Athena School
Athena School is a community special school in Lincoln for pupils aged 11 to 16. It has 112 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Athena School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025. In 2023 its average Attainment 8 score was 11.5, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Ofsted inspection: March 2025. GCSE results: 2023.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | South Park Lincoln Lincolnshire LN5 8EL |
| Phone | 01522534559 |
| Reference Number | 131277 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 112 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 85.71%
Girls: 14.29% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 62.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 0.9% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 20 | 2 | 22 |
| 8 | 23 | 1 | 24 |
| 9 | 18 | 5 | 23 |
| 10 | 21 | 3 | 24 |
| 11 | 14 | 5 | 19 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 97.3% |
| White, Other | 0.9% |
| Unclassified | 0.9% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.9% |
Athena School continues to provide high-quality education and care for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The staff's commitment to fostering an environment where pupils can acknowledge their past, manage the present, and work towards the future is evident. Most pupils feel happy, cared for, and proud of their achievements. The school's ambitious vision and effective strategies enable pupils to catch up on lost learning, with parents largely expressing satisfaction with the support their children receive.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 11 Feb 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 11 Feb 2025 | School inspection |
| 12 Dec 2018 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Feb 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 08 May 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 28 May 2012 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 04 Nov 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 24 May 2007 | Full inspection: |
Strengths
- Strong commitment to supporting pupils with special educational needs.
- Staff understand individual pupil needs and provide nurturing support.
- High expectations lead to most pupils engaging well with learning.
- Effective teaching strategies in subjects like English and mathematics.
- Well-structured curriculum promotes essential life skills through 'REAL' projects.
- Prioritization of reading development with effective resources.
- Pupils are well prepared for their next steps and life in modern Britain.
- Supportive staff environment contributing to staff well-being.
Areas for Improvement
- Some activities do not align with ambitious curriculum aims, hindering learning progression.
- Ineffective use of data for tracking attendance and behavior limits accountability.
Ofsted Parent View
The latest published parent view scores are from 2022. Ofsted only publish scores if there have been more than 10 responses to the survey.
| Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Don't Know | Total Responses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. My child is happy at this school. | 56 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 2. My child feels safe at this school. | 56 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 63 |
| 3. The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved. | 49 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 63 |
| 4. My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively. | 51 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 5. The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year. | 51 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 6. When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly. | 24 | 31 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 7. My child has SEND, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed. | ||||||
| 8. The school has high expectations for my child. | 43 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 63 |
| 9. My child does well at this school. | 55 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 10. The school lets me know how my child is doing. | 51 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 11. There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school. | 52 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| 12. My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school. | 52 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 63 |
| 13. The school supports my child’s wider personal development. | 45 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 63 |
| 14. I would recommend this school to another parent. | 63 | 0 |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 11.5 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress 8 Score
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| School Score | Percentile (loc) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| -1.37 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Sample
UnlockProgress 8 Score
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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In 2024–25 pupils at Athena School attended 80.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 44.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 6.2% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 6.2% | 8.3% | 7.1% | 6.6% | 6.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 6.9% | 6.6% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 7.8% | 9.0% | 5.2% | 12.1% | 11.4% | 14.4% | 13.4% |
| Severely absent pupils | 8.2% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 10.7% | 6.0% | 16.0% | 14.3% | 19.0% | 17.4% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 11.9% of pupils at Athena School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 15.6 | 21.4 | 34.8 | 36.2 | 64.3 | 121.4 | 79.6 | 25.0 | 48.4 | 42.3 | 8.5 | 18.6 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 10.6 | 18.6 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 Athena School had 5.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 4.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 13.5% | 6.8% | 14.3% | 31.2% | 15.9% | 4.9% | 18.0% | 1.4% | 14.3% | 24.1% | 0.8% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 8.2% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 60.0% | 29.4% | 56.3% | 46.7% | 53.3% | 57.1% | 60.0% | 62.5% | 81.3% | – | 87.5% | 76.5% | 53.8% | 57.1% | 64.7% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 8.1 | 7.1 | 14.4 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 2.1 | 14.3 | 12.1 | 3.3 | – | 9.5 | 8.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 16.5 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26 Athena School had 112 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Social, emotional and mental health | 100 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 10 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 Athena School received £30,826 and spent £31,161 for each of its 112 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £579,000 (£5,173 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £229,000 | £322,000 | £489,000 | £661,000 | £686,000 | £686,000 | £617,000 | £579,000 |
