Academy chief executive stands down amid huge controversy over its behaviour management policies

Ben Parnell is to leave Athena Learning Trust after four years at the helm. No reason for the departure has been given.

The chief executive of a multi-academy trust is to step down, amid controversy over his organisation’s management of pupil behaviour and staff.

Ben Parnell, of the Athena Learning Trust, which runs nine schools in Cornwall and Devon, is leaving at the end of this academic year, with a letter to staff sent yesterday not giving a reason. He has led the trust for four years, with a statement released by Athena yesterday saying he had “overseen significant improvements in pupil outcomes”.

However, the trust has faced criticism over its strict behaviour management policies, one local report last month stating how parents and former pupils “spoke through tears” over their impact at public meetings. It has also had two challenging Ofsted inspections recently and, in addition, faced controversy over a member of a school leadership team’s opinions on staff management last year.