How parents and pupils took on 'cruel', 'authoritarian' schools - and won
Parents and students successfully campaigned against the Athena Learning Trust in the UK, leading the trust to disband its school network. Critics argued the trust's strict disciplinary policies were authoritarian and detrimental to student well-being.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between high-discipline educational models and student welfare, demonstrating the power of collective parental advocacy.
Image caption, Amelia's mother, Kayley (r), says strict school policies resulted in her daughter becoming ill
To avoid getting into trouble at school, 14-year-old Amelia says she decided to stop drinking water so she would not need the toilet.
Her school, Camborne Science and International Academy in Cornwall, had introduced strict disciplinary policies, which included limiting toilet visits during classes, according to pupils and former teachers.
New discipline rules were implemented when the school was taken over in January 2024 by the Athena Learning Trust, which runs six secondary schools in Devon and Cornwall.
Amelia's mother, Kayley, believes these strict policies resulted in her daughter becoming ill from a series of serious infections caused by not drinking.
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