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Harrow School and John Lyon share a foundation, but they are separate admissions choices. Harrow is a boys’ full-boarding senior school. John Lyon is coeducational and day-only, with provision from age two to eighteen. Start with that distinction before comparing results or fees.
Harrow School takes boys from around 13 to 18 for full boarding. It suits a family seeking a residential education and a child ready for school life to include evenings and weekends. The High Street address does not make it a day-school option for a nearby family.
John Lyon offers coeducational day education from ages 2–18. Its senior campus is on Middle Road; younger pupils use the separate prep campus on Hindes Road. It is the more relevant comparison if your child should continue living at home, or if you are choosing for a daughter.
Both senior schools lead through GCSE study towards A levels. Neither should be selected on the assumption that a shared foundation means shared admissions or an automatic transfer between the schools.
Harrow’s main senior entry is at 13, but its application process begins much earlier. Register by 30 September of Year 6. Applications after the end of Year 5 are already classed as late and compete for fewer places.
Applicants take the ISEB Common Pre-Test in Year 6. Those who progress attend the Harrow Test, including English and mathematics assessment, an interview and a group activity. Offers require later participation in Common Entrance or the school’s academic scholarship examinations in Year 8. Ask how those requirements apply if the current school does not prepare pupils for Common Entrance.
For John Lyon’s Year 7 entry in September 2027, the application, scholarship and bursary deadline is 31 October 2026 at 4pm. Entrance assessments are on 18 or 19 November 2026. They include English, mathematics and group work. A pupil applying from overseas should discuss assessment arrangements before paying to register.
These are different entry points. For a child already aged 13 or 16, ask about the appropriate senior or sixth-form process, rather than applying the Year 7 timetable to everyone.
Harrow’s 2026–27 fees are £21,990 per term including VAT, boarding, tuition, textbooks and laundry. Three terms give a calculated annual figure of £65,970, before extras. The older £21,245 figure is not the current rate.
Harrow also charges £450 to register. Year 9 entry involves separate deposits and a non-refundable acceptance fee. If at least one parent normally lives overseas, an additional term’s fees is paid upfront and credited to the final bill. Visa sponsorship carries a further annual charge. Request the full payment schedule rather than adding every deposit to annual tuition as a permanent cost.
John Lyon’s 2026–27 senior fee is £10,076 per term including applicable VAT and lunch. The calculated three-term total is £30,228. Prep and nursery have lower, age-specific fees, so this is not a single price for all ages.
John Lyon’s current fee table lists £200 registration and acceptance payments of £1,250 for UK residents or £3,750 for overseas residents. Its Year 7 page still shows lower amounts. Confirm the applicable charges and refund conditions before payment.
For Harrow, discuss boarding readiness, contact with home and the practical arrangements for holidays. For John Lyon, test the correct campus journey and ask whether the school coach works with your child’s after-school activities.
If financial assistance is essential, ask about means-tested bursaries during the application process. Do not assume an academic scholarship will meet the family’s full need.
The Harrow school list, boarding-or-day guide and UK guide provide the broader context.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
Harrow School is a boys-only full-boarding school in Harrow on the Hill. Its principal entry points are Year 9 at age 13 and Year 12 at age 16.
HarrowJohn Lyon is a co-educational day school for ages 2–18, separate from Harrow School. Senior tuition is £10,076 per term for 2026–27, including lunch and VAT where applicable. The published registration and acceptance charges differ between pages, so confirm them before paying.
LondonAlleyn’s is a selective co-educational day school for ages 4–18. This guide explains the different junior-school routes, the 11+ and 16+ processes, and the costs that sit outside tuition.
BristolBristol Grammar School is a selective, co-educational independent day school from Reception through Sixth Form. Its subject range makes it worth considering for a child who wants academic choice while living at home. Senior and Sixth Form fees are £7,422 per term from autumn 2026. Admissions pages still describe the previous entry round, so families applying for 2027 need a new timetable.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.