How parents and pupils took on 'cruel', 'authoritarian' schools and won The decision by the Athena Learning Trust to disband and transfer its schools to other trusts has sent shockwaves through the education sector.
The extreme disciplinary measures employed at its schools have left a lasting scar on the children who attended them.
Stories of students like Amelia, who was forced to avoid drinking water for fear of needing to use the toilet during lessons, are stark reminders that the pursuit of discipline can sometimes cross into cruelty.