Above: Dame Allan’s has received the Independent Secondary School of the Year (North East) Award
The Principal of Dame Allan’s Schools has expressed his delight at receiving the Independent Secondary School of the Year (North East) honour from an influential guide for parents.
Will Scott said he was extremely proud of the accolade awarded by the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026 to Dame Allan’s Girls’ School, which was testament to the hard work and commitment of staff and pupils.
“This tremendous achievement reflects the strength of our educational approach which centres upon educating the individual child, building confidence and academic aspiration for all our pupils,” he said.
“The honour has come as we continue to invest in the future of our school, while protecting what we’re renowned for – our outstanding pastoral care, our excellent education and extensive co- curricular programme which together develop happy and ambitious children.”
The award follows on from the school receiving its strongest set of results in several years in August. Almost 80 per cent of A Level grades were A*– B with 47.6 per cent awarded a top A* or A grade. Meanwhile more than a quarter (25.5 per cent) of all GCSE grades awarded were Grade 9s with 61.8 per cent of grades being a 7-9.
While Senior boys and girls are currently educated separately, next year, Dame Allan’s will see the final step in a carefully designed strategy to extend co-education throughout the whole school. The Boys’ School was ranked closely behind the Girls’ School in the same Parent Power list.
Continued Mr Scott: “It is the expertise and dedication of our staff that has enabled girls and boys to excel and that same strength will ensure every child thrives as we move to full co-education.
Our strong set of academic results, and the strength of our educational and pastoral approach, will enable us to deliver the best quality of education in the North East for boys and girls for years to come.”
Alongside academics, the schools’ co-curricular programme, featuring more than 200 activities, from rowing and robotics to dance and fencing, is at the heart of its commitment to the whole child, ensuring each pupil can explore and develop their individual gifts.
The schools have a dedicated wellbeing centre with counsellors and a ‘therapy dog’ (Heidi) which has had a transformative effect on those who need support. A recently introduced anonymous reporting tool Whisper, is designed to provide pupils with a safe and confidential platform to voice any concerns.
There have also been several developments to support academic learning, including the completion of the £8m Jubilee Building in 2022, which houses spacious arts facilities, classrooms and science labs, and a newly refurbished Sixth Form Centre. Plans for next year include upgrading the schools’ sports facilities.
Many of its alumni return to school to give talks and support pupils with interview practice for competitive courses. Its inspiring speaker events, The Lectures, for pupils and their families features talks from figures such as Dragons’ Den judge Sara Davies, and historian Lucy Worsley.