The John Lyon School

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The John Lyon School
Motto Stet Fortuna Domus (Latin: "Let the fortune of the house stand")
Established 1876
Type Independent
Head Katherine Haynes
Deputy Head Stuart Miles
Chairman of Governors J.F.R. Hayes MA FCA
Founder The Governors of Harrow School
Location Middle Road
Harrow on the Hill
Middlesex
HA2 0HN
EnglandEngland
Staff ~100 (full-time)
Students ~590
Gender Boys
Ages 11 to 18
Houses Butler, Moore, Norwood & Vaughan                 
Colours Blue & Red         
Publication The Lyonian, The Standard, Connection (joint with Northwood College), Zeitgeist, StandardExtra (online)
Former pupils Old Lyonians
Badges Rampant Lion
Crossed Arrows
Termly Fees £3,975
Website www.johnlyon.org
Coordinates: 51°34′15″N 0°20′38″W / 51.5709°N 0.3438°W / 51.5709; -0.3438

The John Lyon School (formerly The Lower School of John Lyon) is an academically selective independent school in Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex. The school was founded in 1876 by the Governors of Harrow School for the education of local boys, in (belated) keeping with the wishes of that school's founder, from whom it takes its name. It maintains its historic ties with Harrow School to this day.

The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC).

Contents

[edit] Structure and Curriculum

The Governing Body of Harrow School retains ultimate control of John Lyon; however, most responsibilities are delegated to a Board of Governors (officially styled Committee of Management). A number of Harrow governors serve in this Committee, alongside various co-opted governors.

The school is separated into three sections:

  • 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

[edit] Oldfield and the Lower School

Students in the first three years at John Lyon are largely based located in form rooms in Oldfield House and along the Humanities Corridor in the Main Building. Years 7 and 8 each comprise three forms of around 22 boys each (currently designated P, Q and R), selected after the school's 11+ entrance examination. Year 9 forms a year group of somewhat larger size, with an intake from the school's 13+ entrance examination; it is comprised of 4 forms of approximately 24 boys each, and is organised along House lines.

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

In addition, all Junior boys take part in activities and games programmes, as well as Social, Personal and Citizenship Education (SPACE).

[edit] Upper School

In years 10 and 11, students prepare for undertaking GCSE examinations. Most students take 9 or 10 subjects selected from the following: English, English Literature, Mathematics, French, Spanish, German, 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.

Able mathematicians take the Mathematics IGCSE early at the end of Year 10, and then follow an Additional Mathematics course in Year 11 as a preparation for AS/A2 Level. Similarly, able linguists can take French GCSE a year early, and then study a Language Diploma in Year 11, while able scientists can take the AS Science for Public Understanding at the end of Year 11. Many boys also take AS Critical Thinking at the end of Year 11, or in December of Year 12, in addition to their other studies.

[edit] 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 choose from: English Language and Literature, English Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, French, Spanish, German, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, 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 enjoys their own dedicated building, the Red House, located across Middle Road from the main school campus.

[edit] Extra-Curricular Activities

[edit] House System

Each student and teaching staff member of the School is assigned 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 and recitation. 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.

[edit] Sports

The school's Sports Centre, on the main school site, features a large sports hall, a fitness studio, and a 25m swimming pool. Its sports ground, a 15 minute walk from the school on the lower slopes of Harrow Hill, has 10 football pitches, 3 cricket squares, an artificial wicket, a large pavilion with hospitality facilities, and an archery range. The school also has extensive access to 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 (Autumn and Spring terms) and cricket (Summer term) during their games afternoons, supplemented with rugby, swimming, and gymnastics. In addition, Physical Education lessons are compulsory for students until the Sixth Form, at which point they also have a wider choice for their games afternoons, including archery, golf, rock climbing, squash, swimming, and tennis.

The school has football and cricket teams at 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, Under 15s, Under 14s, Under 13s and Under 12s levels, and also fields representative teams in archery, athletics, badminton, cross country, swimming and tennis. Association Day, held on the Saturday after the end of Summer term, sees a selection of school teams take on Old Lyonians.

[edit] Expressive Arts

There are a number of drama productions in the course of the school year, including the 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, all designed to encourage those who learn instruments to participate in a group environment. There is a large school choir, in which all First Form boys participate, and invitation-only Motet and Male Voice Choirs.

[edit] Other Activities

The school generally encourages its students to become involved in at least one extracurricular activity during their time there. In practice, however, most boys tend to concentrate on sports, drama, music or house activities. Nonetheless, a variety of clubs and societies are currently on offer, guided by staff members who offer their services voluntarily. These include Ancient Greek, Chess, Photography, and – for the Lower Sixth – Young Enterprise. Staff and students alike contribute to The Lyonian, the school magazine and organ of record, which appears at the end of the Autumn term each year.

There is also a varied annual programme of expeditions and other trips, including regular exchange programmes with schools in France and elsewhere, field trips and Outward Bound courses. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is offered in the Third Form and above, statistically placing John Lyon as the most successful school in London in terms of the number of awards.

[edit] 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 name for its senior prefects. They 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.

[edit] 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.

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, Wimbledon, took over in September 2001 after Rev. Wright's retirement. Under Dr Ray the school modernised its curriculum, responding to the evident desire among sections of parents, pupils and staff and the demands of the inspectors, which saw the introduction of Italian, Spanish, Psychology, Critical Thinking, and Music Technology. During his three years at the school, examination results improved. Dr Ray implemented much change at the school which was accepted by some and approved of by the inspectors in 2004, but disapproved of by some. Dr Ray left to become High Master of Manchester Grammar School.

David Rimmer, 2004

David Rimmer, Deputy Headmaster to Cristopher 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. [1]

Kevin Riley, January 2005 - 2009

Kevin Riley, previously Headmaster of the Bristol Cathedral School, 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.

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

[edit] Alumni


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

[edit] References

  1. ^ Independent Schools Inspectorate (2004). "Inspection report on the John Lyon School". http://www.isi.net/report/0559.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-11. 
  2. ^ http://www.thecorporateplaybook.com/athlete.php?id=29398
  3. ^ Mosquito Victory, Goodall publications 1983, ISBN 0 907579 03 5
  4. ^ http://www.johnlyon.org/content/view/219/49/
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