Athena School, Lincoln
Athena School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Lincoln. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Athena School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Athena School are The Lincoln St Christopher's School (1.9 miles, Good); The St Francis Special School, Lincoln (2.1 miles, Outstanding); Fortuna School (3 miles, Outstanding); and The Willows School (3.3 miles).
The Lincoln St Christopher's SchoolThe St Francis Special School, LincolnFortuna SchoolThe Willows School
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Athena School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 23 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 74% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 52% to a further education college.
Who goes there
62.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Athena School has an education, health and care plan (112 of 112 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Athena School has a resourced provision (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) for social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lincoln Central Rail Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Football Ground (outside), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 678 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lincolnshire (33), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Athena School issued 22 suspensions, 18.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from December 2018, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Athena School excels at providing emotional support and helping pupils understand themselves, with staff employing carefully thought-out strategies to help manage emotions. The school has an ambitious curriculum that connects learning to real life skills, and pupils develop strong relationships with staff who set high expectations. Most pupils feel happy, cared for and proud of their achievements.
Key Strengths
- Staff provide nurturing, emotionally-supportive approach with strong understanding of individual pupil needs
- Well-structured curriculum with 'REAL' projects that connect learning to important life skills
- Reading has been prioritized with well-trained staff and interventions helping pupils become more confident readers
- Strong careers programme preparing pupils well for their next steps
- Pupils develop strong working relationships with staff and feel happy and cared for
Areas for Improvement
- In some lessons and support groups, the work and activities given to pupils do not always match the ambitious curriculum aims, meaning pupils spend time on tasks that don't develop intended knowledge
- School does not use collected data on behaviour and absence effectively to identify patterns and trends, limiting accountability for governors
- Need to refine data analysis processes so leaders have a clear whole-school picture for strategic planning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff teaching pupils how to identify risks and keep safe including when online.
Extracurricular Activities
Trampolining, physical education, careers programme
Athena School is a special secondary school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs that continues to provide high-quality education and care. The school has maintained good standards since its last inspection in 2018, with staff committed to helping pupils achieve their potential.
At a Glance
62.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision and SEN unit: SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Athena School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Athena School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Athena School is in Lincolnshire; for families living there:
Apply to Lincolnshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 41
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 34 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
112 pupils
115 places
3 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Lincoln
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lincoln
Across Lincolnshire council
Places available
9,247
Applications
7,828
Got 1st preference
84.7%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Lincolnshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
112
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Athena School has a resourced provision (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) for social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
112
Total Pupils
96
Boys
16
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
5.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,165
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
19.9%
Overall absence
44.6%
Persistent absence
121
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Athena School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Athena School
What are GCSE results like at Athena School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Athena School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 7.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Athena School's Ofsted rating?
Athena School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Athena School?
No fixed boundary. When Athena School is oversubscribed, Lincolnshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Athena School?
Athena School has around 112 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Athena School have specialist SEN provision?
Athena School has a resourced provision (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (115 places, 115 pupils on roll) for social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Athena School?
19.9% of sessions were missed at Athena School in 2024/25. 44.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Athena School?
Apply through Lincolnshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Athena School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Athena School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 34 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Athena School?
Athena School is at South Park, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 8EL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)