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Athena Learning Trust

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Athena Learning Trust
Formation19 July 2012; 14 years ago (2012-07-19)
TypeMulti-academy trust
HeadquartersDunheved House, Dunheved Road,
Launceston, PL15 9FB, England
Interim Trust Leader
Mark Blackman
Outgoing CEO
Ben Parnell
Director of Education
Joe Kirby
Chief Finance and Operations Officer
Shirley Si Ahmed
Websiteathenalearningtrust.uk
Formerly called
Launceston College Multi-Academy Trust

Athena Learning Trust is an English multi-academy trust with primary and secondary schools in Cornwall and Devon. Founded in 2012 and based at Launceston College, it rebranded from Launceston College Multi-Academy Trust in 2022. The trust is known for enforcing strict discipline in its schools. In July 2026, after increasing criticism and the production of a documentary on its schools for Panorama, it announced it would dissolve.

History

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Athena Learning Trust was incorporated on 19 July 2012[1] as Launceston College, with Launceston College, an academy in Launceston, Cornwall, as its first school.[2] Ben Parnell became the CEO of Launceston College Multi-Academy Trust in summer 2022, succeeding Claire Penfold.[3][4][5] In September 2022, the trust rebranded as Athena Learning Trust.[2][6]

The trust was successful in improving academic performance in many secondary schools,[5][7][8][9] and in 2018 was called in to rescue a failing school.[10] In 2025 it was shortlisted for the Multi-Academy Trust Association's "Most Improved Multi Academy Trust" award, and its head of governance and compliance, Georgina Fahey, was shortlisted for the Governance Professional of the Year award.[6] In August 2025 it won the "Excellence in Education" award of the National Institute for Direct Instruction, an international organisation based in the United States.[11]

Under Parnell, it also became known for strict discipline, including uniform requirements, restriction of toilet breaks, and punishment for small infractions such as dropping pens and looking out of the window.[12][13][14][15] Joe Kirby, the trust's director of education, was a co-founder of Michaela Community School, a London school known for emphasising discipline.[4] Athena schools had a 'two-strike' policy; after a warning, a second infraction resulted in detention, referred to as "reflection", and rule breaches in reflection were often punished by suspension,[13] although the trust said in 2023 that individual schools decided their own disciplinary policies.[16] The schools had very high suspension and exclusion numbers.[4][6][17][18][19] Launceston College had searched students' phones.[20] Students and parents protested,[12][15][21][22] and the takeovers of both The Ilfracombe Academy in 2023[23] and Camborne Science and International Academy in 2024[24][25] followed parent expressions of concern and objections to becoming part of the trust.

In February 2026, the Mayor of Camborne called a public meeting to discuss concerns of parents about the treatment of pupils at Camborne Science and International Academy and Pool Academy.[14][19][26][27] In March 2026, a public meeting was held in Launceston to discuss the treatment of pupils at Launceston College.[28] Members of Cornwall Council expressed concern, one having removed their child from Launceston College,[29] and the council tabled a motion to consider children's "mental, emotional health and wellbeing in our schools" at its meeting on 19 May 2026.[30] The motion passed with one vote in opposition.[31]

Parnell tendered his resignation as CEO in early May 2026.[32][33] Mark Blackman was appointed temporary CEO, but Cornwall Live revealed that he had previously worked at Southerly Point Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, a Cornwall trust which was dissolved after three of its schools received 'inadequate' Ofsted ratings.[34] In June 2026, Launceston College said that it was seeking a better relationship with parents,[35] and Athena announced a period of reflection on the trust's future direction.[36] A BBC Panorama documentary titled "Britain's Strictest Schools", advertised as "the story of the schools that went too far", aired on 3 August 2026;[13][37][38][39] prior to its airing, Athena announced in mid-July 2026 that the trust would be dissolved and its schools reassigned to other trusts.[4][39][40][41][42]

Schools

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As of 3 August 2026, Athena Learning Trust comprises three primary schools in Cornwall, Egloskerry Primary School in Egloskerry (from 2017), Altarnun Primary School in Altarnun (from 2018), and Launceston Primary School in Launceston (from 2021),[16] which was built new;[43] and six secondary schools, three in Cornwall and three in Devon:[44]

Enrollment in the secondary schools was approximately 6,500 at the time of filming for Panorama.[13]

