plan lessons and play activities.
• Always be in the right place at the right time and ready to greet the children.
• All materials should be available. Adults never leave a group of children unattended.
• Establish rules and expectations at the beginning of each activity.
• Decide on spacing and seating, belongings and movement around the room at the outset.
• Give the children manageable units of time for tasks. They may be very immature and need short achievable goals.

Beware of transitions. Many of our children do not cope with any transitions, either from place to place or from one activity to another. These can be “flash points” for them. Have familiar rituals for the beginnings and endings. Have a wind down period and predict the closing of activities, ie “in five minutes we will be going back to our seats . . . “

For children who become distressed by unfinished experiences try to allow time for them to complete, or establish a finishing tray. Plan movement from one place to another. Attention to detail can avoid “hot spots”.

Routines and rituals, which punctuate the child’s day, are an essential means for our children to learn that life has a pattern. They begin to predict events and feel secure. They develop ideas of cause and effect and they learn to trust and feel in control.

When the children feel safe their behaviour is calmer and they can then learn strategies for coping with unrest.

Strategies

Whole school strategies are referred to with the children regularly (see beginning of document).

Remember the traffic light system – STOP – THINK – ACT RESPONSIBLY

Rewards and Sanctions

• Our ethos demands we work on the positive whenever possible.
• Praise is frequent and explicit. The children need to hear adults talking about them in glowing terms. They need to always be told when they have had a “breakthrough” in behaviour.
• Positive, qualifying praise-the noticing of pupils that are managing will be used, where possible to support and address negative behaviours.
• Each child has individual targets to achieve and they need to be made aware of how well they are going in reaching them.
• Children are rewarded with earned choosing times and choice of activities.
• All sanctions need to be relevant and appropriate to the child’s individual developmental needs and allow for time for the child to reflect on or ‘practise’ what it was they found challenging. Language of choice will be used and the behaviour (cause) will link directly to the consequence (effect). For example ‘I noticed you found sitting at the table difficult today, I would like you to practise doing that for a moment before you have your choosing.’

This allows our children the opportunity to develop their ability to ‘link up’ experiences and understand and learn from sanctions that are put in place. The staff recognise that this, for many of our children, will take significant amount of time and consistency and that for some children, will be something they will always find challenging. Staff will consistently remain patient, consistent, insistent and persistent in supporting the pupils with their behaviour.

• Staff, on reviewing the policy, have agreed upon the following:

Low level disruption: Child may work apart from classmates for a period of time within classroom or payback time out of choosing time or playtime; this needs to be purposeful and linked directly to the behaviour. For example ‘I can see you are finding it hard to sit beside ?? at the moment, I think we should practise sitting and doing your work at this table to give you some space and to help you.’

Extreme disruption: Paying back time from choosing time or removed from class and working in office, missing playtime or part of lunch break, detention to make up time. Staff will make reasons for missed playtimes explicit. ‘Because you have found it hard to be safe in the classroom today, I would like you to have an indoor play time today to show me you can manage that.’

Limited choices for choosing activities to facilitate a calm choosing and only provide pupils with choices and activities that they can be successful within.

Leaving school: a detention prior to extended day, parents informed. Missing school trips for safety reasons, with consent of SMT.

Dangerous behaviour: Child takes time out of choosing time to discuss with adults, repairs any damage, makes amends.

Damage to property: makes good the damage, asked to contribute to replacement if appropriate, writes letter of apology to any persons concerned in own time, parents informed.

Violence: incident if reported in physical intervention book needs to be discussed with child during choosing time or after school. Children encouraged to reconcile differences, make amends, finding an activity that could help injured party. Possible detention.

Any incidence of bullying or racism.

Logged and both victim and perpetrator take time to discuss the situation and find appropriate ways of resolving negative interactions by finding positive and cooperative activities.

Wilful violent attack of member of staff or another child will result, depending on individual circumstances, after discussion with Head of School, in a fixed term exclusion.

A system of commendations exists throughout the school.

