The John Lyon School

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John Lyon, Harrow
Mottoes Stet Fortuna Domus (Latin: "Let the fortune of the house stand")
Donorum Dei Dispensatio Fidelis (Latin: "The faithful guardians of the gifts of God")
Established 1872
Type Independent
Headmaster Kevin Riley BA MEd
Joint Deputy Headmasters David Rimmer, Stuart Miles
Chairman of Governors Dr. Owain Arwel Hughes OBE
Founder John Lyon of Preston
Location Middle Road
Harrow on the Hill
Middlesex
HA2 0HN
England Flag of England
Staff c. 100 (full-time)
Students c. 600
Gender Boys
Ages 11 to 18
Houses Butler     , Moore     , Norwood      and Vaughan     
School colours Blue     and Red    
Publication The Lyonian, The Standard, Connection (Joint with NWC), Zeitgeist (Sixth-Form), StandardExtra (online)
Former pupils Old Lyonians
Badges Rampant Lion
Crossed Arrows
Website www.johnlyon.org
Coordinates: 51°34′15″N 0°20′38″W / 51.5709, -0.3438

The John Lyon School (previously The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow) is a selective English day school for boys located in Harrow on the Hill, north-west London. The school maintains some historic ties with Harrow School by means of the John Lyon Foundation, having been founded as a day version of the boarding school in 1872. This separate foundation was done in (belated) keeping with the wishes of the founder of Harrow School, John Lyon of Preston, who wished to provide education for the sons of local residents and businessmen. The two schools share some facilities, notably The Speech Room, Sports East Playing Fields, The Ryan Theatre and some sports facilities. The John Lyon School currently educates some 580 students.

The governing body of Harrow School still retains ultimate control of the School but many responsibilities are delegated to a Board of Governors (officially Committee of Management), on which a number of Harrow governors serve together with various co-opted governors.

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

The John Lyon School has a sister school, Northwood College, located close by.

Contents

[edit] Structure and Curriculum

The John Lyon School is broadly separated into three age groups:

  • Oldfield and Lower School (Juniors) - Year 7, 8 and 9, ages 11-14
  • Upper School (Colts) - Year 10 and 11; GCSE years, ages 14-16
  • Sixth Form (Seniors) - Year 12 and 13; AS, A2 level years, ages 16-18

[edit] Oldfield & Lower School

The first three years are largely housed in the Oldfield and Temporary buildings at the northern extremity of the school alongside the Language, History and Religion and Philosophy departments. Years 7 and 8 each have three form groups of around 22 boys. Year 9 sees the annual enlargement of the year group as a result of the entry of 13+ applicants, forming 4 form groups of approximately 25 students, conveniently segregated into House affiliation.

The curriculum includes: English, Mathematics, French, second language (Spanish, German or Italian), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Drama, Music, Art & Design, Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, and Physical Education (PE). In addition, all boys take part in activities and games programmes as well as Social, Personal & Citizenship Education (SPACE).

[edit] Upper School

Years 10 and 11 are concerned with students studying for GCSE qualifications. Most students will take 9 or 10 subjects from the choice of: English, Mathematics, English Literature, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics as a double award), History, Geography, Drama, Music, Art & Design, Religious Studies, and PE. The school is notable in offering the Mathematics IGCSE (International GCSE) rather than the standard Mathematics GCSE. All pupils continue with SPACE, activities and games. Boys who have been selected to take their Mathematics GCSE a year early do so at the end of Year 10, and are advised to take an Additional Mathematics course in Year 11 if they intend to continue to AS/A2 Level. Similarly, good linguists can take French GCSE a year early and then study a Language Diploma in their Fifth Form; and able scientists can take an AS Science for Public Understanding at the end of Year 11, while those pupils not studying SPU study Critical Thinking instead, with the option of either taking the AS level at the same time as their GCSE or in December of the following school year.

[edit] Sixth Form

To cope with the departure and arrival of students following GCSEs, the form groups are once again rearranged. Students are kept in their House affiliations, but form groups across two years is now introduced. Lower Sixth Formers are in the same forms as Upper Sixth Formers. Relations between the upper and lower sixth formers are for the most part cordial, and more often than not the more troublesome students will have been asked to leave before they are allowed into the sixth form. There are typically two forms for each of the four House 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. Pupils choose from: English Literature, English Language & Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Economics, Psychology, Critical Thinking, Computing, Drama, Music, Music Technology, Art & Design, PE, Religious Studies, Government & Politics.

