Harrow School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harrow School |
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The Old Schools photographed in 2013
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| Address | |
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5 High Street, Harrow on the Hill
, Middlesex
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HA1 3HP
England
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| Coordinates | 51°34′21″N 00°20′06″W / 51.57250°N 0.33500°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school Private boarding school |
| Mottoes | Latin: Stet Fortuna Domus (Let the Fortune of the House Stand) Latin: Donorum Dei Dispensatio Fidelis (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Church of England |
| Established | 1572 (Royal Charter) |
| Founder | John Lyon of Preston |
| Department for Education URN | 102245 Tables |
| Chairman of the Governors | J P Batting |
| Head Master | Alastair Land |
| Staff | ~200 (full-time) |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 13 to 18 |
| Enrollment | ~830 pupils |
| Houses | 12 |
| Colour(s) | Blue and white |
| Song | "Forty Years On" |
| Publication | The Harrovian |
| School fees | £46,710 |
| Former pupils | Old Harrovians |
| Badges | The Harrow Lion The Silver Arrow |
Harrow School is a famous public school for boys in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. It is a boarding school, meaning students live there during term time. The school was started in 1572 by John Lyon, a local farmer. He received a special permission, called a royal charter, from Queen Elizabeth I.
Today, about 820 boys attend Harrow School. All of them live at the school in one of its twelve boarding houses. Harrow is known for its unique uniform. This includes morning suits, straw boater hats, top hats, and canes.
Many famous people have studied at Harrow. This includes seven former British prime ministers. Some well-known names are Winston Churchill and Robert Peel. The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, also went to Harrow. The school has also educated members of royal families, Nobel Prize winners, and many leaders in arts and sciences.
Contents
Discovering Harrow School's History
How Harrow School Began
Harrow School officially started in February 1572. Queen Elizabeth I gave a special document, a royal charter, to John Lyon. He was a rich farmer from the area. The school's full name is 'The Free Grammar School of John Lyon within the town of Harrow-on-the-Hill'.
Some records suggest a grammar school existed in Harrow before this. However, its exact location and link to John Lyon's school are not clear. John Lyon passed away in 1592. He left his money to two main things: the school and the upkeep of two roads. These roads, Harrow Road and Edgware Road, led to London.
The roads received most of the money. The school's share was just enough for the Head Master's salary. This arrangement made sense at the time for moving goods to market. It continued until 1991. Then, the money from the Road Trust was given to John Lyon's Charity. This charity helps provide education for people in the areas the roads pass through.
John Lyon's school was meant to give free education to 30 (later 40) poor boys from the local area. But the Head Master was allowed to accept "foreigners." These were boys from outside the parish. They paid fees. This is how the idea of boarding at the school began. Like all schools back then, learning focused on ancient Roman and Greek languages and culture.
As Harrow School became more famous, more "foreigners" joined. Local families, however, were less interested in a classical education for their children. So, the number of free students went down. In 1825, there were 17 free students and 219 paying students. In 1876, a new school was started for local boys. It offered a more modern education. This school is now called The John Lyon School. It is an important independent school and still part of the Harrow School Foundation.
Amazing School Buildings
The first school building was started after John Lyon's wife died in 1608. It is known as the Old Schools. It was finished in 1615 and is still used today. The building was changed and made bigger by architect Charles Cockerell in 1818. It is a very important historical building.
Most of the school's boarding houses were built in Victorian times. This was when the number of boys grew a lot. The Speech Room, designed by William Burges in 1877, is a notable building. The chapel (1855) and Vaughan Library (1863) were both designed by George Gilbert Scott. These are also important historical buildings.
In total, 27 school buildings are listed as historically important. This includes the Head Master's House (1843) by Decimus Burton. The Museum Schools (1886) by Basil Champneys and Music Schools (1890) by Edward Prior are also listed.
The school's War Memorial building was finished in 1926. It remembers the many former students lost in the First World War. Other buildings like a dining hall, sports hall, and classrooms were added later.
Understanding School Fees
In 2005, Harrow School and other independent schools faced an issue. They were found to have shared information about fees. This was against a new law. The schools said they did not know it was wrong. Each school paid a small fine. They also agreed to pay money into a fund. This fund was set up to help students who attended the schools during that time.
Harrow School's Unique Traditions
School Uniforms and Dress Codes
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For everyday wear, boys at Harrow wear a dark blue jacket, called a "bluer." They wear light grey trousers, known as "greyers." With these, they wear a white shirt, black tie, and black shoes. They can also wear an optional blue jumper. Boys also wear a special Harrow hat. This is a straw hat with a dark blue band. It looks like a boater hat but is flatter.
In cold weather, boys can wear a blue-and-white woollen scarf. They can also wear a dark blue woollen overcoat. Some boys, like monitors (prefects), can wear a jumper of any color they choose. Members of certain clubs can wear special ties or scarves instead of the standard school tie.
