Harrow School

Overview

Harrow School was founded by John Lyon under a Royal Charter of Elizabeth I in 1572 and is based in the town of Harrow, in north-west London. The school grew gradually over time but growth became rapid during Imperial times as British prosperity grew, and the majority of boarding houses were constructed in Victorian times. It is one of the most traditional and exclusive schools in the UK and maintains exceptional academic and extra-curricular standards. It has long been the favoured destination for the sons of wealthy and influential foreigners seeking the very best example of an English public school education.

Harrow is not built on a campus: it is fully integrated into the surrounding area; there are private houses and shops on Harrow Hill, and the main road through Harrow Hill is a normal public highway and a bus route. The school divides its pupils into twelve houses, each of about seventy boys, each with its own facilities, customs and traditions. These houses retain the passionate loyalty of their boys and compete against each other in a variety of activities for trophies.

Harrow has its own unique style of football called Harrow Football and the annual cricket match that has taken place between Harrow and Eton College at Lord's Cricket Ground since 1805 is considered the longest-running cricket fixture in the world.

Unique Points

Harrow remains one of the four all-boys, full-boarding schools in Britain and has many traditions, including the use of straw boater hats, morning suits, top hats and canes as uniform. Its long line of famous alumni includes eight former Prime Ministers and 20 Victoria Cross holders. Notable Old Harrovians include Winston Churchill, Robert Peel (creator of the modern Police Force and founder of the Conservative Party) and Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. The school has an illustrious sporting tradition and squash was invented in Harrow out of the older game rackets around 1830. Harrow also was one of seven schools that met to develop the 1863 Cambridge Rules, which would influence the Football Association's first set of rules, the 1863 Laws of the game.

Entry Requirements

Registration at 11 precedes a reference being sent from the pupil's current school leading to a meeting with any house master who has expressed an interest. A Pre-Selection Assessment the following year may lead to an offer of a place subject to satisfactory performance at Common Entrance or the scholarship exam. Late applicants from UK schools who have not attempted the Pre-Selection Assessment may be considered, and entry into the sixth form at 16 is available.