Austin Friars

Earlier today, families were informed that Lime House School is set to close with immediate effect.

The announcement will be deeply upsetting for many and our thoughts are with the pupils, parents and staff affected.

While this news will understandably be concerning for families, we will do everything we can to support pupils and help ensure a smooth continuity of education for the children impacted.

With this in mind, tours of Austin Friars will be taking place on the afternoon of Wednesday 26th August (and by appointment at other times). Book via email on [email protected] or by calling 01228 210926.

We understand that the fee structure between the two schools is different and would welcome discussion with our Bursar, who can be contacted over the weekend by calling 07894 280610.

Alternatively, our Admissions Registrar is happy to answer any questions and provide guidance by emailing [email protected].

Bring along your friends and family - everyone is invited! 🎫

Join us for an outdoor theatre performance of 'Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Governor's Nose', taking place at Austin Friars on Friday 4th September at 6pm.

Come and experience Jenny Wren Productions at just £5 per ticket who, since 2004, have been entertaining audiences across the country with their lively and engaging theatre performances for audiences of all ages.

Drinks and snacks will be available to purchase on the night, facilitated by Austin Friars PTA.

🚪 Doors Open at 5:30pm
🎭 Performance from 6:00pm to 8:30pm

Get your tickets now:
https://www.ticketsource.com/austin-friars/t-ejqjyzz

We are celebrating the achievements of our 5th Form pupils this GCSE Results Day, with some outstanding performances across the year group!

Overall, 38.9% of all grades achieved were at grades 9-7, while 89.3% were at grades 9-4. We recorded an overall pass rate of 99% across GCSE and IGCSE qualifications.

Among the standout performers was Rose, who achieved an exceptional nine grade 9s and two grade 8s. Her grade 9s included English Language, English Literature, French, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Mathematics and Physical Education.

She said: "I'm happy and a bit surprised but can't wait to celebrate!" Next month, Rose will join our VI Form to study Maths, French and Biology.

Hattie also achieved an outstanding set of results, with eight grade 9s and three grade 8s - including grade 9s in Classical Civilisation, English Language, English Literature, French, Chemistry, Physics, History and Mathematics.

Hattie commented: "I'm really chuffed and look forward to celebrating with family and friends later this evening." Hattie is set to continue her education at Austin Friars in Maths, Chemistry and Biology."

There was further exceptional success for James, who achieved seven grade 9s, three grade 8s and a grade 7. His grade 9s included Design and Technology, English Language, French, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geography. He said: "I feel really good about my results and would like to thank Mrs Turner (Maths), Miss Cavelier D'Esclavelles (French) and Miss Turner (Science) for all of their help throughout my studies."

Kastor completed an impressive set of results with three grade 9s, five grade 8s, two grade 7s and a grade 6, achieving his grade 9s in Chinese, Design and Technology and Biology. He is going on to study at VI Form and said: "My Grade 7 in Classics was a nice surprise - thanks to Ms Cantley for her support with this!"

A huge congratulations to all of our U6th students who received their A-levels today - you have all worked incredibly hard and your teachers are very proud of you!

A few photos & stories from this morning...

🌟Louisa achieved three A*s in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. She said: "I feel really good about my results and look forward to celebrating by going out with my family tonight. I've always enjoyed school and got involved in a variety of opportunities during my time at Austin Friars - including drama performances and music recitals." Louisa is set to take a gap year before pursuing a Veterinary Medicine course in 2027.

🌟 Crispin, Euan and Dillon are all progressing to similar areas:

✈️ Crispin will be studying Aerospace Satellite Engineering at Northumbria University
✈️ Euan will be studying Aerospace Engineering at University of Liverpool
✈️ Dillon will be studying Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies at University of Lancashire

🌟Beth, our 2025/26 School Captain, achieved ABB in Psychology, Geography and Biology. She said: “I’m thrilled with my results and look forward to studying Geography at the University of Glasgow.”