• Special mentions and prizes are awarded.
• Special mentions are read out in assembly.
• Headteacher’s awards are given in assembly
• Certificates of achievement are given in assembly from any adult in the school
• Sanctions should be seen as relevant to the child and the adult.
• Whole school sanctions are carried out consistently.
• Sanctions should provide an opportunity for the children to put things right.
• Sanctions concentrate on the “behaviour” and do not humiliate the child. Unconditional love of the child is demonstrated consistently.

The Rising Challenge

Challenging behaviour describes behaviour that threatens the safety of all.

This includes violence, which is directed towards others and violence, which has no particular target. It also includes self-injury or “reckless regard for their own safety or for the safety of others”.

Primary Prevention

In implementing the recommendations implicit in this policy we are able to reduce the likelihood of violent and damaging behaviour occurring. We have in effect changed aspects of the child’s living and working environment to enable them to manage themselves safely. This is primary intervention. There will however be times when primary prevention is not sufficient means to deal with escalating problematic behaviour. Certain circumstances can trigger a violent response. Factors within the child relating to their own impulses or unconscious drives can also produce explosive incidents.

Triggers can be immediate and unpredictable. At these times it is necessary to move into secondary prevention.

Secondary Prevention

Challenging behaviour describes:

• In the event of challenging behaviour it is important for staff to follow certain guidelines.
• Remain calm and maintain personal control.
• Remember your body language and personal space.
• Send for help before crisis point is reached.
• Keep communicating with the child and offering strategies to them.
• Be aware of what might de-escalate the situation.
• Diversion e.g.: “let’s get these papers and photocopy them”.
• Change the activity and ease any pressure.
• Increase self-esteem; remind them how well they sorted things last time.
• Separate the child from the behaviour.
• Give them a choice e.g: sit in a quiet area.
• Communicate to the child what is happening and let them know you are on their side e.g: “I’m throwing the ladder over to you. I hope you can catch it and I can pull you through”.
• Listen to the child and acknowledge their distress.
• Often at these times the child is regressed – treat them as if they were much younger.
• Beware of your own triggers. The child may try to transfer their own rage onto you. Do not take insults and verbal abuse personally. Hand over to someone else if you need to remain professional and perceive the situation as “a piece of work”.
• If gentle physical intervention will de-escalate a violent child it is wise to use it cautiously, again remember the individual personal plan of the child.
• If it looks as if a physical intervention is necessary try to warn the child beforehand.
• Where possible, adults must exhaust all agreed behavioural management strategies before using an accepted and endorsed physical intervention.
• Staff will support each other when dealing with extremely challenging behaviour. Staff can offer a ‘change of face’ to any adult where they perceive it helpful in resolving the incident for the child by using a shared common language between themselves.

Physical Intervention (see also Positive Handling Policy)

However skilful we become at anticipating and diffusing difficult situations, there will be times when we have to resort to physical intervention in the management of children.

Relevant staff at the Fortuna and Athena Federation are trained in the “Team Teach” method of positive handling. It is important that staff regularly familiarise themselves with the policy and guidelines of the “Team Teach” approach, as well as the LCC policy on P.I. attached here.

Positive Handling Policy Jan 2021

The following points also need to be adhered to by all staff.

• In all cases of physical intervention the welfare of the child is the paramount concern.
• Physical intervention is used only to prevent an offence being committed.
• Injury being caused to any person, including the child himself, damage to property, engagement in any behaviour prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline in the school or among any of its pupils.
• All staff must exercise their duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect all children from being harmed.
• The number of staff involved should be the minimum necessary to safeguard the child and others. No member of staff should attempt to “hold” a child by themselves.
• The force used must be the minimum necessary to deal with the harm that needs to be prevented, ie it must be reasonable in the circumstances.
• All children have a Risk Assessment Form which outlines specific considerations for that child in relation to physical intervention. These are updated on a termly basis.
• Staff need to follow a system of recording following any physical intervention. The incident report form needs to be filled in before staff go home. All staff and children involved must read through the report form and sign it. A follow up form is also completed which records the child’s perception of the incident and looks to a resolution.

