We are right at the beginning of our story, but even beginnings start somewhere.

It is very difficult to choose a ‘starting point’ for Alcuin’s. As is God’s way, he seems to have been preparing many moments, and many people, to come together at a particular time in order to do his will, and no one person or moment can possibly be pointed to as the ‘start’ of Alcuin’s, except Him. However, acknowledging this, there are probably some key people and moments which can be pointed to as crucial turning points which got the words ‘independent classical Christian school in Newcastle upon Tyne’ out into the atmosphere in 2023. 

The first is the attendance of Tom and Sarah Barnett and Caitlin Halfacre at Christian Concern’s Wilberforce Academy in 2021 and 2022. Each of them were challenged and inspired by Steve Beegoo’s presentation of what education could be, if only we were to bring it under Christ’s rule and reign. With a baby on the way for the Barnetts and with many of Caitlin’s friends at the baby stage, discussion amongst them about the ‘very best’ for the next generation of children soon turned to discussion with leadership at their church, Jesmond Parish. Church staff heard their story of inspiration, which at this point was merely a real desire to get brothers and sisters at JPC thinking about ‘Christian’ education. Providentially, they were then linked with Robbie Burns, and his wife Jess. Robbie being a teacher, he and Jess were thinking both professionally and as parents about the education they hoped to provide for their children. After a good few meals of fellowship and a discovered shared passion for talking about God’s will for education, and invites to other JPC members they thought may be interested, the ‘Christian education group at JPC’ was born.

The main aim of the group was to discuss and think about what Christian education means, and what this looks like in today’s world. Arnold and Susan Cleasby, home educators with two grown up children, joined the group at this point, and discussion was based around the work of Charlotte Mason through Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s book, For the Children’s Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School (Crossway Books, 1984). In their prayers and hopes there was the kindling of excitement about the possibility of a school… but all would have said this was a dream and a remote hope. And so they prayed, and they prayed. They prayed for guidance and for God’s will would be done with the group. Mostly they prayed that brothers and sisters across Newcastle would think carefully about what the education of our children should look like from a biblical perspective. Encouraged by the amount of people who were interested, and the amount of contacts they were making simply through word of mouth, the group approached JPC about hosting Steve Beegoo as a speaker, and potentially hosting a formal event to scope out interest for a school from Christians across the city. After months of planning and working as a team, this weekend of events occurred in January 2024. More than double their prayed-for numbers attended the interest evening, 60 including those tuning in online! The church body was encouraged and challenged by Steve’s sermon which you can listen to here. 

Following this, a ’roundtable’ of people who expressed interest in getting involved in this venture was formed. From 5 different churches across Newcastle all with varying backgrounds, skills, vocations, and reasons for their interest, each individual within our roundtable team has their own story about how God had called them to this point. Only God could have managed to bring together such a talented group of people at the same moment, and within the team there are constant exclamations of variations on ‘Can you believe how all this has come about?!’ The roundtable meetings occurred between April 2024 and July 2024 and it was here that a clear vision for an independent Christian school in the North East was truly formed: ‘A Christ-centred learning community, cultivating knowledge, wisdom, and virtue for life’. The roundtable meetings served as a springboard into the Alcuin’s Completion Team – who you can see on the Our People page. The whole team are so excited for what God will do over the next months as the opening of Alcuin’s school draws nearer – in September 2026.

We are a small team with a big vision, and a fervent faith in what the Lord has already done to bring everything to this point. We pray all of this will be to his glory alone, and we hope many more will join us in this journey.

‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who do so will labour in vain’.