Harrow 450

In 2022, the School celebrated the 450th anniversary of Harrow’s foundation in 1572. The Governors have set an ambitious development programme that will celebrate 450 years of Harrow and provide an abiding legacy for decades to come.

This programme will see considerable investment in our bursaries and buildings as well as the preservation of our key historic buildings and innovation in learning and scholarship.

In keeping with John Lyon’s original vision, this Harrow 450 development programme will deliver a significant social impact, not just through increased bursary provision but also through strengthening authentic partnerships with the local community, benefitting many young people in north London and further afield.

Over the next five years, the Harrow Development Trust aims to raise over £100m to help fund the following priorities:

Bursaries - Transforming lives

£20m will be directed towards widening access to find and nurture leaders of tomorrow. 

John Lyon founded the School in 1572, with a clear vision to provide a free education for 30 boys with limited financial means from the parish of Harrow on the Hill. The School’s bursary provision remains guided by this principle in enabling talented boys to benefit from a holistic education at Harrow.

Over the next ten years, the School aims to significantly increase the opportunities for boys requiring financial assistance to come to Harrow. We plan to provide many more full-fee awards for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, while also making the Harrow fee affordable for a much wider range of families. 

Our aim, in the short term, is to increase our bursary funding by a further £20m increasing the percentage of boys in receipt of means-tested support from 10% to 30%.

 

Building for the future 

"Throughout Harrow’s history, transformative construction projects have ensured the margin of excellence that distinguishes a Harrow education.  The need for inspiring building environments for Harrovians is as important today as it has been for the last 450 years."

£70m will be directed towards transformative building projects on the eastern side of the Hill.

 

Foremost amongst the School’s priorities is the refurbishment of the Shepherd Churchill Dining Hall, increasing the capacity and improving the boys' mealtime experience. 

A refurbished dining hall to feed young minds

 

Next the construction of a new science building providing 16 state-of-the-art Biology and Chemistry laboratories and a 178-seat lecture theatre equipped with the latest audio-visual technology.

An inspiring learning environment for Biology and Chemistry

 

Later phases include a new Sports building, and a scheme providing safer, more direct thoroughfares across the east side of the Hill, moving the pupil centre away from the busy High Street. 

A sports centre worthy of the greats

 

Heritage

£10m towards preserving our heritage and being innovative with our spaces.

A refurbishment project to Old Schools, the original Harrow School building constructed in 1615, presents a timely opportunity to combine the best of Harrow’s heritage and history with ground-breaking research and the teaching practices.

In addition to an external and internal refurbishment, the existing Old Armoury room will be repurposed as a state-of-the-art Teaching, Artificial Intelligence and Learning Hub. This space will be used for experimental teaching practices, teacher training and research and boys' independent study. 

The School also has a rolling programme of renovations to modernise each of our boarding houses on the Hill. Over the next 30 years every House will receive a major refurbishment, ensuring these traditional buildings meet the demands of modern-day boarding. 

Play Your Part - Join the 450 society