John Lyon School
John Lyon School is an academically selective private co-educational day school for pupils aged 2 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. On founders day John Lyon holds a long ceremony commemorating the founder John Lyon at St Mary’s Church. 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. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. As of 2025, the school charges fees of around £30,000 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 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. 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.Notable alumni
- Francis Bennion, jurist
- Michael Bogdanov, theatre director
- Andrew deMello, scientist and academic
- Andrew Carwood, conductor and singer, director of Music, St Paul's Cathedral, London
- Alfred Dunhill, tobacconist and inventor, founder 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
- Peter Marychurch, former Director of the British signals intelligence agency, GCHQ
- Alastair Miles, operatic and concert bass
- Brian Pearce, Marxist political activist, historian and translator
- Stephen Pollard, journalist and Editor of The Jewish Chronicle newspaper
- David Punter, academic and writer
- Julian Rhind-Tutt, actor
- Gordon Douglas Rowley, botanist and writer
- Raymond Sawkins, novelist, writing as Colin Forbes
- Michael Shersby, former Conservative MP for Uxbridge
- Victor Silvester, former band leader
- Kabir Toor, former Middlesex cricketer
- Michael Turner, artist
- John Wardley, attraction and special effects developer
- Timothy West, actor
- Paul Wilkinson, academic
Notable staff and governors
- Ian Blanchett, Middlesex cricketer
- Lord Lexden, official historian of the Conservative Party
- Angus Fraser, England International cricketer
- Owain Arwel Hughes, conductor
- Albert Alan Owen, composer
- Chris Peploe, Middlesex cricketer
- George Weedon, Olympic gymnast
- Ian Whybrow, children's author