A complaints procedure is also in place for pupils and parents.

Where possible “timeout” is given for staff and child following a “holding”.

Senior members of staff offer supervision sessions for less experienced members.

Remember that it is not possible to declare certain physical interventions as legal or illegal. Each separate incident would need individual assessment and could only be deemed legal or illegal through the test of a law court. Every incident has to justify that all correct procedures and practice has been adhered to.

Wherever possible time needs to be taken to work through the reasons for “holding” with the child. The experience can be used for addressing issues which cause violent responses and the child can be guided in how to prevent a reoccurrence.

This is an important time to explore with the child alternative routes and strategies to employ when they are distressed. Look to the strategies highlighted in the prevention section of this policy. Use puppets or play equipment to role play the situation with the child. This indirect approach can really help them to see alternatives without the demonstration feeling personal.

It is always necessary for staff to continually reflect upon the measures we use to manage and help the children.

An ongoing audit provides the analytical data we need in order to continue in our efforts to reduce the need for physically intervening with any child to a minimum.

Contact us for more details. We're always happy to help.

School contact details

Athena School
South Park Avenue
Lincoln
LN5 8EL

Email: enquiries@athenaschool.org.uk

Tel: 01522 534559

Fax: 01522 536190

“The equality duty supports good education and improves pupil outcomes. It helps a school to identify priorities such as underperformance, poor progression, and bullying. It does this by requiring it to collate evidence, take a look at the issues and consider taking action to improve the experience of different groups of pupils. It then helps it to focus on what can be done to tackle these issues and to improve outcomes by developing measurable equality objectives.” (Equality and Human Rights Commission · www.equalityhumanrights.com Last revised 07-2014)

How does Athena School comply with the public sector equality duty?

Attainment – Athena School looks at performance gaps between groups of pupils when analysing school data. We focus on girls and boys, children in public care, children whose parents are in the forces, and children with English as an additional language. When looking at outcomes for pupil’s staff consider intervention and support, which will be needed to narrow the gap. At Athena we use a variety of information including data analysis, lesson observations and discussions with pupils, parents and carers.
Participation in school life – At Athena we are continually looking for ways to enhance the learning and curriculum. When organising school activities teachers not only identify the children’s needs academically but also consider the wider environment for example, home situation, historical events in the pupils lives and additional physical needs.
Engage effectively in learning – Consideration is given to outside influences that may result in pupils and their families being unable to engage fully in school life for example school will employ a translator for parents of EAL pupils for annual reviews and other meetings, newsletters are translated into pupils first language for parents, transport is provided for those parents and carers who are unable to attend school events and meetings otherwise and the school allocates money in the budget to cover the cost of educational visitors and visits to ensure all pupils have access to the same opportunities. 

Equality Objectives

To promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through all appropriate curricular opportunities, with particular reference to issues of equality and diversity
To promote cultural development and understanding through a rich range of experiences both in and beyond the school
To narrow the gap in curricular attainment between boys and girls at the end of Key Stage 4.
To narrow the gap in curricular attainment for the minority groups in our school; girls, Children in Public Care (LAC), children whose families are in the forces and children who are entitled to free school meals, year on year.
To promote and develop positive attitudes to learning for all pupils through experiences both in and beyond the school
Recognise children may be emotionally and socially functioning as much younger children and need to consolidate their early learning experiences within school, giving them the curriculum and opportunities to be able to do this

Provide opportunities and experiences for children to acquire the necessary skills to play and interact constructively within their peer group.
Offer a curriculum, which meets the developmental needs of the “whole” child.
How do we eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity?
Athena school is committed to ensuring that members of the school community do not become victims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. We have a series of policies and procedures in place to support us with this:

• Admissions
• Accessibility policy
• Anti-bullying policy
• Behaviour Management policy 
• Child protection policy
• Collective worship policy
• Data protection policy
• Equal opportunities policy
• Equality and Diversity policy 
• Looked After and Vulnerable children policy
• Racial Equality policy
• Safeguarding policy 
• Safer recruitment policy 
• SEN policy 
• Some of these policies are available on the school website others are available from the school office
  * Policies in bold are on the school website

Please click below to view:

The Fortuna Athena Federation, Lincoln Governing Body Information and Attendance Details for Academic Year 2020-2021

22 05 2023 UPDATED WEBSITE INFORMATION FORM

Pupil premium strategy statement 2022/2023

This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium for the 2022 to 2023 academic year) funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.

