John Lyon School
Encyclopedia
The John Lyon School is an academically selective independent boys' school in Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...

. The school was founded in 1876 by the Governors of Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...

 for the education of local boys, in belated keeping with the wishes of that school's founder, from whom the school takes its name. The John Lyon School maintains its historic ties with Harrow School to this day. The John Lyon School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...

 (HMC).

Structure and Curriculum

The Governing Body of Harrow School retains ultimate control of The John Lyon School; most responsibilities, however, are delegated to a John Lyon Board of Governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...

 (officially styled Committee of Management). A number of Harrow governors serve on this Committee, alongside various co-opted governors. Unlike many other governing bodies in British schools there is no academic staff involvement in overall school government.

The John Lyon School is divided into three age sections (terms in parentheses refer to their respective house and sporting designations):
  • Oldfield and Lower School (Juniors) - Years 7, 8 and 9
  • the Upper School (Colts) - Years 10 and 11
  • the Sixth Form (Seniors) - Years 12 and 13

Oldfield and the Lower School

Students in the first three years at The John Lyon School are largely based in form rooms in Oldfield House and along the Humanities Corridor in the Main Building. Years 7 and 8 consists of three forms each of approximately 23 boys (currently designated P, Q and R), selected after the school's 11+ entrance examination and interview. Year 9 forms a year group of somewhat larger size, with a large intake from the school's 13+ entrance examination; it is divided into five forms of approximately 22 boys each (designated P, Q, R, S and T).

The Junior curriculum comprises English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Religious Studies and Philosophy, French and Spanish (Years 7-8, one optional in Year 9), Latin (from Year 8, optional in Year 9), Drama, Music, Art and Design, and Physical Education.

In addition to academic subjects, all Junior students take part in activities and games programmes, as well as Social, Personal and Citizenship Education (SPACE or PSCHE (Personal Social Citizenship Health Education)).

Upper School

In Years 10 and 11, students at The John Lyon School prepare for GCSE examinations. Most students take 9 or 10 subjects selected from the following: English Language and English Literature, Mathematics, French, Spanish, Latin, Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics as a double award), History, Geography, Drama, Music, Art and Design, Religious Studies, and Physical Education (PE). The school offers the Mathematics and English IGCSE, rather than the standard GCSE in these subjects. All Upper School pupils continue with SPACE and Games.

Provision is made for advanced progression at The John Lyon School. Able mathematicians take the Mathematics IGCSE early at the end of Year 10, before following an Additional Mathematics course in Year 11 as a preparation for AS/A2 Level. All Latin students at the John Lyon School achieve their first GCSE-equivalent award at the end of Year 10, before continuing to study for a second qualification at the end of Year 11. Similarly, able modern linguists can take French GCSE a year early, and then study a Language Diploma in Year 11. Able scientists can take the AS Science for Public Understanding at the end of Year 11. A number of students additionally take AS Critical Thinking at the end of Year 11, or in December of Year 12, in addition to their other studies.

Sixth Form

In the Sixth Form, students are placed in House groups comprising boys from both year groups. Students are expected to take four AS levels by the end of their Lower Sixth year, and for three of those to be taken to A2 level at the end of their Upper Sixth Year (the most able candidates may continue with four subjects).

Students may currently choose from the following subject offering: English Language and Literature, English Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, French, Spanish, German, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Latin, Classical Civilisation, History, Geography, Economics, Government and Politics, Computing, Drama, Music, Music Technology, Art & Design, Religious Studies and Physical Education. Critical Thinking is also available to be taken alongside AS and A2 modules, with tutoring outside the normal timetable.

All students continue with games and also follow a General Education programme that includes the forum known as "Union" on most Fridays.

Sixth Formers at John Lyon are attired in suit and tie, rather than formal school uniform. The Sixth Form enjoy their own dedicated building, currently located within the Red House, located across Middle Road from the main school campus. This facility is to be moved to the renovated Old Building in mid-2012.