References

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  1. ↑ "Athena Learning Trust". Get Information About Schools. UK Government. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [2 October 2023]. "Athena Learning Trust: The controversial multi-academy trust that schools across Devon and Cornwall are joining". Cornwall Live.
  3. ↑ Launceston College (15 February 2022). "Welcome, Ben!". Facebook. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "MAT to be broken up after behaviour policy backlash". Tes. 14 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 Lewis Clarke (24 July 2022). "Celebrations as Bideford College rated good for first time by Ofsted". Devon Live.
  6. 1 2 3 Lorna Hughes (11 March 2025). "Athena Learning Trust: School trust known for strict rules shortlisted for education awards". Cornwall Live.
  7. ↑ Ella Sampson (13 February 2026). "Bideford College soars to second place in Devon for A Level progress". North Devon Today.
  8. ↑ Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [27 February 2024]. "Camborne Science and International Academy gets 'good' Ofsted rating after joining Athena Learning Trust".
  9. ↑ Steve Rodgers (5 August 2026). "How we've boosted social mobility in our deprived area". Schools Week. In 2024, we were named the second most improved school in England and the most improved for disadvantaged students.
  10. ↑ Joe Bulmer (13 March 2018). "This is how Devon's first free school aims to pull itself back from failing". Devon Live.
  11. ↑ Lewis Clarke (13 August 2025). "Bideford school trust wins global award for teaching excellence". Devon Live.
  12. 1 2 Chris Matthews (11 March 2025) [22 November 2022]. "Launceston College parents blast school over brutal discipline regime". Cornwall Live.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Lee Trewhela (3 August 2026). "Athena schools trust in Cornwall featured on Panorama Monday". Falmouth Packet.
  14. 1 2 Claire Elliott (3 March 2026). "Athena rules causing anxiety as parents say 'children shouldn't be suffering'". Cornwall Live.
  15. 1 2 Richard Bilton (3 August 2026). "How parents and pupils took on 'cruel', 'authoritarian' schools - and won". BBC News.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [6 October 2023]. "Athena Learning Trust opens up about strict rules and 'cult' claims". Cornwall Live.
  17. ↑ Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [4 March 2025]. "Three schools gave out more than half of the total suspensions across Cornwall". Cornwall Live.
  18. ↑ Lisa Letcher (18 March 2025). "Suspensions at 'Draconian' schools skyrocketed when controversial trust took over". Cornwall Live.
  19. 1 2 Lee Trewhela (13 February 2026). "Concerns over thousands of suspensions at two schools". BBC News.
  20. ↑ Oliver Vergnault (16 June 2026). "Controversial Athena Learning Trust school in pupil phone search row". Cornwall Live.
  21. ↑ "Bideford College pupils protest 'ruthless' new rules". Devon Live. 22 November 2022.
  22. ↑ Seb Noble (13 May 2026). "School discipline 'like putting child in lions' den'". BBC News.
  23. ↑ "Ilfracombe Academy considers 'formally joining' controversial Athena Learning Trust". Devon Live. 9 January 2023.
  24. ↑ Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [2 October 2023]. "Camborne Science and International Academy school forced to apologise over plans to join Athena Learning Trust". Devon Live.
  25. 1 2 Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [23 January 2024]. "Camborne school CSIA joins controversial Athena Learning Trust but does not tell parents". Cornwall Live.
  26. ↑ Lee Trewhela (10 February 2026). "Public meeting for parents' concerns about two Athena Academy Trust schools in Cornwall". Cornwall Live.
  27. ↑ Britta Zeltmann (27 February 2026). "Tears and high emotions at Cornwall parents' meeting for Athena Trust Schools". Cornwall Live.
  28. ↑ Britta Zeltmann (1 April 2026). "Cornwall Athena school 'obsessed with punishment' as tearful parents and kids speak out". Cornwall Live.
  29. ↑ Lee Trewhela (9 April 2026) [7 April 2026]. "Cornwall councillors speak out against pupil 'oppression' at Athena trust schools". Cornwall Live.
  30. ↑ Lee Trewhela (13 May 2026). "New drive to tackle potential damage to kids in Cornwall schools". Cornwall Live.
  31. ↑ Lee Trewhela (19 May 2026). "Pupils 'suppressed, oppressed and crushed' in Cornwall amid fears of profound crisis". Cornwall Live.
  32. ↑ Paul Armstrong (6 May 2026). "Athena Learning Trust chief executive Ben Parnell will leave". Falmouth Packet.
  33. ↑ Oliver Vergnault (6 May 2026). "Athena Learning Trust boss Ben Parnell steps down". Cornwall Live.
  34. ↑ Lisa Letcher (26 May 2026). "New Athena Learning Trust boss previously worked at 'inadequate' schools trust". Cornwall Live.
  35. ↑ James Davies (5 June 2026). "Controversial college introduces aims to 'build strong relationships' with parents". Cornish & Devon Post.
  36. ↑ "Controversial academy trust enters 'reflection' period to explore next steps". Cornish & Devon Post. 12 June 2026.
  37. ↑ Lee Trewhela (3 August 2026). "BBC Panorama investigates Athena Trust Cornwall schools 'that went too far'". Cornwall Live.
  38. ↑ Lee Trewhela (3 August 2026). "Athena Learning Trust colleges labelled 'Britain's strictest schools' in new documentary". Cornish Times.
  39. 1 2 Hollie Richardson (3 August 2026). "TV tonight: Strictly's Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu join Celebrity Hunted; Britain's Strictest Schools – Panorama". The Guardian.
  40. ↑ Emma Ferguson (13 July 2026). "Athena Learning Trust to give up all schools in Cornwall". Falmouth Packet.
  41. ↑ Alison Stephenson (14 July 2026). "Controversial trust which runs three North Devon schools set to dissolve". North Devon Today.
  42. ↑ Lisa Young (14 July 2026). "School trust to dissolve after discipline concerns". BBC News.
  43. ↑ Lisa Letcher (11 March 2025) [14 April 2023]. "Launceston primary school to be demolished before ever being finished over 'construction issues'". Cornwall Live.
  44. ↑ "Our Schools". Athena Learning Trust. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  45. ↑ "Governors quit failing Devon free school Route 39". BBC News. 18 April 2018.
  46. ↑ Joel Cooper (9 August 2018). "Devon school changes its name after 'inadequate' Ofsted report and takeover". Devon Live.
  47. ↑ Anita Merritt (23 November 2023). "Ilfracombe Academy numbers stable despite parents 'removing pupils'". Devon Live.
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