£4.4 million boost to The John Lyon School's development plans PDF Print E-mail

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JLS Headmaster Kevin Riley
The John Lyon School has been given the go-ahead to spend up to £4.4m to kickstart its major development plans.

Governors gave their financial backing to the first part of the school’s 10-year estates strategy. The strategy aims to provide the Harrow boys’ school with the best possible facilities for a modern education.

Headmaster Kevin Riley said: “I am delighted at this tremendous support from our governors. Combined with the recent approval from Harrow Council’s planners for the first phase of the work, it means we can make a start on delivering the estates strategy without delay.

“The strategy will eventually provide The John Lyon School with all the facilities needed to create national standards of excellence in music, art, the performing arts and sport, while making the most efficient use of the school premises for all departments.”

The funding approval came from the Governors of the Harrow School Foundation, which comprises not only The John Lyon School but also Harrow School and John Lyon’s Charity.

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Boys arriving at the School
The first project in The John Lyon School’s estates strategy, which has received conditional approval from the planners, involves constructing a three-storey extension to an existing science block. It also involves removing temporary classrooms and undertaking further internal work to create a flexible group of classrooms in the centre of the School’s main building. The School hopes to start construction work on this during the summer.

Other proposals under the 10-year strategy include:

  • Replacing an existing hard sport pitch with a new games area and creating a 47-space underground car park beneath it, accessed via a new layby and drop-off point off Lower Road
  • Construction of a new music school on a site currently occupied by a temporary classroom block – this will also include underground car parking
  • Converting the School’s existing music hall into a dining area and demolishing adjacent buildings so that a servery and kitchens can be constructed
  • Turning the School’s attractive Old Building on Middle Road into an administration centre, to include a new main pedestrian entrance and the Headmaster’s Office and Bursary
  • Making improvements at the School’s Sudbury Hill playing fields.

“The John Lyon School has always been keen to play its part in the life of the local community, so I am particularly pleased that the new Lower Road access will reduce congestion on the Hill by cutting the amount of school traffic coming into Middle Road,” said Mr Riley. The School’s plans also include new parking restrictions and traffic-calming on Middle Road.

“It’s also good that our new two new car parks will eliminate the need for staff and visitors to park in the playgrounds, creating much more space for the boys to play,” said Mr Riley.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of The John Lyon School by Edge Media

MEDIA CONTACTS: Mr Kevin Riley at The John Lyon School on 020 8872 8434 or Paul Herbert at Edge Media on 01453 842020