Dame Allan's Schools named 'North East Independent School of the Year'

THE region’s only school to follow the pioneering diamond structure of education has seen its independent senior Boys’ and Girls’ Schools crowned the ‘best’ in the North East in a popular guide for parents.

The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide 2023 named Dame Allan’s Schools’ two single-sex senior schools, where boys and girls are taught separately between the ages of 11 and 16, as joint ‘North East Independent School of the Year’.

The title was bestowed on Dame Allan’s Boys’ and Girls’ Schools after they climbed 71 and 72 places respectively in the newspaper’s national league tables following an impressive set of GCSE results, with more than 70 per cent of exams sat by pupils achieving grades 9 - 7 (A* to A).

Will Scott, Principal of Fenham-based Dame Allan’s Schools, a collection of private schools that incorporates a co-educational Junior School and Sixth Form, said the accolade reflects the Schools’ commitment to pupil achievement and wellbeing.

“Dame Allan’s Schools are unique in the North East, not only for their diamond structure, but also, we believe, for the truly holistic approach we take to educate and develop the whole child,” said Mr Scott.

“Pupils thrive in an environment where an engaging curriculum is matched by a vibrant co-curricular programme, and they develop emotionally with the support of our strong pastoral care provision, of which we are very proud.”

Dame Allan’s recently appointed Jo Downie as Director of Pupil Wellbeing to lead its strong pastoral care team, which includes a school nurse, counsellors, and an art psychotherapist. Earlier this year, the Snug, a dedicated place for pastoral care provision, opened at the Senior Schools site, and therapy dog Heidi joined the team.

Dame Allan’s Schools is unique to the North East as the only schools to follow the diamond model of education. Girls and boys learn alongside each other in the Junior School and Nursery, are taught separately between the ages of 11 and 16, and reunite in the co-educational Sixth Form.

Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2023, is published online at thetimes.co.uk/parentpower  and in a supplement in The Sunday Times on December 11.