Barnaby Lenon is a British schoolmaster who is the former Head Master of Harrow School in Harrow in north-west London.[1] He taught geography, Religious Studies, history of art and Critical Thinking, and was also master in charge of croquet. He retired in August 2011. [2][3][4] He is Chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC). [3] He is also a governor of a number of other schools, and Vice-President of the Royal Geographical Society.
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Lenon the son of a Clergyman, was born in Chelsea 1954 and was educated at Eltham College, an independent school in Eltham in south London, followed by Oxford, where he read Geography.[5] He then went on to Cambridge to train for a career in teaching.
Lenon began his career at Eton, a famous independent school in Berkshire, where he taught for twelve years, and was in the state sector for a short while at Holland Park School in west London. He became deputy headmaster of Highgate School and then headmaster of the Trinity School of John Whitgift in Croydon, south London. He was appointed as Head Master of Harrow in 1999.
Lenon is often quoted in the media about his views, complaining of what he regards as the 'dumbing down' of educational standards since the demise of O-Levels, and in early 2010 was attacked by the then Schools Minister in the Labour Government, Vernon Coaker.[6][7]
Lenon has appeared in newspapers and on the television a number of times in the past decade, mostly speaking about educational reforms. He appeared in the ITV documentary series Harrow: The School on the Hill in May 2001, on BBC 1's Celebrity Masterchef programme in August 2010, and on the BBC 2 documentary programme Britain's Youngest Boarders in September 2010. He has also appeared on BBC 2's Newsnight programme.
In 2005 Tatler magazine awarded Lenon its Schools Award for Headmaster of the Year.
Lenon is married to Penelope Anne Lenon, and they have two daughters: India, born in 1990, and Flora, born in 1992.