The school was founded in 1876, by the Governors of Harrow School for the education of local boys, in keeping with the belated wishes of John Lyon, Harrow School's founder. The school is a successor to the 'English Form' established in 1853, to educate local scholars. John Lyon School maintains historic ties with Harrow School, and the two schools are closely partnered being part of the 'Harrow Family of Schools'.[2] Until September 2021, it was a boys' school, becoming a mixed school for new pupils aged 11 and ending its single-sex school status at this time. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). As of 2023, the school charges fees of around £20,000 per year; however, some academic scholarships are available to help reduce this fee.
Until 2020, John Lyon was an 11 to 18 senior independent HMC boys' day school in Harrow-on-the-Hill. In 2020, John Lyon amalgamated with what was then called Quainton Hall Prep, located in central Harrow, to become an all-through School.[3] The School became co-educational and welcomed its first cohort of girls in September 2021.[4] From January 2024, Quainton Hall Preparatory School was rebranded as a constituent part of the John Lyon School.[5]
Historic Coat of Arms (former school emblem}John Lyon's Senior School campus on Middle Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill
Structure and curriculum
The governing body of Harrow School retains some control of the John Lyon School; most responsibilities, however, are delegated to a John Lyon board of governors (officially styled Committee of Management). A number of Harrow governors serve on this committee, alongside co-opted governors. Unlike many previous governing bodies in British schools, there is no academic staff involvement in overall school government.
Heads
J.E. Williams – September 1879 – July 1898
E. Young – September 1898 – July 1910
E.H. Butt – December 1910 – April 1926
O.A. Le Beau – April 1926 – July 1951
R.F. Boyd Campbell – September 1951 – July 1968
G.V. Surtees – September 1968 – July 1983
D. Dixon – September 1983 – July 1986
T.J. Wright – September 1986 – July 2001
C. Ray – September 2001 – August 2004
D.A. Rimmer (acting head) – September 2004 – Dec 2004
K.J. Riley – January 2005 – August 2009
K.E. Haynes – August 2009 – August 2023
R.K.R Hardy – September 2023 – present
Notable alumni
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations.(September 2022)
