FEATURE: VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
with such established roots in the West End of Newcastle we not only recognise but actively embrace the key role the Schools and our pupils play in the wider community.
Tell us more about the partnerships you’ve built with local schools
Our partnerships are an integral part of our existence and many of these relationships have been developed over a significant amount of time by staff who recognise the benefits they bring to both our pupils and those at partner schools. These partnerships exist in all four schools and across a broad range of departments, from careers support and sporting collaborations to a structured programme of masterclasses that take place twice termly.
Can you tell us more about the masterclasses?
Our masterclass programme has been running at the Senior Schools site in Fenham for eight years, and we now welcome pupils from four link schools in the local area: Wingrove Primary, Knop Law Primary, West Newcastle Academy, and Thomas Walling Primary Academy. We put on tailored workshops that give pupils in Years 5 and 6 the opportunity to make use of our facilities and be taught by dedicated teachers in a wide range of specialist subjects from DT, Art and Dance to Philosophy, English Literature, and Latin. We work in smaller class sizes, with a maximum of 24 pupils, and aim to broaden pupils’ experience of different subjects by taking a very hands-on approach. So, one term they might be decoding in Computer Science or working with CAD software during a Design and Technology masterclass, and the next, performing in the drama studio and learning about narration, dialogue and props. Of course, the most popular masterclass is always science when they go to the labs, don their white coats, and perform weird and wonderful experiments!
April 2023
Do you get positive feedback from visiting schools?
The stability and consistency of this scheme has meant we have developed good relationships with staff and pupils from link primaries. Their enjoyment of the sessions mean they come here eager to learn and make the most of our facilities, which is fantastic. Visiting school staff tell us of the positive impact these masterclasses have on their pupils, from attitudes to learning and confidence, to increased enthusiasm for specialist subjects. When we consider the gender gap of those working in STEM career fields, for example, we realise the importance of introducing children to science and technology at a greater depth at an early age to inspire them and encourage genuine interest in these subjects. Dame Allan’s Schools firmly pledged their commitment to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) education recently with the opening of the £8m Jubilee Building, which houses state-of-the-art science laboratories and a modern art department with a
large exhibition space. Last month, the Schools’ Head of Art, Zoe Allonby, hosted a clay model masterclass in the new art suite, and visiting children learnt about Spanish artist Pablo Picasso before trying their hand at making Picasso- inspired flat relief sculptures. The feedback from visiting schools was immensely positive, with teachers recognising that pupils can gain valuable skills and develop confidence by exploring subjects at a much greater depth. They also told us that their children felt inspired by the artwork on display by older senior school pupils and that some now aspire to be artists themselves. It’s this feedback that makes the masterclasses so worthwhile. The benefits and enjoyment that our visiting schools experience from the classes are matched by our pleasure in hosting them.
Do these partnerships work both ways? Absolutely! Dame Allan’s Junior School has a close relationship with Parkhead Community Primary School, in Blaydon, and its success with OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) has inspired
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