Harrow's 16th-century Royal Charter states the School's objects as the 'bringing up, teaching and instruction of children and youth in grammar', such that those young people give 'a very good example to all others to imitate the like hereafter, and also to the common profit of all our subjects'.

As a charity, we remain mindful of this commitment to public benefit by working to fulfil three charitable aims.

1.  To provide educational facilities to members of local schools and to other members of the community, so far as is consistent with the above aims.

The School runs over 150 projects and partnerships with local schools and community groups. To see a growing list of case studies, visit the Harrow School profile on the Independent Schools Council's website, Schools Together. Harrow’s philanthropic, charitable, outreach and partnership work is central to Harrow School life and is referred to as Shaftesbury Enterprise. Through this initiative, Harrow engages purposefully and genuinely with the local community and beyond, in the spirit of the 19th-century reformer, philanthropist and Old Harrovian, the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. 

2. To widen access by increasing bursary funding.

Bursary funding supports several pupils who would not otherwise be able to afford the School’s fees. Over the past five years, the School has awarded more than £21 million in bursaries and scholarships. In 2025/26, the School supported 147 boys with bursary funding, meaning 17.6% of boys at the School are currently supported by bursaries. We continue to increase the funding available for bursaries, through income from the Harrow International Schools and through donations made via Harrow School Development.

3. To provide an independent secondary education of very high quality which maximises each pupil’s potential and lifelong interests to the benefit of the wider community.

A number of Harrow’s former pupils have gone on to make significant contributions to society. Details of many of them can be found here.