| per pupil | £3,230 | £3,928 | £5,037 | £6,417 | £6,351 | £6,073 | £5,228 | £5,173 |
| In-year balance | £0 | £93,000 | £166,000 | £172,000 | £15,000 | £0 | -£69,000 | -£37,000 |
| per pupil | £7 | £1,132 | £1,716 | £1,674 | £135 | £4 | -£588 | -£335 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
The Lincoln Bishop King Church of England Primary School
Kingsway, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 8EU |
0.11 miles |
|
The Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Church of England Primary School
Pennell Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 7TA |
0.31 miles |
|
Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School
Bristol Drive, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7UE |
0.86 miles |
|
Bracebridge Infant and Nursery School
Francis Street, Bracebridge, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 8QG |
0.99 miles |
|
Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School
Monks Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 5PF |
1.11 miles |
|
The Lincoln St Peter-In-Eastgate Church of England Infants Academy
Greetwellgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 4AW |
1.26 miles |
|
The St Faith and St Martin Church of England Junior School, Lincoln
Hampton Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 1LW |
1.27 miles |
|
Westgate Academy
Westgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3BQ |
1.32 miles |
|
The St Faith's Church of England Infant and Nursery School, Lincoln
West Parade, West Parade, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 1QS |
1.35 miles |
|
Bracebridge Heath St John's Primary Academy
Grantham Road, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 2LD |
1.55 miles |
|
Mount Street Academy
Mount Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3JG |
1.63 miles |
|
Hartsholme Academy
Carrington Drive, Lincoln, LN6 0DE |
1.78 miles |
|
The Meadows Primary School
Calder Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 9BB |
1.95 miles |
|
The Lincoln St Giles Nursery School
Addison Drive, Lincoln, LN2 4LQ |
1.98 miles |
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St Giles Academy
Addison Drive, St Giles Academy, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 4LQ |
1.99 miles |
|
The Lincoln Manor Leas Infants School
Hykeham Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 8BE |
2 miles |
|
The Lincoln Manor Leas Junior School
Hykeham Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 8BE |
2 miles |
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Our Lady of Lincoln Catholic Primary School A Voluntary Academy
Laughton Way, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 2HE |
2.14 miles |
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Ermine Primary Academy
Redbourne Drive, Lincoln, LN2 2HG |
2.28 miles |
|
Lincoln Carlton Academy
Carlton Boulevard, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 4AG |
2.42 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Priory Academy LSST
Cross O'Cliff Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 8PW |
0.74 miles |
|
Lincoln College
Monks Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 5HQ |
0.94 miles |
|
Lincolnshire Secure Unit
Care of: Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln, LN1 1YL |
0.98 miles |
|
Lincoln UTC
Lindum Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 1PF |
1.03 miles |
|
St Peter and St Paul, Catholic Voluntary Academy
Western Avenue, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7SX |
1.15 miles |
|
Lincoln Minster School
Upper Lindum Street, Lincoln, LN2 5RW |
1.17 miles |
|
The Priory City of Lincoln Academy
Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 0EP |
1.5 miles |
|
Lincoln Christ's Hospital School
Wragby Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 4PN |
1.65 miles |
|
The Priory Witham Academy
De Wint Avenue, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7DT |
1.66 miles |
|
The Lincoln St Christopher's School
Hykeham Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 8AR |
1.91 miles |
|
Lincoln Castle Academy
Riseholme Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3SP |
1.99 miles |
|
The St Francis Special School, Lincoln
Wickenby Crescent, Ermine Estate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3TJ |
2.14 miles |
|
Sir Robert Pattinson Academy
Moor Lane, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 9AF |
3.1 miles |
|
Branston Community Academy
Station Road, Branston, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 1LH |
3.25 miles |
|
North Kesteven Academy
Moor Lane, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 9AG |
3.25 miles |
|
The Willows School
1 Weaver Road, South Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 3QN |
3.27 miles |
|
The Priory Pembroke Academy
Croft Lane, Cherry Willingham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN3 4JP |
3.83 miles |
All schools in Lincoln · Lincolnshire local authority: places and applications
What is Athena School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Athena School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.
When was Athena School last inspected by Ofsted?
Athena School was last inspected in March 2025.
How many pupils does Athena School have?
Athena School has 112 pupils on roll.
What age range does Athena School cover?
Athena School for pupils aged 11 to 16.
What are Athena School's GCSE results?
In 2023 its average Attainment 8 score was 11.5, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Where is Athena School?
Athena School is at South Park, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 8EL.