House system

Each student and teaching staff member of the School is randomly assigned upon entry to the school to one of four houses (named after previous Head Masters of Harrow):
  • Butler (Blue)
  • Moore (Yellow)
  • Norwood (Green)
  • Vaughan (Red)


Each house is led by a House Master or Mistress, assisted by a House Captain drawn from the Upper Sixth. While most house competitions are sporting in nature, there are also competitions in bridge, chess, debating, drama, music, reading, recitation and an annual Spelling Bee. The culmination of annual competition is Sports Day, held each year on the last Wednesday of Summer term, following which the Cock House Cup is awarded.

School Sport

Located on the main school site, the John Lyon School's Sports Centre features a large sports hall, a newly-refurbished gym and fitness studio, and a 25m swimming pool. The John Lyon School's Sporting Grounds lie a 3 minute drive from the school on the lower slopes of Harrow Hill, reached by a small fleet of minibuses. The Sporting Ground has ten football pitches, three cricket squares, an artificial wicket, a large pavilion with hospitality facilities, and an archery range. The School also has extensive access to the professional-level sporting facilities at Harrow School, including a new athletics track, a nine-hole golf course and tennis, squash and badminton courts.

In the first four years, all boys play football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 (Autumn and Spring terms) and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

 (Summer term) during their games afternoons, supplemented with rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...

, swimming, and gymnastics. In addition, Physical Education lessons are compulsory for students until the Sixth Form, at which point students also have a wider choice for their games afternoons, including archery, golf, rock climbing, squash, swimming, and tennis. Students from Year 10 onwards may substitute their games participation for involvement with the School's Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...

.

The John Lyon School has football and cricket teams at 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, Under 15s, Under 14s, Under 13s and Under 12s levels.

Association Day, held on the Saturday after the end of Summer term, sees a selection of school teams take on a team of Old Lyonians.

Expressive Arts

A number of drama productions are held the course of the school year, including a School Play at the end of Autumn Term and the regionally-renowned School Musical, staged during Spring Term at Harrow School's Ryan Theatre. These productions are supplemented with inter-House drama competitions at junior and senior level.

The school has two orchestras, two wind bands, a jazz band, and a rock band, designed to encourage those who learn instruments to participate in a group environment. There is a large school choir, in which all Year 7 students participate, and invitation-only Motet and Male Voice Choirs.

Other activities

The John Lyon School encourages its students to be consistently involved in at least one extracurricular activity. A variety of school clubs and societies are currently on offer, organised by staff members who offer their services voluntarily. These include Ancient Greek, Chess, Photography, and – for the Lower Sixth – Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise is a not-for-profit business and enterprise education charity in the United Kingdom. It is made up of 12 regional organisations, each operating individually under a license agreement...

.

Staff and students alike contribute to The Lyonian, the John Lyon School Magazine and organ of record, which is published over the Easter vacation term each year.

The John Lyon School maintains a varied annual programme of expeditions and other trips, including regular exchange programmes with schools in France and elsewhere, field trips and Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...

 courses.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....

 is offered in Year 10 and above, statistically placing John Lyon as the most successful school in London in terms of the number of awards.

A recent development has seen the revival of The John Lyon School Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...

, in partnership with the Harrow Rifles' CCF Contingent at Harrow School.

Awards

Scholarships
The school awards Governors' Academic Scholarships for entry at 11+, 13+ and to the Sixth Form. Other scholarships are available to individuals who show outstanding ability in Art, Drama, Music or Sport. Discretionary bursaries may be offered from time to time to those in a position of financial need.

Colours
Boys demonstrating outstanding achievement in Expressive Arts or Sport may be awarded 'School Colours' and wear a red striped tie. (The number of stripes depends on the section the boy is in: Junior colours have one stripe, Colts two and Seniors three.)

