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Photo of Harrow School
Reviewed

Harrow School

Independent school · Harrow on the Hill, HA1 3HP
  • Secondary
  • Boys
  • Ages 13-18
  • From £61,584 pa
  • 837 pupils
  • Boarding
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

Premier league. For families who value an outstanding 360-degree education soaked in tradition, and energetic boys happy to throw themselves into everything, Harrow ticks every box. Not the obvious choice for softer souls, individualists or disrupters. Turns out a close-knit tribe of polished, confident young adults whose hearts will always be on The Hill. In the words of one veteran mother, ‘I can put my boys in front of anyone and feel proud. Even the grungy 16-year-old.’

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

Unlock to access

Overview & data

Pupil numbers
837 ·
Sixth form numbers
354 ·
Offers boarding
Yes ·
Religion
C of E
Fees
£61,584 pa
Local authority
London Borough of Harrow

Headteacher

Head master

Mr Alastair Land

Since 2019, Alastair Land MA (Cantab), formerly head of Repton after three years as deputy head at Harrow. Educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College Cambridge where he was awarded a first-class honours degree in natural sciences. The


Entrance

Are you sitting comfortably? Applicants to Harrow can be in for the long haul – even the registrar admits he arguably runs ‘the most complicated process of any boarding school’ – and we won’t beat around the bush, it’s the whole family under scrutiny

Open days
Check school website

Exit

Boys leaving after GCSEs is rare and almost all sixth formers off to university, usually with double figures to Oxbridge (11 in 2024). Around two-thirds head off to Russell Group. Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh, Durham and St Andrews all popular. Six


Latest results

The most we can get out of the school is that two-thirds of A level results in 2024 were A* or A and that over 90 per cent were A*-B. The last results we have are for 2021, when they achieved 95 per cent 9-7 at IGCSE; 80 per cent A*/A at A level (91

A level - Average points score (2024)

School
49.12
LA avg.
35.05
Eng. avg.
35.69
Data highlight

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.


Teaching & learning

Not a ‘league table’ school – Harrow doesn’t believe in presenting a one-dimensional image of itself (for what it’s worth, we approve) – but we suspect that if it were, it would sit comfortably in the upper echelons, a few rungs below Eton and

Qualifications taken in 2024
  • A level
  • GCSE

Learning support & SEN

Sector-leading SENDCo heads team of three learning support teachers, including two specialist assessors, with around 25 per cent of cohort under their watch. Boys with, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ASD and ADHD are supported on an individual

0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP
24.9 %
Students with SEN support

Arts & extracurricular

With options so numerous it left us exhausted just hearing about them, it would be quicker to report what isn’t offered. Every second of the day is filled (‘We’re just getting going when we see pupils from other schools going home,’ school told us)


Sport

With 28 sports ‘done properly’, from the major (rugby, soccer, cricket) to fencing, fives, water polo and countless others, there’s no doubt that this is a phenomenal school for sporty boys and, arguably, the one to beat on the southern public school


Boarders

Full boarding. No day pupils and no flexi. Parents, pupils and OHs unanimous that the twelve houses are ‘like twelve different schools’, each with its own culture, atmosphere and fiercely loyal members, although school does a good job of bringing

837
Total boarders
837
Full time boarders

Ethos & heritage

Harrow will surprise the uninitiated with its range of contradictions: fiercely traditional yet progressively outward-looking; unashamedly elite yet wholeheartedly inclusive; simultaneously conservative whilst unmistakably diverse. One of a dying


Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline

Noted by parents as ‘a great sized school’ with a ‘cosy’ feel. The ‘well cared for’ ethos all starts in the house – a home from home where housemasters are very hands on, dictating the entire culture and ethos. New boys are given ‘shepherds’ – boys


Mobile phone policy

A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Mobile phones should only be used in the boy's boarding house and at certain times specific to each year group.

Updated Sep 2024

Pupils & parents

What most surprised us was the down-to-earth feel. Social and ethnic diversity is palpable, with recent OHs telling us how strange they found the relative uniformity of ‘type’ when they went to university. Although school as a whole is founded on

837
Number of pupils

Money matters

School franchised in Beijing, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Shanghai; all successful enterprises which fund generous bursaries at home and carefully monitored by Harrow. Harrow online launched in 2020, offering further access to a global audience. Huge

Fee information
£61,584 pa

The last word

Premier league. For families who value an outstanding 360-degree education soaked in tradition, and energetic boys happy to throw themselves into everything, Harrow ticks every box. Not the obvious choice for softer souls, individualists or

What the school says

Being a great school is about providing the best possible education – one that creates an appetite for life and develops the talent to live it productively. It is about learning and scholarship, honed by exceptional teachers. It is about offering a wealth of exciting opportunities in sport, the arts, the CCF and many other character-forming activities. It is about excellent pastoral care that nurtures emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. And, vitally, it is about preparing students for life after school, equipping them to thrive, succeed and be confident to lead, to serve and to be of good influence.