It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.

School overview

Funding overview

Part A: Pupil premium strategy plan

Statement of intent

Challenges

This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.

Intended outcomes

This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.

Activity in this academic year

This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.

Teaching (for example, CPD, recruitment and retention)

Budgeted cost: £12,000

Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support structured interventions)

Budgeted cost: £20,500

Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)

Budgeted cost: £102,056

Total budgeted cost: £134,556 (£18,820 contingency)

Part B: Review of outcomes in the previous academic year

Pupil premium strategy outcomes

This details the impact that our pupil premium activity had on pupils in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.

Externally provided programmes

Please include the names of any non-DfE programmes that you purchased in the previous academic year. This will help the Department for Education identify which ones are popular in England

Pupil premium strategy statement

This statement details our school’s use of pupil premium (and recovery premium for the 2021 to 2022 academic year) funding to help improve the attainment of our disadvantaged pupils.

It outlines our pupil premium strategy, how we intend to spend the funding in this academic year and the effect that last year’s spending of pupil premium had within our school.

School overview

Funding overview

Part A: Pupil premium strategy plan

Statement of intent

Challenges

This details the key challenges to achievement that we have identified among our disadvantaged pupils.

Intended outcomes

This explains the outcomes we are aiming for by the end of our current strategy plan, and how we will measure whether they have been achieved.

Activity in this academic year

This details how we intend to spend our pupil premium (and recovery premium funding) this academic year to address the challenges listed above.

Teaching (for example, CPD, recruitment and retention)

Budgeted cost: £17,590

Targeted academic support (for example, tutoring, one-to-one support structured interventions)

Budgeted cost: £29,518

Wider strategies (for example, related to attendance, behaviour, wellbeing)

Budgeted cost: £70,000

Total budgeted cost: £117, 108 (9,342 contingency)

COVID Catch-up Funding Statement

2020/21

Please click the link below to access our full Athena School Catch Up Funding Strategy

The Athena School Catch Up Funding strategy statement

The Secretary of State for Education is providing financial assistance to local authorities for their maintained schools and for pupils that local authorities place in independent special settings, in the form of the coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium for the financial year beginning 1 April 2020.

This funding is to support pupils on their return to school in Autumn 2020 and throughout the year. The Senior Management Team and teaching staff have identified areas where progress has been impacted by children’s continued absence from school during the lockdown period. The key areas in children’s learning which were affected were Reading, Scientific Enquiry and children’s Social, Emotional Mental Health. The funding will therefore be used to support children in these areas.

Support in assisting pupils in their reading skills

Support to pupils in their science learning

Additional Teacher’s Leadership allowance in support of the pupil’s mental health

When the results of assessments, including Physical Intervention data, are received during the summer term we will be able to evaluate the impact of these measures.

TOTAL allocated 2020/21 = £9,847

2020/21 Amount received YTD £4,470

2020/21 Amount to be allocated £5,470 Spring Term

2020/21 Total allocation £9,940

2020/21 Remaining allocation £93

2021/2022 Allocation of £7,100 to be received during the summer term 2021

TOTAL to be allocated 2021/22 = £7,100

Amount b/fwd = £93

Proposed spending = £7,329

2021/22 Potential overspend £136

PUPIL PREMIUM STATEMENT 2020-2021

Background to Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium has been introduced by the government in order to give all children the opportunity to succeed in education. This has been done in the form of a grant which has been given to schools for children eligible for Free School Meals and those children who

• • Has been looked after for 1 day or more
• • Has been adopted from care
• • Has left care under a special guardianship order, a residence order or a child arrangements order

A premium has also been introduced for children whose parents serve in the armed forces.

