Dame Allan's Senior School and Sixth Form celebrated its latest investment with a week of events in February. The Jubilee building, an £8 million transformative development, culminated in the official opening of the site on 14 February, as part of 'Dedication Week' for the building.
Boasting new classrooms, a light and airy exhibition space, offices and a ‘living wall’, the new building is a valuable resource for the pupils at Dame Allan’s, offering them outstanding facilities to pursue the STEAM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths.
The latest addition to the school, which was established over 300 years ago, was officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear, Lucy Winskill, at a dedication event which saw pupils’ artwork displayed along with a range of archive material which the school carefully curates. Guests were able to see the building in use, through a tour of the facilities from sixth formers, hearing first-hand how pupils use and enjoy this space.
During Dedication Week, as well as the official opening, Dame Allan’s Schools welcomed entrepreneur Sara Davies, to speak as part of ‘The Lectures’, the Schools’ series of talks from inspirational people from a range of careers. An alumni dinner, a performing arts showcase and art masterclasses with local primary schools also took place across the week.
The building is named in honour of our late Queen as it was completed in 2022, the Jubilee year of Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the school back in 2005 to open our Queen’s Building for sixth formers.
The site of the new Jubilee building has previously been a recreation yard for the Girls’ School, classrooms and even a caretaker’s cottage. Now it is a thriving multi-use space inspiring pupils to pursue their passions. The Modern Foreign Languages department is going from strength to strength, with a bumper year of pupils taking French, German or Spanish at A Level, and a move into the Jubilee Building.
For pupils wanting to pursue further education and careers in technology and engineering, the purpose-built design and technology workspaces offer the chance to practise those skills, and pupils studying art have the chance to display their work in a purpose-built exhibition space.
As well as senior pupils having daily access to the facilities, Dame Allan’s Junior School pupils attend weekly Art and MFL classes in the Jubilee building to help familiarise them with senior school life before moving up once they leave Year 6. Regular masterclasses with local primary schools are also held here so more schools can benefit from the facilities.
Designed by Howarth Litchfield Architects, the environmental elements of the building have been thought through too, with LED lighting throughout, two electric vehicle charging stations at the back of the building, and a living wall. There are also plans to install a beehive onsite in the summer term.
In total, the Jubilee building includes: 16 classrooms, three physics laboratories, art facilities with print room, a multifunctional exhibition space, a design technology workshop together with changing rooms and staff facilities.
Principal Will Scott said: ‘The range of facilities available in the Jubilee building will help our pupils to flourish both artistically and academically. The modern exhibition space will allow pupils to showcase their work formally, the science laboratories will house facilities to enhance the pursuit of STEAM careers and the design technology suites will aid the teaching of valuable practical skills needed in a range of careers.’
As for the future, it’s looking bright. The recent accolade of Independent Secondary School of the Year in the North East from The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide reflects the academic, artistic and personal achievements of all pupils. The new building will add to the valuable facilities to enable pupils to excel.