Prizes
Speech Day marks the official end of the academic year, when prizes are awarded to students who have achieved particular distinction in an academic subject. Headmaster's Commendations are awarded termly to students who have made a particular impact on school life in general.

Monitors and Prefects
Twelve members of the Upper Sixth are chosen annually to be Monitors, the School's designation for senior prefects. The Monitors are led by the Head of School and have the privilege of wearing a striped tie with rampant lions. Each monitor typically has responsibility for a particular area of the school, and leads a team of prefects. In addition, the four Houses each appoint a House Captain annually to co-ordinate their activities.

Headmasters and Headmistresses

O. A. Lebeau
R. F. Boyd Campbell
G. V. "Gus" Surtees, 1968–1982
David Dixon, 1982–1986
David Dixon provided an important impetus to the pastoral side of the school, leaving to take up a post at Brentwood School
Brentwood School (England)
Brentwood School is an independent school in Brentwood, Essex, England. Educating boys and girls in a British public school tradition. Brentwood School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....

.

Reverend Tim Wright, 1986–2001
Wright undertook numerous large construction projects. The first of these was the Lyon Building in the late 1980s, which provided the school with a large modern teaching facility set into the side of Harrow-on-the-Hill with a large hall, the Boyd Campbell Hall, which could now adequately accommodate school assemblies. The second large project undertaken was the construction of the Pavilion at the Sudbury games field in 1993. This facility included multiple changing rooms, showers and a canteen which allowed students to prepare for games in a comfortable and modern facility. In 1997, the school added an extension of the Main Building, providing extra science laboratories and a drama studio; a new Sports Hall and Swimming Pool; new library, and redevelopment of the old sports hall. This ambitious development of facilities was possibly at the expense of developments in the curriculum and elsewhere as noted by the school inspectors in 1998.

Dr Christopher Ray, 2001–2004
Dr Ray, from King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...

, Wimbledon, took over in September 2001 after Rev. Wright's retirement. Under Dr Ray the school reformed its curriculum, introducing Italian, Spanish, Psychology, Critical Thinking, and Music Technology, while temporarily removing Classics (Latin) and Design and Technology. Dr Ray implemented much change at the school which was accepted by some but disapproved of by others. Dr Ray departed to become High Master of Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...

.

David Rimmer, 2004
David Rimmer, Deputy Headmaster to Christopher Ray, acted as head while the school awaited the arrival of a new headmaster. Albeit short, it was felt that his tenure as Headmaster was nevertheless deserved, as a long-standing member of staff who had managed to gain the total respect of both boys and teachers. During Dr Ray's last year in the school, preparations were made for an inspection which took place shortly after his departure. The school received a largely positive report from the inspectors who said the school was now good or very good in most of the areas which the last report had deemed required attention. The inspectors also noted that the school was making good progress in other areas.
Kevin Riley, January 2005 - 2009
Kevin Riley, previously Headmaster of the Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral Choir School , until 2008 known as Bristol Cathedral School, is a non-selective musical Academy in Bristol, England. It is situated next to Bristol Cathedral, in the centre of the city. The choristers at Bristol Cathedral are educated at the school, which has a strong musical...

, assumed the headship of the John Lyon School in January 2005. He resigned the post at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year in order to assume the headship of Harrow International School, Bangkok. On 18 February 2011 it was announced that Mr Riley would become the Headmaster of Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...

 upon the retirement of Stephen Davidon in December 2011.

Katherine Haynes, 2009 - (incumbent)
Miss Katherine Haynes assumed the headship of the John Lyon School in September 2009, having previously acted as Head of Mathematics at the Warwick School
Warwick School
Warwick School is an independent school with boarding facilities for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York; and the oldest boy's school in England...

. Miss Haynes enjoys the distinction of being the first female head of an all boys' private school in the country.

Notable students

  • Francis Bennion
    Francis Bennion
    Francis Alan Roscoe Bennion is a barrister in the United Kingdom. He is the author of several leading UK legal texts, including in particular Bennion on Statutory Interpretation ....

