As part of our ongoing Life and Living Skills programme, students from Athena School enjoyed a wonderful day out at Belton House this term. The visit provided a unique opportunity for pupils to explore history, nature and independence in a real-world setting.

From the moment we arrived, students showed maturity and enthusiasm, navigating the grounds, woodlands, and gardens of the historic estate. Pupils engaged in a wide range of activities, including exploring the adventure playground, observing wildlife, and taking part in guided learning sessions about the history of the house and its surroundings.

The trip supported several key areas of our Life and Living Skills qualification, including:

• Travel and community participation
• Personal safety and responsibility
• Communication and teamwork
• Awareness of the natural environment

Staff were incredibly proud of how well pupils represented the school, showing respect, curiosity, and a genuine interest in everything Belton had to offer. For many, it was a valuable experience in building confidence and developing essential life skills outside of the classroom.

It was a joyful, active day that brought our curriculum to life—and a great memory for students and staff alike!

20/6/25 - We spent a day at Belton House where we went on a walk around the deer park before going on a tour of the house itself. One of the guides told us that the King had been interested in buying Belton House in the 1980s. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the adventure playground after having a picnic packed lunch.

"Class 10B’s Sweet (and Sunny) Adventure”

Class 10B had been eagerly looking forward to a day of strawberry picking, but—typical British weather!—nature had other plans. Thanks to a patchy growing season, there wasn’t a ripe berry in sight when the big day arrived. With jam-making officially off the table, we had to quickly rethink our plans.

Luckily, our spontaneous Plan B turned out to be a brilliant success. We packed up our lunches and headed to Skellingthorpe Park for a good old-fashioned picnic. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and spirits were high as both pupils and staff enjoyed climbing the enormous play frame and soaking in the lush green scenery.

After a delicious picnic, we rounded off the day with a stop at Daisy Made for ice cream (because no summer outing is complete without one!) and a fun round of mini-golf under the blazing sun.

It might not have been the day we originally planned, but it turned out to be a wholesome, laughter-filled experience that we won’t soon forget.

This summer, students from Athena School proudly took part in the Lincolnshire Show 2025, showcasing their creativity, teamwork, and real-world skills as part of their OCR Life and Living Skills qualification.

As part of their coursework, pupils worked collaboratively to design and produce an engaging display, featuring handmade owl planters crafted from recycled materials. The project brought together a wide range of functional learning outcomes—planning, communication, craft, environmental awareness, and teamwork—all aligned with the Entry Level Life and Living Skills curriculum.

On the day of the show, students represented the school with pride, welcoming members of the public, talking about their project, and explaining the skills they had developed. They demonstrated excellent independence and social interaction, applying what they had learned in a meaningful, real-world context.

The event was not only a celebration of their hard work, but also a chance for students to gain confidence and recognition beyond the classroom. Our entry impressed many visitors and reflected the ethos of the Life and Living Skills programme: equipping students with the knowledge, confidence, and independence they need for adult life.

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and the maturity they showed throughout. Well done to all involved!

Athena School celebrated International Women's Day 2025 by inviting some inspiring women to talk to our girls about their lives.
The fabulous women consisted of Jasmine Ottewell and Weronika Kruszyna, two footballers from Lincoln City FC, Megan Clark a Brand & Content Marketing Manager at Audible and our own TA Jenny Xu who talked about her time growing up in China and travelling and studying.
The girls asked questions to our visitors including 'What difficulties have you faced as a woman?' and 'Tell me a woman who inspires you'.
Overall it was a wonderful celebration where the girls left feeling more inspired for their futures.

International Womens Day

The theme for this year WBD2025 was 'read your way', encouraging pupils to read outdoors or in special places of their choosing.

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.