All boys continue with games and also follow the General Education programme. Sixth formers at John Lyon can usually be identified by their distinctive dark suits.

Sixth form games afternoon is on Wednesday, (with the Fifth year)

[edit] Extra-Curricular Activities

[edit] House System

The majority of extra curricular activities (but not all) are in aid of the inter-House Competition, called both at John Lyon and Harrow- The Cock House Cup. Every student and teaching staff member of the School belongs to one of four houses (named after Head Master's of Harrow):

  • Butler (Blue)
  • Moore (Yellow)
  • Norwood (Green)
  • Vaughan (Red)

A member of staff is designated House Master and is expected to lead and organise house activities. Assisting the House Master is a House Captain, a student from the Upper Sixth. The majority of Inter-House Competitions are sports based, with all the sports performed by the school incorporated into the Inter-House competition. The aim is to allow as many boys to participate in a competitive sporting environment. Other Inter-House competitions include chess, bridge, drama (taking place at The Ryan Theatre), debating, and music. Each competition is in a form of a mini-league with points allocated accordingly and contributing to the final total The Cock House Cup total. The Cock House Cup culminates at Sports Day (last Wednesday of Summer Term) which is the last inter-House competition and precedes the announcement of the winner of The Cock House Cup on the last assembly of the school year.

The Previous 8 years of the cup being held by Vaughan are over, and the current Cock House Cup champion is Norwood House.

[edit] Sports

The school has an extensive sports facility, which includes a large gymnasium, swimming pool and fitness suite. The schools sports pitches are located a 15 minute walk from the school on the other side of the hill. Its shared Athletic Tracks are at Harrow's fields, ten minutes' walk away.

Upon entry to the school, all boys are encouraged to participate in sports. The first four years sees boys participate in Football (for the Autumn and Spring term) and Cricket (Summer term) during their games afternoons. This is supplemented with swimming, gymnastics, indoor games, and fitness in their Physical Education lessons, which are compulusory up until and including the Fifth year. In the Sixth Form, students can choose from a larger selection of sport for their games afternoon activities. These include: golf, archery, swimming, tennis or a mixture of activities on-site at the school.

Association Day which is the Saturday after the end of term in the summer, sees a selection of teams from the current John Lyon School take on Old Lyonians, (previous John Lyon School pupils.)

The School football and cricket team plays fixtures at 1st XII, 2nd XII, Under 15s, Under 14s, Under 13s and Under 12s levels.

The school also participates in swimming, tennis, badminton, cross country, athletics and archery. The school has an historic and annual archery fixture with Harrow School called The Silver Arrow. All sporting events hold an allocated number of points, which are added at the end of the academic year. The 'Cockhouse Cup', a historic silver cup is awarded to the house with the most points.

[edit] Expressive Arts

The school has a strong emphasis on drama, with a number of productions performed during the course of the year. The annual musical is the largest and most celebrated - usually performed in spring at The Ryan Theatre, Harrow's custom built £7million facility. These productions are also supplemented with inter-House drama competitions at junior and senior level. The most prestigious production is the school play which usually appears at the end of the Autumn term and features actresses from local girls' schools.

Music is an important part of school life. The school has a senior orchestra, a junior orchestra, a jazz band, a wind band, a junior wind band and many other smaller bands such as the rock band, all designed to encourage those who learn instruments to participate in a group environment. These groups will perform at school functions and at a number of school concerts which are held throughout the year. All First Form boys take part in Choir, and the most able are inducted into The Motet Choir, singing at St Mary's Chapel on the Hill, at the beginning of term's Founders Remembrance with Harrow School. The music department also hosts a renowned Male Voice Choir, considered to be one of the most prestigious music groups in the school.

[edit] Other Activities

The John Lyon School generally encourages its students to become involved in at least one extra-curricular activity during their time at the school. In practice, however, most boys tend to concentrate on sports, drama, music or home activities. Nonetheless, a variety of clubs and societies are currently on offer, guided by a small number of staff members who offer their services voluntarily. These include Chess, Ancient Greek, Photography and Sketchup (an architectural club based on manipulating Goodle Sketchup).

Smaller competitions include the inter-House Debating Competition at both junior and senior level; a reading competition; and a recitation competition.