🌟 Ernestine achieved A*A*A*A in Biology, Mathematics, Further Maths and Physics (AS Level). She said: "The first thing that I did this morning was log on to the UCAS website, and I was so pleased to see that I got into my first-choice university (University of Bath) to study Mathematics and Statistics. I can't wait to celebrate by eating at Pizza Express with my friends!"

A huge congratulations to our Director of Sport, Mrs King, on representing Great Britain at the European Middle Distance Triathlon Championships in Banyoles (near Girona, Spain) and winning a silver medal in the women’s 55-59 age group. 🥈

An inspiration to us all! 👏

Cumbrian athlete wins silver at European Middle Distance Triathlon Championships: https://cumbriacrack.com/2026/07/29/cumbrian-athlete-wins-silver-at-european-middle-distance-triathlon-championships/

Our July Forest School & Cooking Camp was packed with outdoor adventures, new skills and plenty of delicious campfire treats.

The children built shelters, learnt how to safely use saws, knives and palm drills for woodland crafts, lit campfires and worked together on team challenges. Every day was full of opportunities to learn through exploration and play.

Our young adventurers also put their creativity to the test by inventing their own games, building woodland homes for their creature companions, and even searching for an ancient woodland creature before helping to organise its birthday party!

Of course, no Forest School camp would be complete without cooking over the fire. The menu included campfire chocolate and marshmallow cones, cheesy quesadillas, apple crumble, s'mores, toasted pineapple, banana and freshly cooked crêpes - all prepared together around the campfire.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year's camp such a memorable experience. We can't wait to welcome more young explorers back into the woods soon! 🌲

📢 We're Hiring!

Join the team at Austin Friars as our new Teacher of Biology (Maternity Cover), starting November 2026.

We're looking for an enthusiastic and inspirational Biology specialist to join our supportive Science department, delivering engaging lessons across Key Stages 3 to 5. Experience of teaching A-level Biology is essential.

📅 Start: November 2026
💷 Salary: £35,693 per annum, depending on experience
🗓️ Closing date: Friday 14th August 2026, 12:00 noon
📍 Interviews: Week commencing 7th September 2026

If you're passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today via our website:

https://www.austinfriars.co.uk/info/vacancies

Some exciting Flag Football games taking place on our 1st XV field this weekend - kicking off at 10:45am on Saturday and 11:00am on Sunday!

Congratulations to all of our pupils who were recognised at last week's Junior School Prize Giving! 🏆

It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a year of hard work and achievement - with prizes awarded for Form, Progress and Effort in each year group.

Thank you to former pupil Daisy Barnes, now a professional cyclist and physiotherapist, for returning to Austin Friars and delivering an inspiring address to our pupils.

Throughout the afternoon, the audience also heard from Mr Clark, Miss Vaughan, Olivia (Junior School Captain), Aurora (Deputy Junior School Captain), India and Zach (2026/27 School Captains), and Lauren (2026/27 Senior School Prefect for Junior School).

A special mention to Aidan House, who were crowned this year's House Points Winners.

The ceremony was made even more memorable by a fantastic performance from our Junior 4 pupils, who were joined by classmates from across the Junior School for a series of musical interludes.

Well done to everyone for another brilliant year - we wish all of our pupils a happy and well-deserved summer! ☀️

A member of our parent community, Victoria Lyon, is bringing her own interpretation of Vivaldi's Four Seasons to Dumfries this July... and you're invited! 🎻

As the former youngest member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Victoria continues to perform and record with leading UK orchestras and has toured widely as a soloist - most recently leading the Piccadilly Sinfonietta in a UK tour of the Four Seasons.

Many will also recognise Victoria as the Director and first violin of ESCALA, the electric string quartet who reached the finals of Britain's Got Talent, with whom she continues to record and tour internationally.

Tickets for the concert, taking place at Easterbrook Hall (DG1 4TA) on Thursday 9th July, are available to purchase from Absolute Classics:

https://www.ticketsource.com/absolute-classics/the-four-seasons-victoria-lyon-violin-ensemble-lyon/e-adelkm