Barriers to educational achievement

The pupils who attend Athena school have previously had negative experiences of education and are therefore switched off to learning. They have low self esteem and self- worth, not seeing themselves as learners. Our children need a lot of support to develop their social and emotional skills which allow them to access the learning environment and curriculum.

2020/21

At Athena School the Pupil Premium for the 2020/21 financial year is £53,589 for LAC children including £23,619 B/fwd, £18,000 in year allocation and £11,970 Virtual Head Funding.

£40,749 for FSM children including £639 B/fwd and £40,110 in year allocation.

£2,120 for Forces children including £1,500 B/fwd and £620 in year allocation.

£4,690 to support post LAC pupils.

The pupil premium funding received by Athena School in the academic year 2020 - 21 has been allocated in the following ways:

Children & family Officer in support of pupil’s mental health

Educational Consultant to support pupils and their families through the EHCP process

Education Welfare Officer in support of pupils to maintain their attendance in school

Psychologist to support pupils with their mental and emotional health

When the results of assessments, including Physical Intervention data, are received during the summer term we will be able to evaluate the impact of these measures.

PUPIL PREMIUM STATEMENT 2019-2020 – ATHENA SCHOOL

Statement

At the Athena School, money has been spent on meeting a portion of the costs for a Child and Family Officer to support both pupils and families well being within school. A part of the allocation has been spent on employing an Education Welfare Officer to improve attendance at school. We have also employed an external consultant to ensure that the needs of the pupils are correctly identified, documented and actioned throughout the school. We employ a psychotherapist one day per week to work with the LAC pupils.

At Athena School the Pupil Premium, Pupil Premium for Looked After (LAC) pupils, Service pupils and the Year 7 Catch Up Funding for 2019-20 financial year is being spent on:

• Psychotherapist has been employed to work with pupils within the school.

· Employment of child and family officer for pastoral support.

• Employment of External Consultant to work on Education Health Care Plans

When the results of assessments are received during the summer term, we will be able to evaluate the impact of these measures.

The pupil premium funding received by Athena School in 2019/20 has been allocated in the following ways.

2020 - 2021

Statement

At the Athena School, money has been spent on meeting a portion of the costs for a Child and Family Officer to support both pupils and families well being within school. A part of the allocation has been spent on employing an Education Welfare Officer to improve attendance at school. We have also employed an external consultant to ensure that the needs of the pupils are correctly identified, documented and actioned throughout the school. We employ a psychotherapist one day per week to work with the LAC pupils.

At Athena School the Pupil Premium, Pupil Premium for Looked After (LAC) pupils, Service pupils and the Year 7 Catch Up Funding for 2020-21 financial year is being spent on:

• Psychotherapist has been employed to work with pupils within the school.

· Employment of child and family officer for pastoral support.

• Employment of External Consultant to work on Education Health Care Plans

When the results of assessments are received during the summer term, we will be able to evaluate the impact of these measures.

The pupil premium funding received by Athena School in 20/21 has been allocated in the following ways.

PUPIL PREMIUM STATEMENT 2018-2019 – ATHENA SCHOOL

Statement

At the Athena School, money has been spent on meeting a portion of the costs for a Child and Family Officer to support both pupils and families well being within school. A part of the allocation has been spent on employing an Education Welfare Officer to improve attendance at school. We have also employed an external consultant to ensure that the needs of the pupils are correctly identified, documented and actioned throughout the school. We employ a psychotherapist one day per week to work with the LAC pupils.

At Athena School the Pupil Premium, Pupil Premium for Looked After (LAC) pupils and the Year 7 Catch Up Funding for 2018-19 financial year is being spent on:

• Employing an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) to raise and maintain attendance.

· Psychotherapist has been employed to work with pupils within the school.

· Employment of child and family officer for pastoral support.

· Employment of External Consultant to work on Education Health Care Plans

• Whole school staff training on SEMH needs by Dr Margot Sunderland, a psychotherapist, with expertise in childhood trauma.

