Dame Allan’s Schools’ secondary school is to begin becoming fully co-educational from September next year, the BBC has reported.

Dame Allan’s Schools is a collection of private day schools in Fenham, in the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne. It comprises a junior school, senior school and a sixth form.

The primary school and sixth form have been co-educational for more than 40 years, whereas its secondary schools have been single sex.

A spokesperson said it had found that a single sex education was not the reason a majority of parents sent their children to the school.

The spokesperson added that the decision to become co-educational had been made, in part, to secure the school’s financial sustainability, adding: “This has been communicated extensively, by email, in face-to-face conversations and at a parent forum that the whole school community was invited to attend.

“We are in an ongoing dialogue with teachers, parents and our pupils to make sure the transition to co-education is as smooth as possible.”