School Alerts

Athena

Primary approach, Secondary expectation

Established in September 2018, Athena is our SEND Resource Base for students on the SEND register (but more specifically with an EHCP). Half of our places are commissioned by BMBC welcoming young people from the Barnsley area to our popular provision. The remaining places are allocated to students from our feeder primary schools. This provision primarily supports students with learning and cognition needs though some may also have communication and interaction needs. Subjects are taught in a base classroom extending the transition from primary school. Students enter the provision in Year 7 and have the opportunity to graduate back into the mainstream school once they are working in line with their peers in English and maths. However, if a student is not ready to graduate by the end of Year 9, they will remain with Athena until the end of KS4 where they embark on a comprehensive and bespoke set of qualifications that prepare students for life beyond school.  We currently support up to 65 students across Year 7 to 11.

Curriculum

Our Athena curriculum at Key Stage 3 aims to provide all SEND students with access to a broad, balanced and knowledge rich offer that is dominated by the basic skills of English and maths. We aim to accelerate the progress of students in these subjects in line with age-related expectation. We encourage students to graduate into mainstream lessons at the point that is right for them. The curriculum mirrors the mainstream offer through topic so that, when graduation is appropriate, there is a seamless transition.

Our Athena curriculum at Key Stage 4 aims to provide all SEND students with a varied qualification offer that is broad, balanced and knowledge rich.  Students study a bespoke offer that is built around their individual needs. We aim for students to leave the provision with successful qualifications at both level 1 and level 2 that support them into a tailored Post-16 destination.

Running alongside the academic curriculum, we offer a Therapeutic Curriculum which aims to provide additional support using a Thrive approach. Personalised interventions are provided to students based on their individual needs these could include: 

  • Fresh Start (Phonics)
  • Numeracy skills
  • Lingo
  • Reciprocal Reading
  • SALT programmes
  • ELSA
  • Thrive
  • Lego Therapy
  • Social Skills
  • Social Stories and Comic-strip conversations
  • Forest School
  • Fine and/or Gross Motor skills
  • Art Therapy
  • Shape Coding
  • Colourful Semantics

Mrs E Byrne
Assistant Principal (Specialist Provisions)
SEND Specialist Teacher
Athena 10/11

Mr R Clare
SENDCO (Specialist Provisions)
SEND Specialist Teacher
Athena 10/11

Mrs A Robinson
SEND Specialist Teacher
Athena 7/8

Mrs B Scott
SEND Specialist Teacher
Athena 9

Miss C Lackenby
SEND Pastoral Lead

Mrs M Clarke
SEND HLTA
Athena 7/8

Miss H Parker
SEND TA
Athena 9

Miss K Smith
SEND TA
Athena 10/11

Mrs J Haines
Behaviour Support Worker

Please direct any SEND questions or queries to Mr Clare (SENDCO) at rob.clare@astreadearne.org

Further support can be found through:

Barnsley EHC Team at ehcteam@barnsley.gov.uk or 01226 773966

SENDIASS advice and support at sendiass@barnsley.gov.uk or 01226 787234

For more information about SEND support in school

Athena scholars are welcomed to wear either the full mainstream uniform including blazer, shirt and tie or the Athena navy sweatshirt and polo shirt. For more information, please see the whole-school uniform policy below.

Uniform Policy 2024/2025

Placement Information

If your child attends an Astrea Academy Dearne feeder primary school, please email sen@astreaacamdenydearne.org for more information

If you child is from out of the Astrea Academy Dearne catchment area, please contact the EHC Team at Barnsley MBC.

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