Harrow School

A full-boarding school for boys aged 13-18, founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Elizabeth I.

We are one of just a few full-boarding, all-boys schools in the United Kingdom.

Through the full-boarding model, we are able to use the whole day productively: the timings of games and lessons change with the seasons and the available light; groups and societies meet after prep and at weekends; and extra subjects find room around the timetable. Although we never pretend that single-sex schooling is the only way to educate someone, it does help to prolong childhood in a very healthy way, enabling children to express themselves intellectually, emotionally and creatively without feeling self-conscious. Our rare full-boarding, all-boys environment is key to what makes Harrow, Harrow.

Harrow was founded in 1572 under a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I by local landowning farmer, John Lyon. It soon became one of the greatest schools in the country, attracting pupils from all over the world. This distinguished history enriches the daily life of our entire community. From the boys’ distinctive dress and the carving of their names onto boards in the Houses, to our own unusual form of football, archaic slang and the communal singing of Harrow Songs, these customs develop a strong corporate spirit and a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself.

Harrow’s 324 acres comprise six conservation areas, a registered park, a nine-hole golf course and even a working farm. Coupled with its buildings of special architectural and historic interest, the School has the quality of a village. Positioned as we are on the Metropolitan Line, 20 minutes from Baker Street on a fast train, we enjoy the best of both worlds – a spacious boarding community within easy reach of the vibrancy of the capital.

At Harrow, we believe that success should be measured not by grades, but by one's influence on the world. The willingness and ability to learn, to lead and to serve are what enable a life to be both well-lived and worthwhile. Our Purpose is to develop these qualities in Harrovians during their five years with us, by focusing on five key areas.

In the process of educating adolescents, more than half the battle is won if they awaken looking forward to the day ahead. Employing inspiring Beaks is crucial, as is a stimulating academic diet. Harrow's Super-Curriculum promotes research, reflection and debate through habitual reading, extended projects, over 80 clubs and societies, lectures from subject experts almost every day, and a non-examined Electives programme. These intellectual pursuits develop the freedom and confidence to think and speak independently, and mature our pupils into the candidates that leading universities look for.

Achieving good results in public examinations increases one's options in life. Virtually all of our boys take up places at the best universities. Our Universities Team includes subject and regional specialists and gives specific guidance to those heading towards Oxbridge, Ivy League and other very competitive institutions. In sport and the arts, some of the country's leading coaches and mentors help boys to capitalise on their talents, leading in many cases to professional careers.

Not all Harrovians can be Winston Churchill but each, in their own fashion, can make a positive contribution. To develop a strong character, boys are encouraged to adopt a robust moral code and to embrace wholeheartedly all that Harrow has to offer. Our busy, structured and purposeful environment produces young men who are confident, creative and better team players - be it in the form room or the board room, these are things that really count.

While Harrow is oversubscribed and selective, we do not focus simply on academic performance when it comes to admissions. Harrovians have a range of talents, but all share a willingness to contribute and the ability to thrive in our full-boarding environment. Maintaining this optimal composition of our pupil body is vital, as is the recruitment and development of those we employ.

While Harrow is, ostensibly, a traditional place, at its heart is a hunger for innovation. As our pupils' needs develop, so too does the organisation that surrounds them. On the horizon are major building plans, including a new state-of-the-art sports hall, biology and chemistry laboratories, and some significant landscaping that will enhance our outdoor space.