Contact the school

Address

5 High Street
Harrow on the Hill
HA1 3HP
Get directions

Have you considered?

School data & information Harrow School 5 High Street, Harrow on the Hill, HA1 3HP
837 Pupil numbers
354 Sixth form numbers
837 Total boarders
837 Full time boarders

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Mobile phones should only be used in the boy's boarding house and at certain times specific to each year group.

Updated Sep 2024
Our review contains additional results data reported to us by Harrow School and is updated annually. See the review

GCSE-level results data is not reliably reported on for independent schools. We have chosen to show only the results achieved in individual subjects. Find out more

Subjects entered at GCSE level (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Spanish GCSE (9-1) Full Course 70 8
Russian GCSE (9-1) Full Course 10 9
Religious Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 75 8
Physical Education/Sports Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 22 8
Music GCSE (9-1) Full Course 11 9
Latin GCSE (9-1) Full Course 65 9
Japanese GCSE (9-1) Full Course 10 9
German GCSE (9-1) Full Course 17 8
Geography GCSE (9-1) Full Course 84 8
French GCSE (9-1) Full Course 65 9
Drama & Theatre Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 17 8
Classical Greek GCSE (9-1) Full Course 11 9
Astronomy GCSE (9-1) Full Course 9 8
Art & Design (Fine Art) GCSE (9-1) Full Course 25 6
Ancient History GCSE (9-1) Full Course 31 8

% of pupils achieving AAB or higher, including at least 2 facilitating subjects (2024)

School
54%
LA avg.
18%
Eng. avg.
20%

What is this?

Facilitating A levels are ones that are commonly needed for entry to leading universities. They are: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, further mathematics, geography, history, English literature and classical or modern languages. The % of pupils achieving AAB or higher may therefore decrease if many pupils have opted not to take two or more of the facilitating subjects mentioned.

Average points score (2024)

School
49.12
LA avg.
35.05
Eng. avg.
35.69

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.

Subjects entered at 16 to 18 (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Spanish GCE A level 9 A
Russian GCE A level 11 A*
Religious Studies GCE A level 24 A
Physics GCE A level 39 A*
Physical Education / Sports Studies GCE A level 9 B
Mathematics (Further) GCE A level 26 A*
Mathematics GCE A level 103 A*
Latin GCE A level 11 A
History GCE A level 32 A
Government and Politics GCE A level 29 A
German GCE A level 6 A
Geography GCE A level 32 A
French GCE A level 18 A
English Literature GCE A level 23 A
Economics GCE A level 95 A*
Design and Technology (Engineering) GCE A level 13 A
Classical Greek GCE A level 9 A*
Chemistry GCE A level 38 A*
Business Studies:Single GCE A level 19 A
Biology GCE A level 22 A*
Art and Design (Photography) GCE A level 21 A*
Art and Design (Fine Art) GCE A level 11 A*

Entry and exit data

Here we report figures on pupils moving between schools at the usual entry and exit points, as well as student destinations into higher education. We publish publically available data for state schools. For independent schools, The Good Schools Guide collects data from its prep schools as to where their pupils go on to. Find out more

Our review contains additional entry and exit data reported to us and is updated annually. See the review

Recent feeder schools

SEN overview

Harrow School is a mainstream school. The school may provide support for students with special educational needs as detailed below. If you require more information on conditions the school can support, we encourage you to contact the school directly.

SEN statement

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Although we do not have the facilities to offer highly specialised and intensive support, our qualified learning skills team supports boys with mild dyslexia and other learning difficulties through one-to-one lessons, help with study skills and certain individual arrangements. We also make access arrangements for internal and external examinations for boys with special educational needs or disabilities, in accordance with the guidelines published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). Parents considering Harrow for a boy with special educational needs should discuss those needs with the registrar before registering.

Updated May 2019
0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP UK mainstream school avg. 2.7%
24.9 %
Students with SEN support UK mainstream school avg. 12.9%

SEN conditons supported

No information available from the school. Find out more.

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