    , jurist
  • John Barnard, musician
  • Michael Bogdanov
    Michael Bogdanov
    Michael Bogdanov , is a British theatre director known for his work with new plays, modern reinterpretations of Shakespeare, musicals and work for Young People.-Early years:...

    , theatre director
  • Andrew Carwood
    Andrew Carwood
    Andrew Carwood is the Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral in London and director of his own group, The Cardinall's Musick.-Biography:He was educated at The John Lyon School, Harrow and was a choral scholar in the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge under Dr George Guest, a lay clerk at...

    , conductor and singer
  • Simon Childs, tennis player
  • Jeremy Colman
    Jeremy Colman
    Jeremy Colman was the Auditor General for Wales.He was born in London in April 1948 and educated at The John Lyon School, Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he read Mathematics, and Imperial College, London....

    , Auditor General for Wales
  • Jack Currie, bomber pilot and author
  • Alistair Fraser
    Alistair Fraser
    Alistair Fraser was the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia from 1952 to 1958.Fraser was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. His father, Duncan Cameron Fraser, served as Nova Scotia's lieutenant-governor from 1906 to 1910 and had also been a Member of Parliament and a judge on the province's...

    , cricketer
  • David Gavurin, musician
  • Gary Gibbon
    Gary Gibbon
    Gary Gibbon is political editor for Channel 4 News. Previously, he had served as political correspondent at Channel 4 News since 1994...

    , political editor at Channel 4
  • Ben Gill
    Ben Gill
    Benjamin David Gill is an English footballer He plays either as a central midfielder or central defender. Gill attended John Lyon School.-Career:...

    , footballer
  • Liam Halligan
    Liam Halligan
    Liam Halligan is a British economist, journalist and broadcaster.Halligan is currently Chief Economist at Prosperity Capital Management - an asset management firm. Halligan is also an economics commentator...

    , broadcaster and economist
  • Johann Hari
    Johann Hari
    Johann Hari is an award winning British journalist who has been a columnist at The Independent, the The Huffington Post, and contributed to several other publications. In 2011, Hari was accused of plagiarism; he subsequently was suspended from The Independent and surrendered his 2008 Orwell Prize...

    , journalist
  • Colonel Andy Harrison
    Andrew Harrison (soldier)
    Colonel Andrew 'Andy Sean David Harrison, commissioned into The Parachute Regiment in 1990, serving in Aldershot and Northern Ireland prior to being seconded to the UN in Iraq in 1994...

    , DSO
    DSO
    DSO may refer to:Decorations* Distinguished Service Order refers to a number of decorationsMusic* Dallas Symphony Orchestra* Dark Star Orchestra* Deathspell Omega, a French black metal band* Detroit Symphony Orchestra...

    , MBE
    MBE
    MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...

    , the Parachute Regiment
    Parachute Regiment
    Parachute Regiment may refer to:*Parachute Regiment *Parachute Regiment *Paratroopers Brigade , Israel*44 Parachute Regiment *1st Airborne Brigade...

  • Kenneth Hudson
    Kenneth Hudson
    Kenneth Hudson OBE, MA, FSA was an industrial archaeologist, museologist, broadcaster and author.-Early career:...

    , industrial archeologist and museologist
  • Vladimir V. Kara-Murza
    Vladimir V. Kara-Murza
    Vladimir V. Kara-Murza is a Russian journalist, historian and politician. He studied in Great Britain at the John Lyon School in Harrow, London, and graduated with an B.A. and M.A. in History from Cambridge University...

    , Russian politician and journalist
  • Inder Manocha
    Inder Manocha
    -Early life:Born in London to Indian parents, Manocha read Modern History at Jesus College, Oxford University and worked in international relations and as a therapist before deciding to work professionally in comedy and acting in 2001...

