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World Mental Health Day 2024

In October, we celebrated World Mental Health Day at Athena School! Pupils were given the opportunity to join in a ‘tea and talk’ event in their class groups. Pupils baked their own scones and were then able to enjoy this over tea, this also gave pupils the opportunity to have relaxed conversations with their class, as talking can be very beneficial for our mental health. Pupil’s PSHE learning this week was also based around mental health, we aim to provide pupils with several opportunities across the school year to discuss and reflect upon mental health as a topic.

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Excellent Attendance and Activities Away

Eight KS4 students with 95% attendance or above in the summer term were rewarded with some exciting opportunities at Activities Away over the past couple of weeks. The lake will not be available now until after the winter. We will be looking for eight students to take on the lake from April onwards. Keep that attendance high KS4!

Activities Away Final 2024 09 30 at 19.02.39

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MHST Newsletter - The latest edition is available now!

The **MHST School Newsletter for September 2024** provides updates from the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) aimed at helping education staff, pupils, and families transition smoothly into the new academic year. Key points include:

1. **Welcome Message**: Encourages students and staff to reach out to MHST for support, especially in navigating the emotional challenges of a new school year.

2. **Back-to-School Tips**: Offers practical advice on transitioning back into school routines, such as organizing study spaces, setting goals, and adjusting sleep schedules.

3. **Whole School Approach to Mental Health**: Promotes a collaborative approach to integrating mental health into the school curriculum through drop-ins, workshops, assemblies, and staff consultations.

4. **Student Wellbeing Champions**: Highlights the role of student champions in promoting mental health awareness and supporting peers. They help organize events, raise awareness, and give feedback on mental health initiatives.

5. **Resources and Training**: Provides links to MHST podcasts, including episodes on school transitions and friendships, as well as training opportunities for staff focused on nurturing emotional wellbeing in children and young people.

6. **Friendship Advice**: Discusses common challenges in maintaining friendships, offering practical solutions like open communication, setting boundaries, and seeking help when needed.

The newsletter emphasizes the importance of mental health in schools, offering a variety of resources, training, and support systems to ensure a positive and supportive school environment.

Click here to access the MHST school newsletter Sept 2024

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Year 10 Residential 2024



Year 10 students embarked on an exciting three-day residential trip to the Peak District, packed with adventure and outdoor challenges. They enjoyed canoeing along scenic rivers, navigating the waters in teams, while also honing their precision in archery, aiming for the bullseye amidst beautiful natural surroundings. The highlight for many was abseiling down steep cliffs, testing their courage and teamwork. The trip was an unforgettable experience, filled with personal growth, new friendships, and memories of thrilling outdoor activities in one of the UK's most stunning landscapes.

Y10 Res. Final 2024 10 02 at 21.10.27

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Our Generation. Our Vote

Athena School took part in the youth mock election that took place a week before the UK general election 2024. The project has been an exciting opportunity to support children and young people to have their say and share their views on the issues they care about.

Our Generation. Our Vote. is a political literacy education programme culminating in a mass-scale election specifically for young people under 18. It took place across England and Wales in the lead up to the 2024 UK General Election.

Click here for the video results


Who voted?

Young people voted across primary and secondary schools and youth groups in England and Wales. One priority for Our Generation. Our Vote. was to involve young people who are underrepresented in politics.

  • 62.85% had not received education on politics before this project
  • 39.67% were young people of colour or from an ethnic minority background
  • 34.55% were eligible for free school meals
  • 25.17% had additional learning or special educational needs
  • 5.49% had experienced care

Issues affecting young people’s votes

As part of Our Generation. Our Vote. young people were encouraged to think about the issues that would affect their voting choices.

  • Education (21.57%)
  • Health (18.30%)
  • Climate and Environment (17.85%)
  • Cost of Living (16.05%)
  • Safety (12.46%)
  • Immigration and Refugees (7.68%)
  • Other(s) (6.08%)
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Votes for the East Midlands:

  • Labour Party - 32.87%
  • Green party - 29.07%
  • Liberal Democrats - 13.42%
  • Conservative Party - 9.36%
  • Reform UK - 9.36%

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Think Sharp Mural

Think Sharp Mural

Our school was approached by Sleaford Police station, asking us if we could produce a mural to promote Knife awareness week.

Our year 10s & 11s, attended a discussion about knife crime and their views were very important as it served the basis of the designs they produced.

We talked about words associated with the topic and began to convert those words into designs. Once we had several different designs, we then photocopied them onto clear film to be projected onto the boards. The pupils then drew the designs onto the boards, ready to be painted.

The pupils used their own choosing time to come to the Art room and paint the mural until it was completed.