Ethos and Values

Our Ethos

John Lyon has a richly deserved reputation for providing an excellent all-round education that combines high academic standards with excellence in Sport and the Arts and outstanding pastoral care. The School is a friendly and purposeful place. Learning is both broad and deep, and we offer a unique education that embraces opportunity and excellence both within and beyond the classroom. At John Lyon every pupil matters.

Our Values

John Lyon has a clear set of values that are vital to our community. Our Values shape who we are, what we do and how we do it. Each value is  woven into School life and our admissions  process. Our Values are tangible and meaningful; they enable us to promote and teach a set of principles to our pupils that will help them thrive as happy individuals.

We have high expectations and are determined to achieve our goals.

Small form groups create a supportive culture where pupils are encouraged, by specialist staff, to follow their passions and develop new skills. We are driven, self-motivated, have a can-do mindset and strive for constant improvement in all our endeavours.


We achieve the highest standards in our endeavours.

Inspirational, dynamic teaching ensures pupils are encouraged and nurtured to excel and achieve. We provide a springboard for later life with a broad curriculum that ensures each individual pupil is challenged and can thrive. We are focused and dedicated in our pursuit of excellence.


We are willing to be bold, to experiment and to be resourceful.

We welcome unconventional and original ideas. We are a listening School where ideas and concepts are readily communicated and implemented. We embrace innovative technology to support and encourage the application of imagination and initiative.


We are tenacious and have the capacity to embrace adversity, recover quickly, and learn from the experience.

We are determined and steadfast in the face of adversity. We take on challenges, persevere and seek solutions. Our teaching, mentoring and pastoral care cultivate an environment where courage and grit prevail.


We have a strong moral code and pride in the charitable history of our School’s founder.

We cherish the legacy and values derived from our founder, John Lyon, and are proud of our philanthropic beginnings. We enjoy a close relationship with our wider Harrow Family of Schools and Alumni. We are a local school yet benefit from having a global outlook and international links. We celebrate our established traditions whilst creating our own history with a progressive and ethical approach to education.


We are compassionate and respectful, looking after each other and our wider community.

We are happy, kind and tolerant, approaching life with a spirit of service and a willingness to volunteer. Pupils of all ages are confident to take the lead in promoting a respectful and sustainable environment. Our diverse and inclusive community starts at School but extends to the Hill, our Alumni, our peers within John
Lyon’s Foundation, our partnerships, our families, neighbours and beyond. We believe in collaboration and celebrate friendship.


We have curious minds and a love of learning.

We are inquisitive, curious and challenge the status quo. We are eager to learn, to expand our understanding and to ask questions of ourselves and the world around us. We foster interests through our bespoke curriculum, outstanding extra-curricular provision and excellent facilities.


We will explore, use our imagination and be inventive.

We embrace individuality and creativity inside the classroom, on stage, on canvas, on sports pitches and throughout school life. We are inspired to think laterally and not to be afraid to challenge what seems impossible. Being creative allows us to express ourselves, boost our mental health, and realise our dreams


John Lyon is an independent school, a member of HMCISC and is reviewed in the Good Schools Guide.

Pupils typically join John Lyon in Nursery, Reception, Year 3, Year 7, Year 9 and the Lower Sixth, largely from a Northwest London catchment area including Harrow, Wembley, Stanmore, Pinner, Watford, Rickmansworth, Northwood, Ruislip, Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Southall, Ealing, Acton, Edgware, Brent Cross, Finchley, Barnet, Camden, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, as well as other parts of Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

See forthcoming open events, concerts and exhibitions on our What’s On page.