When the results of assessments are received during the summer term, we will be able to evaluate the impact of these measures.

The pupil premium funding received by Athena School in 2018/19 has been allocated in the following ways.

This report has been compiled in compliance with:

• Section 69 (2) of the Children and Families Act 2014 regulation 51
• Schedule 1 of the Special Education Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
• Section 6 of the Special Educational needs and disability code of the practice: 0 to 25 years.

Athena School is a special provision, which caters for pupils with Social, Emotional Mental Health difficulties. All pupils who attend Athena have an Education, Health and Care Plan. The school’s admission policy outlines how pupils are admitted to the school, this can be found on the school’s website.

The staff team consists of the Senior Management Team (S.M.T), 8 teachers, 2 trainee teachers and 18 Teaching Assistants. In addition to this we have a Child and Family worker.

The Governor responsible for SEND is Carol Callinan.

Curriculum and Learning Environment

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum runs on a 3-year cycle. We have introduced a range of stimulating new topics that cover all objectives from the new curriculum and engage our children. These are delivered through the REAL project which is an alternative approach the curriculum. The topics allow for immersive learning to take place, really bringing each theme to life for the children. In addition, the children’s learning environments are transformed to reflect the current topic, creating an exciting and appropriate to context environment, in which to learn. Through clear objectives and exciting and innovative teaching and learning, children become immersed in their topic and develop the skills they need to become independent learners; finding out answers to their own questions.

To ensure progression for all of our children, the curriculum is arranged into key stages. As children progress throughout the school they will cover Key Stage 3 and Key stage 4 objectives, as appropriate to their individual needs. This may include the use of objectives from Key Stages 1 and 2.

Pupils are taught English and Mathematics in line with their academic ability. English lessons have a clear format, teaching spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG), as well as using a wide range of genres. These genres are based on the main topic, allowing children to be taught, practice and develop these skills through guided and shared work and also independent tasks.

Mathematics is taught using a very clear progressive skill based curriculum. Pupils are taught the skills and given opportunities to apply this through independent learning activities.

In Key Stage 4, children are given the opportunity to work towards GCSE qualifications. They also have access to BTECs, Entry Levels and Level 1 and 2 qualifications depending on their ability. Children also choose their options, which include History, Travel & Tourism, Performing Arts, Vocational Studies, Construction, Home Cooking, Physical Education and Art, along with the statutory core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. Pupils also take part in PSHE and Prince's Trust.

Additional Support

The Senior Leadership team are responsible for the SEN provision throughout the school which is in addition to the support the pupils receive through their EHC Plans. This additional support is planned for by the pupils’ class teacher under the guidance of Miss Trought, focusing on areas, which have been highlighted through teacher assessment and analysed by Mr Mills (Assessment Coordinator).

Athena also buy in support from the Specialist Teacher Team to assess those pupils who staff identify as having difficulties accessing the curriculum, which is beyond the level we would expect at Athena.

Weekly support from a Play Therapist is also available and is considered on an individual basis.

Staff Training & Expertise

All the staff at Athena are highly skilled in working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. One INSET per year is dedicated to child development and working with vulnerable pupils.

All staff are trained in the use of Team Teach, with one of our Teaching Assistants being qualified trainers.

The following training has been accessed by staff in the last two years:

Many of our staff also undertake CPD courses in their own time outside of work, in order to support our pupils, such as Mental Health Awareness, Literacy and Numeracy courses, Food and Hygiene training, and Open University CPD courses.

Improving emotional, mental and social development

All of the pupils who attend Athena have social, emotional and mental health identified as their primary need on their Education, Health and Care Plans. As a school we follow the nurture curriculum which:

• Recognises that the children may be emotionally and socially functioning as much younger children and need to consolidate their early learning experiences within school.
• Enables children to acquire the necessary skills to play and interact constructively within their peer group.
• Meets the developmental needs of the “whole” child.

Staff use the Boxall Profile to assess the pupils developmental and diagnostic levels. The information from this is then used to target support, resources and experiences on an individual basis, meeting the child at the appropriate child development stage.

