Principal of Dame Allan's Schools in Newcastle, Mr Will Scott, reflects on a year in which pupils embraced all that their education had to offer, and looks forward to the exciting changes ahead.
No matter what age we are, we all have a spark of excitement around the idea of a summer break. For our pupils, these holidays mark the culmination of a year of hard work, self-development and adventure. Summer is the time to do some playing and planning, dreaming and exploring. It is also a time of reflection for members of Dame Allan’s staff. As with any organisation, the end of a cycle is a moment to celebrate our successes, evaluate our performance and identify the areas where we can continue to improve.
Reaching the end of my third year at Dame Allan’s, I have experienced three very different years, each with unique opportunities and challenges. This has been the first full academic year ‘post-Covid’, in which we have been able to run a full co-curricular timetable and enjoy our planned school trips. From skiing to rock climbing, fencing to FemSoc, and even a World Challenge adventure to Eswatini and Mozambique, it has been inspiring to see pupils jumping in with both feet.
The co-curricular programme has been a jewel in our crown this year. Every member of teaching staff is involved with running a co-curricular activity, and every pupil is encouraged to take part in a range of activities outside lessons. Not only does this enrich the school life of our pupils, it also helps us to develop the whole child, creating well-rounded, confident and self-aware individuals. Taking part in a new sport, intellectual activity or school trip is valuable in forging friendships and exploring as yet undiscovered passions and talents, pupils learning from their experiences, and developing character and resilience in the process.
A highlight was the launch of our high profile speaker series, The Lectures – where guest speakers, including Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies, brought invaluable real-world perspectives to pupils. We are delighted that this series will return in the new academic year, with another group of inspirational speakers set to take the stage.
At our Junior School, we were proud to launch our OPAL (outdoor play and learning) programme, which incorporates play as an essential tool for younger pupils. With the launch of this programme, it is hoped that pupils will benefit from improved socialisation skills and increased concentration levels after play – it’s also a lot of fun too! Pupil feedback has been an essential part of getting OPAL upand-running, and will continue to play a role in how the programme grows and develops.
You may appreciate that our pupils are immensely proud of the academic achievement and progress made over their years with us. We don’t only celebrate exam results, of course, but also their key contributions to school life and good citizenship at our prize giving ceremonies, with awards for endeavour as well as excellence. Pupils are not only encouraged to celebrate their successes but also to reflect on where they can improve for the coming year beginning in September – could they develop more intellectual confidence or try out for that sports team they were interested in? This self-efficacy is a key ‘Attribute for Success’ at Dame Allan’s, and one that is embraced by the teaching staff, as well as our pupils.
We are always listening to pupils and not only in lessons. One innovation this year is the launch of our Principal’s Breakfasts. These informal events give us an opportunity to hear feedback from our most important people – our pupils. This, along with our pupil-led school councils, ensures that every child has a voice at Dame Allan’s, to be heard and known while helping their school to continue improving.
The Senior Schools are undergoing some exciting physical improvements over the coming months with the refurbishment of our Sixth Form centre, the Queen’s Building. This work will ensure that our senior students will have access to the space and facilities they need, including a brand new café and flexible study areas.
I knew when I applied for this role that it would be a demanding but fascinating one – it has been both of these and much more over my first three years. It has been rewarding to see such progress at Dame Allan’s in the past few years and I am looking forward to another year of excitement and opportunities over the year ahead.
To find out more about Dame Allan’s Schools, from Nursery to Sixth Form, please visit dameallans.co.uk