Introduction
School Name: Harrow School, Harrow
Description: Independent Boarding School for Boys
Acceptance Ages: 13+
Overview
Harrow School is an independent school for boys situated in Harrow on the Hill, London, founded in 1572 by John Lyon under a Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I. One of the original seven public schools regulated by the Public Schools Act 1868.
Pupils study in Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, English, History, Geography, Latin or Classical Civilisation, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Theology and Philosophy. They also take lessons in two languages, choosing from Classical Greek, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
The broad co-curricular programme includes learning musical instruments, playing in ensembles, singing in choirs and performing in plays, whilst the school’s acres of sports fields offer a number of activities taking place on astroturf pitches, a golf course, a swimming pool, a sports centre and numerous tennis courts.
The school’s notable alumni include statesmen such as Peel, Palmerston, Churchill, Nehru and King Hussein of Jordan; writers including Byron, Sheridan, Trollope and Richard Curtis, as well as influential social reformers, a Nobel prize-winner and 19 winners of the Victoria Cross.
These great men and the overall rich history of the school further motivate and empower pupils who have gone on to distinguished careers in business, law, medicine, the armed forces, the arts and the media.
Open Events for Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
Open Mornings will be on Saturdays with a talk given by the HeadMaster and a tour of the school and Boarding House. It is highly recommended that parents and applicants will attend an Open Morning when applicants are in Year 4 or above. Booking is necessary via an online form that is available on the school’s website.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
Next to the school visit, parents need to register their child. For standard applicants who will not apply for a scholarship or bursary, the Year 9 Registration Form needs to be submitted along with a non-refundable Registration Fee of £350.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship and/or a bursary, please visit the school’s website to learn more about the process.
The school will then request a confidential reference from applicants’ current school at the end of Year 5. Applicants must sit in a ISEB Common Pretest between October and the end of the Autumn term of Year 6. Successful applicants will be invited to meet House Masters during Year 6.
Additionally, if applicants pass the ISEB Common Pretest, they will proceed to take the Harrow Test in the Autumn term of Year 7. The Harrow Test consists of two 15-minute interviews (one with a House Master and another with a Senior Beak), an online English and Mathematics assessment (similar to CEM Select) and a short written essay.
In the first week of December of Year 7, you will receive one of the following results:
- an offer of a place in a specific House
- an offer of a place with a House to be confirmed later on
- an offer of a place on the Waiting List
- no offer
Applicants are allowed to apply for more than one scholarship. For some, a scholarship serves primarily as an acknowledgement of their achievements since it has a modest financial award, usually covering 5% of the school fees. For others, a scholarship may secure significant financial support via a means-tested bursary, which may cover up to 100% of the fees.
Regarding bursaries, parents are expected to complete a confidential statement of financial circumstances in order for the level of assistance to be determined. Some of the bursaries do not require your child to win a scholarship, but most have specific standards that he must meet in order to be considered.
Awards follow an overall assessment, which takes into account:
- applicant’s character and suitability for boarding
- academic capacity
- the needs and demands of the school
- peer group of applicants
For more information about Harrow’s scholarships and bursaries, please visit the school’s website.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
Applicants will sit entrance examinations consist of:
- ISEB Pretest (2 and a half hours)
- English writing (20 minutes)
- Harrow Test (online, 60 minutes)
The ISEB Pretest examines applicants’ ability in skills such as numeracy, problem solving and vocabulary, with emphasis on how he thinks and how he will respond to the curriculum. The test includes modules that assess Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The English test assesses writing skills while the online Harrow Test assesses Verbal and Numerical Ability through a series of online modules.
