John Lyon School

John Lyon School (prior to 1965 The Lower School of John Lyon) is an academically selective private co-educational day school for pupils aged 3 to 18 in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England.

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'. 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. The School became co-educational and welcomed its first cohort of girls in September 2021. From January 2024, Quainton Hall Preparatory School was rebranded as a constituent part of the John Lyon School.



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

 * Francis Bennion, jurist
 * Michael Bogdanov (d.2017), theatre director
 * Andrew deMello, scientist and academic
 * Andrew Carwood, conductor and singer, Director of Music, St. Paul's Cathedral, London
 * Alfred Dunhill (d.1959), tobacconist and inventor, progenitor of the Dunhill luxury goods company
 * David Fell, cricketer
 * Alastair Fraser, cricketer and a director of the Middlesex Cricket Board
 * David Gavurin, musician
 * Gary Gibbon, political editor at Channel 4
 * Ben Gill, former footballer
 * Michael Gold, TV documentary producer
 * Roger Griffin, professor of modern history and political theorist at Oxford Brookes University
 * Liam Halligan, broadcaster and economist
 * Johann Hari, journalist
 * Kenneth Hudson, industrial archeologist and museologist
 * Anthony Jeffrey, former Arsenal FC Academy footballer
 * Vladimir V. Kara-Murza, Russian politician and journalist
 * Michael McCarthy, Director of Music, U.S. National Cathedral, Washington, USA
 * Inder Manocha, comedian
 * Sir Peter Marychurch KCMG, former Director of the British signals intelligence agency, GCHQ
 * Alastair Miles, operatic and concert bass
 * Brian Pearce, (d.2008), historian
 * Stephen Pollard, journalist and Editor of The Jewish Chronicle newspaper
 * David Punter, academic and writer
 * Julian Rhind-Tutt, actor
 * Gordon Douglas Rowley, (d. 2019) botanist and writer
 * Raymond Sawkins, novelist, writing as Colin Forbes
 * Michael Shersby (d.1997), former Conservative MP for Uxbridge
 * Victor Silvester (d.1978), former band leader
 * Kabir Toor, former Middlesex cricketer
 * Michael Turner, artist
 * John Wardley, attraction and special effects developer
 * Timothy West, actor
 * Paul Wilkinson (d.2011), academic

Notable staff and governors

 * Ian Blanchett (former cricket coach), Middlesex cricketer
 * Lord Lexden (former governor), official historian of the Conservative Party
 * Angus Fraser (Governor / cricket coach), England International cricketer
 * Owain Arwel Hughes CBE (former Chair of Governors), conductor
 * Albert Alan Owen (former music teacher), composer
 * Chris Peploe (cricket coach), Middlesex cricketer
 * George Weedon (former PE teacher), Olympic gymnast
 * Ian Whybrow (former Head of English), children's author

The Old Lyonian Association represents the school's alumni (Old Lyonians).