Sunday dress is worn every Sunday until lunch. It is also worn on special days like Speech Day. This uniform includes a black tailcoat, a black waistcoat, and striped trousers. These are worn with a white shirt and black tie. Boys with sports achievements can wear a grey double-breasted waistcoat. Members of the Guild, for art, music, or drama, wear maroon waistcoats and bow ties. Boys who excel in sports can wear black bow ties with grey waistcoats. School monitors can wear black double-breasted waistcoats and a top hat. They are also allowed to carry canes.
Harrow's Boarding Houses
| House name and Colours | |
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| Bradbys – Purple and White (DJE) | |
| Druries – Red and Black (BTM) | |
| Elmfield – Purple and Black (AJC) | |
| Gayton – (over-spill house) (NSK) | |
| The Grove – Red and Blue (CST) | |
| The Headmaster's – Pink and White (CTP) | |
| The Knoll – Gold and Black (CO) | |
| Lyon's – Green and Black (NJM) | |
| Moretons – White and Blue (SMS) | |
| Newlands – Yellow and White (HKJ) | |
| The Park – Red and White (BJDS) | |
| Rendalls – Magenta and Silver (ADJT) | |
| West Acre – Red, White and Blue (HAH) | |
Harrow School divides its students into twelve Houses. All students live in these houses. Each house has about seventy boys. There is also a thirteenth house, Gayton, used when other houses are full. Each House has its own facilities and traditions. They also compete against each other in sports.
Until the 1950s, there were "small houses." Only 5–10 boys stayed there while waiting for a spot in a "large house." A twelfth large house, Lyon's, was built in 2010.
House Masters, Assistant House Masters, and their families live in the boarding Houses. Teachers also help as House Tutors. The House Master looks after every boy in their care. They are the main contact for parents.
Each House has a resident matron and a sick room. The matrons are supported by the School's Medical Centre. Trained nurses offer care all day and night. The school doctor also visits daily for consultations.
Boys do not sleep in large dormitories. A boy shares his room for the first few terms. After that, he gets his own room.
Singing Harrow Songs
The School has a special book of songs. The most famous one is Forty Years On. In the 1800s, many schools had a school song. These were usually in Latin. They were sung at the start and end of term. Harrow had a teacher named Edward Ernest Bowen. He was a poet and music teacher. John Farmer was a composer.
Between 1870 and 1885, they wrote many songs about school life. The words were inspiring, thoughtful, and often funny. The tunes were also very catchy. This made the songs very popular. Other teachers have added to the collection since then. The songs are sung in House and School concerts often. Winston Churchill loved Harrow songs. When he returned as Prime Minister in 1940, it was the first of many yearly visits. Churchill Songs is still celebrated each year. Every five years, a bigger concert is held at the Royal Albert Hall.
Sports at Harrow School
The sport squash was created at Harrow around 1830. It came from an older game called rackets. Squash then spread to other schools and became an international sport.
An annual cricket match takes place between Harrow and Eton College. It has been played at Lord's Cricket Ground since 1805. This is thought to be the longest-running cricket game in the world. It is also the oldest game played at Lord's.
Harrow has its own unique style of football called Harrow Football. The school offers about 30 different sports activities for students. These include archery, badminton, hockey, and judo.
The End of Fagging
For many years, like most boarding schools, Harrow had a system called 'fagging'. This meant younger boys did tasks for older students. At Harrow, this practice was gradually stopped in the 1970s. It was completely banned by 1990.
Harrow School in the Media
Harrow School was featured in a Sky 1 TV show in 2013. It was called Harrow: A Very British School.
Famous Former Students (Old Harrovians)
Students who attended Harrow are known as Old Harrovians. Seven of them have become British prime ministers. These include Winston Churchill, Stanley Baldwin, and Robert Peel. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, also went to Harrow. Twenty Old Harrovians have received the Victoria Cross for bravery.
Five kings have attended the school. These are King Hussein of Jordan and both Kings of Iraq, Ghazi I and his son Faisal II. The current Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, also studied here.
Harrow has educated several Nobel Prize winners. These include John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh (Physics, 1904). John Galsworthy won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932. Winston Churchill also received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.
Other famous former students include writers like Lord Byron and Anthony Trollope. Military leaders such as Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis also attended. Business leaders like Nicky Oppenheimer (DeBeers chairman) and Julian Metcalfe (Pret a Manger founder) are Old Harrovians.
In sports, Harrow produced the first two Wimbledon champions. These were Spencer Gore and Frank Hadow. Current England rugby players Billy Vunipola, Maro Itoje, and Henry Arundell also went to Harrow. Famous actors like Benedict Cumberbatch and Cary Elwes are also Old Harrovians.
Some fictional characters from books and movies also attended Harrow. These include Brett Sinclair from The Persuaders! TV series. Herbert Pocket from Charles Dickens's novel Great Expectations also went to Harrow.
Images for kids
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Caricature of Joseph Wood, headmaster at Harrow (1898–1910)
See also
In Spanish: Harrow School para niños
- Harrow History Prize