Equipment and facilities

Children in years 7 – 10 are taught in classes of between 8 and 10 pupils with a teacher and two teaching assistants per class. In year 11, children also have two have teaching assistants.

Class groups are carefully considered by the SMT, thinking about each individual child’s emotional development level, educational levels, previous school experiences, friendships and relationships.

Parent / Carers Involvement

At Athena, we work closely with primary carers to ensure that they are fully involved in their child’s education and well being. We have a strong emphasis on home and school working together to make holistic change. To establish continuity between home and school, the Child and Family Officer works with both the child and care givers.

Athena are committed to ensuring all of their pupils attend school on a regular basis and therefore work closely with parents and carers to enable this to happen. This can, on occasion, mean that school staff will support the child with the transition from home to school.

Athena holds regular events that parents and carers are invited to, as well as holding open mornings to discuss pupils progress. These include Careers afternoons, Parents Evenings and informal such events such as the Christmas Fair.

Pupil Involvement

At Athena, we feel that the child’s views on their progress are paramount in them making future success. Staff who work closely with the child will endeavor to relate the child’s views and opinions at review meetings and where appropriate the child will be invited to Looked After Reviews, ePEPs and Annual Reviews. Where a pupil has a social worker staff will always endeavour to relay any worries, anxieties or successes to them. This is also the case for other agencies working with the pupils.

Outside Agencies

Additional support by specialists such as the Speech and Language service, Occupational Health and Educational Psychologist are accessed by referrals made by a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT).

Other agency support includes Hearing Impaired Service (HIS), Visual Impaired Service (VIS) where appropriate and Physiotherapy.

Higher level support may be commissioned in individual cases such as Lincolnshire Support Service, which may be asked to assess pupils if a concern. Athena may also feel that Forensic Psychology is necessary. Athena also employs a Play Therapist to work with pupils in school in a play therapy setting. All referrals are made by a member of SMT.

We are also involved with Young Addiction; any pupils will be referred by our Child and Family Officer, and drop-in sessions and staff and/or pupil sessions can be set up.

All staff and professionals involved with the child are responsible for delivering the child’s Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHC). Each child has an annual review, to which all agencies involved with the child are invited. This review assesses the progress the child has made over the year against the child’s targets and objectives as set out in the EHC. Review of the provision is also considered at this review, so that our support is tailored appropriately.

Further Education Transfers

At year 10 and 11 reviews, the child’s next steps are discussed in terms of the most suitable Further Education (FE) placement. Where possible the college or other Post 16 placement is identified on the plan in preparation for the transfer. Representatives from FE are invited to these annual reviews to give information and advice regarding any matters in FE.

At Athena, we work closely with the FE placements that our pupils are going to attend after year 11. Pupils have visits and attend open days throughout their final year and staff also attend college/placement interviews if required. Further visits can be made and this is considered on an individual basis.

In addition to this, the careers coordinator organises careers sessions, which allow many colleges and FE providers to come to the school and speak to the pupils. Pupils are actively encouraged to speak to FE representatives and take away literature for courses that may be of interest.

As part of a smooth transition, school and FE representatives can also organise for a professionals meeting to share information regarding their EHC Plans, social care or other significant information.

Attendance

Pupil Premium and LAC pupils for academic year 2019/2020.

Whole School for academic year 2016/2017

EHC Plans, Medical Plans and Risk Assessments

All pupils at Athena have a full Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC).
All pupils have a risk assessment, which is regularly updated.

Transport

The majority of our pupils are provided with home/school transport. At the beginning of the academic year each pupils’ risk assessment is shared with the transport provider to ensure that all adults supporting and working with our pupils are fully aware of difficult behaviours they can display and the risks involved with this. The aim is to keep our children safe at every point in the school day. Some children have taxi escorts in vehicles to further ensure safety.

Equality Statement and Accessibility Plan

Athena School’s Accessibility Action Plan ensures that there are no barriers to learning or educational experiences for any group of children. The impact of the plan is monitored through the assessment of pupils learning, attendance and the evaluation of the curriculum taught.