The John Lyon School

Structure and Curriculum

The Governing Body of Harrow School retains ultimate control of the John Lyon School; most responsibilities, however, are delegated to a John Lyon Board of Governors (officially styled Committee of Management). A

number of Harrow governors serve on this Committee, alongside various co-opted governors. Unlike many other governing bodies in British schools there is no academic staff involvement in overall school government.

The John Lyon School is divided into three age sections

Oldfield

Students in the first two years at the John Lyon School are largely based in form rooms in Oldfield House. There are 4 forms in Year 7 and 3 in Year 8, each form consists of approximately 20 boys selected following the school's 11+ entrance examination and interview.

The Junior curriculum comprises English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Religious Studies and Philosophy, French and Spanish (Years 7–8, one optional in Year 9), Latin (from Year 8, optional in Year 9), Mandarin (mandatory in Year 8) Drama, Music, Art, ICT and Games.

In addition to academic subjects, all Junior students take part in activities and games programmes, as well as Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education (PSCHE)

Upper School

Year 9 forms a year group of somewhat larger size, with a large intake from the school's 13+ entrance examination; it is divided into five forms of approximately 20 boys each.

In Years 10 and 11, students at The John Lyon School prepare for GCSE examinations. Most students take 9 or 10 subjects, some take 11 or 12 selected from the following: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, Spanish, Ancient Greek, Latin, History, Geography, Computer Science, Drama, Music, Art, Religious Studies/Philosophy and Statistics.

The school offers the Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Biology, Chemistry and Physics IGCSE, rather than the standard GCSE in these subjects.

A Higher Project Qualification is offered to academically able students at the end of year 10.

Provision is made for advanced progression at The John Lyon School. Able mathematicians take the Mathematics IGCSE early at the end of Year 10, before following an additional mathematics course in Year 11 as a preparation for AS/A2 Level. All Latin students at the John Lyon School achieve their first GCSE-equivalent award at the end of Year 10, before continuing to study for a second qualification at the end of Year 11.

Sixth Form

In the Sixth Form, students are placed in tutor groups of 8-10 boys. Students are expected to take four AS levels in their Lower Sixth year, and for three of those to be taken to A2 level at the end of their Upper Sixth Year (the most able candidates may continue with four subjects). An Extended Project Qualification is also offered to academically able students from the Summer Term of the Lower Sixth.

Students may currently choose from the following subject offering: English Literature, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, French, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Latin, Classical Civilisation, History, Geography, Economics, Business Studies, Government/Politics, Drama, Music, Music Technology, Art and Religious Studies. Critical Thinking is also available to be taken alongside AS and A2 modules, with tutoring outside the normal timetable.

All students continue with games and also follow a lecture series that includes the forum known as "Union" on most Fridays.

The recently renovated Thomas Blackwell Centre gives the Sixth Formers a distinct and welcoming space that reflects their senior position in the School. The centre has dedicated study spaces in the Burges Study Room and the Wolfson Compute Suite, along with the Cloisters common room for socialising, an office for the Head Boy, a kitchen and locker spaces. The Careers office is also in the Centre. Sixth formers wear a suit and tie rather than formal school uniform and are afforded greater privileges than younger pupils.

House system

Each student and teaching staff member of the School is randomly assigned upon entry to the school to one of four houses unless they have a familial link to a House:

Each house is led by a House Master or Mistress, assisted by a House Captain drawn from the Upper Sixth. While most house competitions are sporting in nature, there are also competitions in chess, debating, drama, music, reading, recitation and an annual Spelling Bee. The culmination of annual competition is Sports Day following which the Cock House Cup is awarded.

School Sport

Located on the main school site, the John Lyon School's Sports Centre features a large sports hall, a newly refurbished gym, a fitness studio and a 25m swimming pool. The John Lyon School's Sporting Grounds, called Sudbury Hill lie a 3-minute drive from the school on the lower slopes of Harrow Hill, reached by a small fleet of minibuses. The 25-acre sports facility at Sudbury Hill has a newly built (Jan 2016) Astro pitch, ten football pitches, three cricket squares, an artificial wicket, a large pavilion with hospitality facilities, and an archery range. The School also has extensive access to the professional-level sporting facilities at Harrow School, including a new athletics track, a nine-hole golf course and tennis, squash and badminton courts.

In the first four years, all boys play football and hockey (Autumn and Spring terms), cricket (Summer term) during their games afternoons, supplemented with badminton, swimming, and gymnastics. In addition, Physical Education lessons are compulsory for students until the Sixth Form, at which point students also have a wider choice for their games afternoons, including archery, golf, rock climbing, squash, swimming, and tennis. Students from Year 10 onwards may substitute their games participation for involvement with the School's Combined Cadet Force.

The John Lyon School has football and cricket teams at 1st XI, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI, 5th XI, Under 15s, Under 14s, Under 13s and Under 12s levels.

Association Day is held at Sudbury Hill on a Saturday in the Summer term and sees a selection of school teams take on a team of Old Lyonians.

Expressive arts

A number of drama productions are held the course of the school year, including a School Play at the end of Autumn Term and a large scale School Musical, typically staged during Spring Term at Harrow School's Ryan Theatre. These productions are supplemented with inter-House drama competitions at junior and senior level.

The choir are regularly invited to sing the office of Evensong at St.Paul's Cathedral

The school has two orchestras, two wind bands, a jazz band, a rock band, and an RnB band, designed to encourage those who learn instruments to participate in a group environment. There is a large school choir, in which all Year 7 students participate, and invitation-only Motet and Male Voice Choirs.

Other activities

The John Lyon School encourages its students to be consistently involved in at least one extracurricular activity. A variety of school clubs and societies are currently on offer, organised by staff members who offer their services voluntarily. These include Ancient Greek, Chess, Photography, Bio Medics, Junior and Senior Debating Staff and students alike contribute to The Standard, the termly newsletter for boys and their parents.

The John Lyon School maintains a varied annual programme of expeditions and other trips, including regular exchange programmes with schools in France and elsewhere, field trips and Mountaineering courses. Pupils in Year 10 take part in the Harrow International Schools Exchange and the Harrow Fifth Form Conference.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is offered in Year 10 and above, statistically placing John Lyon as the most successful school in London in terms of the number of awards.

Awards

The school awards Governors' Academic Scholarships for entry at 11+, 13+ and to the Sixth Form. Other scholarships are available to individuals who show outstanding ability in Art, Drama, Music or Sport. Discretionary bursaries may be offered from time to time to those in a position of financial need.

Boys demonstrating outstanding achievement in Expressive Arts or Sport may be awarded 'School Colours' and wear a red striped tie. (The number of stripes depends on the section the boy is in: Junior colours have one stripe, Colts two and Seniors three.)

Speech Day marks the official end of the academic year, when prizes are awarded to students who have achieved particular distinction in an academic subject. Head's Commendations are awarded termly to students who have made a particular impact on school life in general.

Members of the Upper Sixth are chosen annually to be Monitors, the School's designation for senior prefects. The Monitors are led by the Head of School and have the privilege of wearing a striped tie with rampant lions. Each monitor typically has responsibility for a particular area of the school, and leads a team of prefects. In addition, the four Houses each appoint a House Captain annually to co-ordinate their activities.

Notable Alumni

Notable Staff and Governors

The Old Lyonian Association represents the school's alumni (Old Lyonians).