    , comedian
  • Stephen Pollard
    Stephen Pollard
    Stephen Pollard is a British author and journalist, currently editor of The Jewish Chronicle. He is a former Chairman of the European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and a former president of the Centre for the New Europe, a free-market think tank based in Brussels...

    , journalist and Editor of The Jewish Chronicle
    The Jewish Chronicle
    The Jewish Chronicle is a London-based Jewish newspaper. Founded in 1841, it is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world.-Publication data and readership figures:...

     newspaper
  • Julian Rhind-Tutt
    Julian Rhind-Tutt
    Julian Alistair Rhind-Tutt is an English actor. He is best known for his starring role as "Mac" McCartney in the comedy television series Green Wing, the second series of which finished on Channel 4 in May 2006...

    , actor
  • Raymond Sawkins
    Colin Forbes (novelist)
    Raymond Harold Sawkins was a British novelist, who mainly published under the pseudonym Colin Forbes, but also as Richard Raine, Jay Bernard and Harold English. He only published three of his first books under his own name.Sawkins wrote over 40 books, mostly as Colin Forbes...

    , novelist, writing as Colin Forbes
    Colin Forbes (novelist)
    Raymond Harold Sawkins was a British novelist, who mainly published under the pseudonym Colin Forbes, but also as Richard Raine, Jay Bernard and Harold English. He only published three of his first books under his own name.Sawkins wrote over 40 books, mostly as Colin Forbes...

  • Michael Shersby
    Michael Shersby
    Sir Michael Shersby was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for Uxbridge.-Early life:...

     (d.1997), former Conservative MP for Uxbridge
  • Victor Silvester
    Victor Silvester
    Victor Marlborough Silvester OBE was an English dancer, author, musician and dance band leader. He was a significant figure in the development of ballroom dance during the first half of the 20th century, and his records sold 75 million copies from the 1930s through to the 1980s.- Early life...

     (d.1978), former band leader
  • Kabir Toor
    Kabir Toor
    Kabir Singh Toor is an English cricketer who plays for Middlesex.Kabir Toor was educated at the St. John's Preparatory School in Northwood before he moved onto the John Lyon School, Harrow and attended the Middlesex Cricket Academy. He has represented Middlesex, South England and England at all...

    , former Middlesex cricketer
  • Timothy West
    Timothy West
    Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...

    , actor
  • Paul Wilkinson (d.2011), academic

Notable staff

  • Angus Fraser
    Angus Fraser
    Angus Robert Charles Fraser is the current Managing Director of Cricket of Middlesex County Cricket Club, and a former English cricketer and journalist....

     (governor), England International cricketer
  • Owain Arwel Hughes CBE
    Owain Arwel Hughes
    Owain Arwel Hughes CBE is a Welsh orchestral conductor. Among his numerous titles are Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London's Philharmonia Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony in Denmark and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and Principal Guest Conductor of the Cape...

     (former Chair of Governors), renowned conductor
  • Chris Peploe
    Chris Peploe
    Christopher Thomas Peploe is an English cricketer. A left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm bowler, he currently plays List A cricket for the Unicorns in the Clydesdale Bank 40....

     (cricket coach), Middlesex cricketer
  • George Weedon
    George Weedon (gymnast)
    George G. Weedon is a British gymnast who competed at two Summer Olympic Games. In 1948 in London he participated in the Men's Individual All-Around, Team All-Around, Floor Exercise, Horse Vault, Parallel Bars, Horizontal Bar, Rings, and Pommelled Horse, placing 12th out of 16 nations in the team...

     (former PE teacher), Olympic gymnast
  • Ian Whybrow
    Ian Whybrow
    Ian Whybrow is a prolific writer of children’s books since his first was published in 1989. He has written over 100 books for children, has been translated into 27 languages and is published in 28 countries. When interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford on 24 March 2009 he stated that he had written 110...

     (former Head of English), children's author
  • Nigel Springthorpe (former Assistant Director of Music) author, composer and musicologist


The School's alumni association is The Old Lyonian Association.
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