| Dame Allan's School. | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, England | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private school |
| Established | 1705 |
| Principal | Dr. J.R. Hind |
| Number of students | ~1,000 |
| School Color(s) | red, black, navy blue (girls) and yellow |
| Abbreviation | DAS, DAGS for girls school, and DABS for boys. |
| Website | http://www.dameallans.co.uk |
Dame Allan's Schools were founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in England in 1705, and are two of the oldest schools in the city.
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They were founded by Dame Eleanor Allan, the daughter of a local goldsmith and the widow of a tobacco merchant, to provide a proper education for "40 poor boys and 20 poor girls of the parishes of St Nicholas and St John". The schools were endowed with land at Wallsend, to the east of Newcastle. The original school seems likely to have been near St Nicholas' Church, and certainly was by 1778. The schools occupied at least six sites before they moved to the present site in Fenham, in 1935.[1]
The plural, "schools", refers to the school's "diamond structure." In effect, Dame Allan's consists of 4 different schools: the co-educational Junior School for nursery to Year 6 (though Nursery to Year 3 are located in a separate building in Forest Hall); the single sex boys' and girls' schools for years 7 to 11; and the co-educational sixth form (years 12 to 13).[2]
A number of new classrooms were built between 2004 and 2005 to replace older facilities, with some intended specifically for the sixth form centre.[3] The Sixth Form Centre was opened by the Queen of England during an official visit on 14 October 2005 and was named the Queen's Building.
In 2007 refurbishment of existing buildings continued with a new library, Computer Resource Centre and ICT teaching rooms. These rooms are now spacious modern teaching areas, which are available to students during break, lunch and after school. 2008 saw the opening of the all weather pitch and new tennis courts which have been constructed on the existing areas on the Fowberry Crescent site and the redevelopment of the entrance area of the schools.
All schools are private, and potential candidates must pass written exams and an interview. The fees are currently (September 2008[update]) around £2,894 per term in the Main Schools and £2,277 per term in the Junior Department. These fees include books and external examination entry fees, but do not include meals. Scholarships of up to 50% are available on the basis of academic merit, and bursaries of up to 100% are available on the basis of academic merit and financial need.[2]
Being a private school, Dame Allan's does not strictly adhere to the National Curriculum. It does enter all its students in public examinations such as GCSEs and A-levels, so the subjects taught are closely tied in to their national counterparts. All students must study English, mathematics, and the sciences to GCSE level, and it is strongly recommended that at least one foreign language be studied to this level. Sixth form students have a much wider range of study, with no mandatory subjects and the introduction of many new subjects in year 12, including A-levels in politics, psychology, sports, business and theatre studies. Dame Allan's is an Anglican school.[4]
In 2005 the school recorded its best ever set of exam results, including a handful of Top 5 results in several subjects, notably GCSE languages.[5] Furthermore, two pupils were awarded 6 grade As at A-level. The school consistently performs to an extremely high standard in public examinations, with the girls' school often slightly outscoring the boy's school at GCSE level.[6] The school has not yet been inspected by OFSTED[7] but received a positive report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate in 2000.[8]
The 2000 inspection summarised the schools as "a civilised and civilising community ...[which provides] a well-rounded education for pupils from the age of 8 to 18".[8] and the 2006 report states "Dame Allan’s are good schools with several great strengths and no significant weaknesses. The schools succeed very well in their key aims of providing a broad education for their pupils, where academic success is greatly valued but so is the moral, social and spiritual development of pupils...They have developed a strong sense of community; relationships are excellent and well-qualified and highly committed staffs provide very good personal care and support for pupils. Good teaching helps to ensure that pupils make good to excellent progress" and "By the time they leave, pupils have become well-educated, rounded individuals with a clear set of values and a moral compass to guide them through adult life."
The school has a very good record of extracurricular activities, having earned a national reputation for the performing arts, in particular dance, and been awarded a Silver Artsmark Award.