Hermitage Primary School in Wapping, Tower Hamlets, part of LETTA multi-academy trust, is very pleased to announce that its new centre for children with autism is officially open.
Hermitage Primary was delighted to welcome the Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Councillor Talukdar, to open the Athena Unit on 25th February.
The provision has been built in response to sustained and increased need nationally and locally for provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Hermitage Primary’s Athena Unit has 12 specialist places for pupils with autism and marks a significant milestone for inclusive education both at the school and across the borough.
The unit is designed to provide high-quality specialist support, while maintaining strong links to mainstream school life, ensuring pupils benefit from both targeted provision and inclusive opportunities.
The school says the Athena Unit will also serve as a centre of excellence for SEND practice, helping to build specialist expertise among teachers and support staff across the Tower Hamlets school community and strengthening inclusive education borough-wide.
During the opening ceremony, there was special recognition for Polly Jones, former governor at Hermitage and current Vice-Chair of George Green’s School, whose passion for inclusive education helped spark the idea for the Unit and for Maggie Dunne, the Athena Unit leader and specialist teacher.
Hermitage Primary and LETTA trust also thanked Tower Hamlets Council, its SEND, planning and building teams, the Mayor and Steve Reddy, Director of Children’s Services, for their partnership in bringing the project to life. There was also thanks for staff at Phoenix School for their help and expertise in ensuring the unit is fully fit for purpose.
Max Lawson, headteacher of Hermitage Primary School, said: “The opening of the Athena Unit represents a deeply important moment for our school community. This new provision strengthens our commitment to ensuring that all children receive the support they need to thrive within their local community.
“The Athena Unit is a powerful reflection of our school motto, ‘We are all different, and we are all equal.’ Inclusive education is not an add-on at Hermitage – it is who we are.
“We are incredibly proud to be expanding our provision for pupils with autism and creating a space where every child can flourish academically, socially and emotionally.”
Jo Franklin, the CEO of LETTA, added: “Across the country, the SEND system is facing significant pressures, and schools must be proactive, collaborative and ambitious in response.
“We are delighted to see the Athena Unit now open and making a difference to the lives of children and their families. This demonstrates what can be achieved when a school, trust and local authority work together in genuine partnership.
“At LETTA, we are committed to giving our pupils the very best chance of happiness and success at school and beyond, and the Athena Unit reflects those values in action.
“We look forward to developing specialist expertise within Tower Hamlets and building a model of inclusive practice that can support schools across the borough.”
