Having educated the young people of Harrow since Victorian times, John Lyon and Quainton Hall School will soon come together to offer an all-through education for children aged 2 – 18.

Rooted in the centre of Harrow for more than 120 years, prep school Quainton Hall will amalgamate with John Lyon, a 144-year-old senior school to form a unified 4 – 18 school with attached 2 ½ – 4 nursery for 800 pupils. The schools will continue to operate on both sites.

The move to become a single school will represent the most important and significant change that either school has ever seen and comes at a time when both are in positions of strength. Pupil numbers are secure and both schools have recently received coveted Double Excellent school inspection reports. John Lyon also recently announced its move from being a boys only school to a coeducational school from 2021.

John Lyon and Quainton Hall share similar educational values. Both place a great focus on the importance of an all-round education; that learning and development both in and outside the classroom help develop confident, successful and happy children.

The move to unite the schools was led by The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which has run Quainton Hall for the past 75 years. The Shrine, based 125 miles away in north Norfolk, approached John Lyon believing a partnership with another established local school, which itself is part of the wider John Lyon’s Foundation (John Lyon School, Harrow School and John Lyon’s Charity), would be in the best interest of Quainton Hall.

John Lyon Head, Miss Katherine Haynes said: “Bringing together two highly successful schools to create a single institution focused on delivering a strong and broad education to local children is a great success story and a hugely exciting point in our combined histories. The timing seems especially right as it comes just months after John Lyon announced it will soon educate girls for the first time. Quainton Hall is a school which holds very similar values to John Lyon, and we have been lucky to work with them for many years.

“We are grateful to The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for seeing John Lyon as the right partner for Quainton Hall, and we look forward to continuing to foster the strong educational values they have built over many years.”

Mr Simon Ford, Headmaster of Quainton Hall Schools said: “This amalgamation cements what has been a hugely successful period in the recent history of Quainton Hall School. In the past six years, the School has increased its numbers by over a third, as its excellent academic reputation and strong focus on pastoral care have continued to go from strength to strength. Our school inspection recognised this high standard, where Quainton Hall was rated ‘excellent’ in all areas.

“As Head, I am delighted to join with Miss Haynes to bring together the two schools, both of which are in the perfect position to create a highly successful single school, offering educational excellence for boys and girls from Nursery to Sixth Form. Such an alliance will enable the two schools to unite their shared educational values, expertise and resources to provide a safe, secure and nurturing through education for our pupils.”

The Right Reverend Philip North, Bishop of Burnley and Master of the Guardians of The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, said: “We are delighted about the exciting prospects for Quainton Hall School as it comes together with the highly-regarded John Lyon School, located just a mile away. The Shrine’s nurturing stewardship of Quainton Hall in the last 75 years has fostered a welcoming environment and a high standard of education and pastoral care for all students. However, the demands of leading a school far away from the Shrine’s base in Norfolk led us to believe that a partnership with another local school would be in Quainton Hall’s best interest.

“Quainton Hall is in very good shape and we believe that the special spirit of the school, its supportive environment, and the dedication of its staff, will continue to flourish when the two schools amalgamate.”

John Lyon and Quainton Hall will both continue to operate as currently for the 2020-21 school year. All pupils will attend school and classes as expected. From September 2021 Quainton Hall and John Lyon will operate as a single school, with each remaining on their existing sites. John Lyon will continue to be led by Miss Katherine Haynes. Quainton Hall will continue to be led by Mr Simon Ford.