[edit] Other

[edit] Colours

Boys with a special ability in either Music, Drama or Sports are awarded 'Colours' for their services. These boys may wear a tie with red blue and white stripes (the number of stripes depends on the form the boy is in, with junior colours having the one stripe and colts colours many stripes, with senior colours bearing the school crest)

[edit] Monitors/ Heads of School

A select number of the Upper VI form are chosen to be "Monitors", which are in essence Senior Prefects (it is the same at Harrow). These positions are considered to be prestigious as they work with the members of staff to ensure the smooth daily running of the school. They are also meant to serve as exemplars and ambassadors for the school in external and internal functions. The "top jobs" are: Head of School (Head Boy), Deputy Head of School (Deputy Head Boy), and Section Monitors (Sixth Form/ Upper School/ Lower School). The Head of School is a presigious position, upheld by the school for well over a century and is seen as the most senior figure in the student body, where his responsibilities lie in the leadership of the Monitor team, the oversight of the School Council and in most events where students are involved, such as charity work. He is usually a long-serving member of the school community and has a wealth of experience in the day-to-day running of the school and its traditions. This year's Head Boy is Andrew Watters and his deputies are Faisal Islam and Gilbert Leaman. Also among the school leadership is House Captains who, although not at the grade of Monitors, play an important role in the running of Extra-Curricular activities. All Monitors have the privilege of wearing a tie with rampant lions, and Monitors who have also been awarded Colours have a tie with a gold school crest upon it. Monitors are expected to wear their official ties on all school formal occasions.

[edit] The Lyonian

The Lyonian is the school's magazine that is published annually, usually released on the last day of the Autumn term. The magazine is published as both an organ of record and forum for comment, debate and the expression of individual opinions in the school.

[edit] Young Enterprise

In the Lower Sixth Form, students are encouraged to participate in the Young Enterprise Scheme which sees students found and run a company whose purpose is to make money. The scheme is intended for students to understand the basic principles of running a company, and is intended to encourage team spirit. John Lyon has a good record in Young Enterprise but have yet to win any awards. The running of Young Enterprise in the school is usually the responsibility of the Head of Economics & Business Studies

[edit] Duke Of Edinburgh

From the third year, students are actively encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The majority of boys take this up with the aim of at least achieving Bronze level. Smaller numbers go on for the Silver and Gold Awards, but John Lyon students are consistently active participants in the scheme.

[edit] Outward Bound

The Lower Sixth Form are encouraged to participate in an Outward Bound Course at the Outward Bound Centre in Loch Eil near Fort William in the October of the Lower Sixth Year. Students spend a week at the Centre and are placed in clans with the object of the trip to instil principles of teamwork, communication, and co-operation into students whilst being in an alien environment.

[edit] Scholarships

Comprehensive tuition fees are circa £12,000, however in circumstances of outstanding academic ability, the school awards a number of Governor's Academic Scholarships every year. These are awarded at entry at 11+, 13+ and to the Sixth Form. Other scholarships are also awarded to individuals who show outstanding ability in either Sport, Drama, Music or Art. All Scholarships require an interview with the Headmaster in addition to formal assessment(dependent on scholarship type). The school does also award bursaries to those in a position of financial need. This is at the discretion of the School Bursar.

[edit] Headmasters (Recent)

O A Lebeau

R F B Campbell

G V "Gus" Surtees 1968-1982

[edit] David Dixon 1982-1986

He provided an important impetus to the pastoral side of the school. He left to take up a post at Brentwood School.

[edit] Rev'd. 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.

[edit] Dr. Christopher Ray 2001-2004

Dr Ray, from King's College School Wimbledon, took over in September 2001 after Rev'd 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 the Manchester Grammar School.

[edit] David Rimmer (Acting) 2004

David Rimmer, one of Dr Ray's deputies, took charge of the school for one term as the school awaited the arrival of a new headmaster. 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]

[edit] Kevin Riley

Kevin Riley, previously headmaster of the Bristol Cathedral School, took over the headship in January 2005.

[edit] Alumni

The School has an alumni association, The Old Lyonian Association which is in association with The Old Harrovians Association. For further details see http://www.oldlyonians.org/

[edit] References

  1. ^ Independent Schools Inspectorate (2004). Inspection report on the John Lyon School. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.

[edit] External links