Above: Mr Benn at Dame Allan's Schools
I started at Dame Allan’s back in September 1990. Funnily enough, I was familiar with the school as I had already played cricket for the County Club at Jesmond against Dame Allan’s when I first came up to the North East to study. I had also played for Northumberland with an excellent cricketer called Phil Nicholson who was in Year 12, so I had some idea of the school and the type of pupils it attracted. Having someone like Phil, who primed the senior lads about what to expect from me, definitely helped and I am grateful that they all gave me a chance to establish myself positively from day one.
Upon arrival, I particularly remember the very warm welcome from all my new colleagues, and especially Bill Hudson, Phil Balmer, Liam Friel and Colin McFall who became close friends very quickly. Bonds were very much established at the first Carol Service celebrations. Many other staff, either already there, or who joined soon after quickly became good friends too.
I remember looking into the bay window of the Staff Room to see some of my more senior colleagues gathered playing cards and chess, and thinking how they must have been around for decades. Now those spots are taken by myself, Mr McFall and Mr Wildsmith. How time has flown!
In terms of highlights of my time at Dame Allan’s, it is very hard to pin down just a few as I have been very lucky with my experiences here. The Barbados cricket trips were utterly amazing, especially the first one, and both pupils and staff have life long stunning memories (and some hideous photos) from those experiences. The catamaran trip up and down the West Coast, Harbour Lights Floor Show, the jet ski days, and the infamous glass bottom boat trip will undoubtedly live long in memories.
Both of my South Africa tours, Australia, Prague, Dubai, France, Belgium, Holland, Test Match cricket visits, watching Manchester United, and numerous visits to rugby internationals at Murrayfield, are all trips I look back on with great fondness and pride at the opportunities provided for pupils. It’s really rewarding to see them developing confidence, social awareness, independence and learning about the wider world outside of the Toon.
Similarly, I have been privileged to spend many happy hours skiing and mixing with staff and pupils in world class ski resorts. Looking back, I realise how fantastic it was to be there listening to the buzz and stories at the end of the day as everyone recounted the highlights of their day.
I remember fondly too the County Cup wins in rugby, especially with JLo’s team, with the singing on the bus journey back being quite moving. There were notable cup wins in cricket and especially the run of results, before RGS acquired Jesmond, when the 1st XI beat RGS for four consecutive seasons. Mr Welsh, the Principal at the time, put a bottle of white port in my pigeon hole with this message attached. “Well played. Enjoy this over ice in your garden on a warm summer’s evening”. That meant a lot, and I didn’t have the courage to tell him that at that stage of my life all I had was a backyard in Fenham!
One of the things I will miss most about Dame Allan’s is the day-to-day contact with the pupils who you try to help and support. They do keep you young (ish) with their antics and often keep you entertained both intentionally and unintentionally. Me and my colleagues have often said we should write a book. The WD40 story always comes up with those in the know. I will miss the wit and humour of the staff, which as the first ever inspection report in the early 90’s noted “ is ever present”, but we all know I won’t miss Mr McFall’s jokes...
I will miss the contact with the numerous kitchen staff, grounds staff, and office staff who always provide a cheery smile, comment or a pick-me-up when needed. It really is a supportive community with people genuinely concerned about, and interested in, each others’ lives and wellbeing.
These positive relationships between staff and pupils are hugely important, and frequently commented upon by parents, inspectors and external visitors. That’s something we should all be proud of.
In terms of what makes the Schools so special, I think the opportunities for sports tours, holidays and educational trips that the hard-working staff provide for the pupils should not be underestimated or overlooked. There are many other trips apart from those ones I have listed where staff give up their own family time to make sure the pupils have a blast on yet another amazing trip.
The friendships and support developed amongst staff is a valuable asset too. I recall the circle of staff who would sit in the staff room laughing about their day, the funny things pupils had said or done, or how staff had dealt with certain situations, as highly worthwhile time.
Now that I’ll have a bit more time on my hands, I’m looking forward to catching up with those early years staff friends who used to sit in the bay window, at the regular meetings of “The Gallery”. This is a very clever name for a group of “Dame Allans’ Old Masters” (and mistresses Bob and Anthea F) and it will be great to finally get along to see them all.
I’m looking forward to playing even more golf but with tee times at a more social and less congested time. It will be great having time to get fit again and to ride my bike, and I am hoping to get my body able to bend properly by doing some yoga. My old friend Mr Rispin has banned me from thinking about bowls until we are 80!
My family all love to travel, so there will be plenty of that. I am looking forward to having more time to visit our children and grandchildren who are dispersed all over the place. Our eldest lives with his family in South Korea and it will be brilliant to be back there at non-peak times! I will also have more time to visit my parents and sister back in Lancashire. Places with slightly differing characteristics, obviously. I can’t wait to have the time to catch up with all my friends in a more relaxed manner, walking, meeting in a cafe, having a beer etc without having to cram it all into a short weekend.
The highlight might well be sitting with my wife on a Sunday night in the garden, possibly having a glass of something nice, without the feeling of needing to get sorted out for Monday morning.
Mr Benn’s ‘Words of Wisdom’ for Dame Allan’s Pupils
- Feel free to question why you might need to do something, but then listen to the reasons why you may have to do it.
- Be yourself and not what you think your mates want you to be.
- Do yourself justice, fulfill your potential, and take every opportunity to do so.
- It’s an ‘old duffers’ thing to say - but do try to realise that your parents and the staff do actually want the best for you, and do have valuable life experience to pass on.