FEATURE: VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
us to adopt the same programme. Parkhead introduced OPAL two years ago to provide a wide variety of play opportunities for its children, to positively impact on their creativity, imagination, resilience, stamina and confidence. It’s had a transformative effect on the behaviour and learning of pupils and Parkhead shared its experience with us. We attended two school visits to see OPAL in action, spoke to Parkhead staff and children about the success of the scheme, set up an action group, and appointed Erin Barlow, the Junior School’s teacher of PE and Games, as Dame Allan’s OPAL coordinator. OPAL will now become part of Dame Allan’s’ broader outdoor learning offering - which includes the Swedish Skogsmulle approach in Early Years and forest school in the Junior School – and that is thanks to Parkhead sharing best practice. Our relationship with them works both ways; one of our teachers, Brian Metcalf, ran a science workshop at Parkhead during Science Week and this summer Dame Allan’s will host a joint cricket fixture.
Why do you believe developing good relationships with local schools is important? Schools are full of passionate teachers who want to make the learning journey of their pupils inspiring, fun, informative, and memorable. If schools adopt new programmes, develop successful techniques, or build new facilities that are not only beneficial but transformative to their pupils’ education, then we have a choice either to sit on that knowledge and keep it secret, or to learn from each other and, together, help children in local communities expand their horizons and thrive. Partnerships allow us to share expertise, good practice and facilities to the benefit of the children in all schools involved and they help us to develop relationships with local heads and teachers who want to work together to widen educational opportunities.
Where else is this evident at Dame Allan’s Schools?
There is a very strong Higher Education and
Careers department at Dame Allan’s, led by Head of Careers Bel Whitehouse. Amid a busy annual programme of aspirational events, it hosts a large scale biannual Futures Fair, as well as a Spring term Futures Festival during National Careers Week. Again, we’ve developed links with several schools across Tyne and Wear, including St Thomas More Catholic School and Benfield School, who send pupils and staff to these careers’ events. It’s openly advertised and students from Westfield School and Kings Priory also attended this last year. Teenagers can meet representatives from dozens of companies, organisations, trusts and charities from across the North East, as well as Further and Higher Education institutes and apprenticeship providers. Schools play such an important role at the start of their pupils’ career journeys, and we believe all young people should have access to meaningful employer engagement at structured career events. If our fairs can help students other than our own to make informed and inspired choices, then we know our partnerships are
working and helping.
Once again, this works both ways. We send our Year 11 and Sixth Form pupils to several local primary schools to gain work experience and volunteer. They secure invaluable experience while being able to then demonstrate enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, a chosen area in their personal statements or on their CVs.
Looking ahead, are there any partnership opportunities you wish to develop? There are always new opportunities being considered. We would certainly like to see more of our young volunteers and sports leaders going into local primary schools to support their learning and gain experience.
Our pupils come from a very wide catchment area – from north Northumberland down to County Durham and along the North East coast – so we feel it’s important that they play an active role in the local community and get involved in volunteering work, placements, and work experience in and around West Newcastle.
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www.education-today.co.uk
April 2023
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