Harrow High School

Harrow High School is a co-educational academy in the London Borough of Harrow and a specialist Sports College. It was previously called Gayton High School and Harrow County School for Boys. The school has a sixth form for post-16 studies part of the Harrow Sixth Form Collegiate. There was an independent school with the same name on a nearby site until the late 1980s.

History

The site was formerly the home of Harrow County School for Boys, a grammar school. In 1975, when the London Borough of Harrow adopted a comprehensive system of education, the school became known as Gayton High School: it remained an all-boys school.

Comprehensive

Gayton High School was the last school in Harrow to become comprehensive in September 1975. Later, in 1998, the school became coeducational and changed its name to Harrow High School, a specialist sports college.

The school has gained a number of national awards for the quality of its provision, including the Artsmark Gold award (2003), Sportsmark award (2002), Investors in People (1999) and Careers Education and Guidance award (1996).

Academy

On 1 August 2011, Harrow High School officially gained academy status.

Independent school

The name "Harrow High School" previously belonged to an independent school which, until its closure in the late 1980s, occupied a site across the road from the current school, on Gayton Road.

Old Gaytonians Association (OGA)

The Old Gaytonians Association gained its first two members in October 1911 but the association was officially established on 27 September 1912. It was closed on 30 September 2016.

It was named after the school publication of the same name, this name was chosen because the school site was on 'Gayton Road'.

Notable Old Gaytonians

Harrow County School for Boys

The following were educated at the then Harrow County School for Boys:

Peter Ackroyd, Biblical scholar
Clive Anderson, comedy writer and broadcaster
Kenneth Bagshawe, emeritus professor of medical oncology, Charing Cross Hospital
John Boothman, air officer commanding-in-chief RAF Coastal Command 1953–1956, and outright winner of the Schneider Trophy in the Supermarine S6B, 1931
Donald Box, Conservative MP for Cardiff North 1959–66
Sydney Caine, director, London School of Economics 1957–1967
Horace Cutler, leader Greater London Council 1977–1981
Nicholas de Lange, professor of Hebrew and Jewish studies, University of Cambridge
Robert Dell, Archdeacon of Derby 1973-1992
Geoff Egan, archaeologist and small finds expert
Kel Fidler, vice-chancellor of University of Northumbria 2001–2008, and chairman of the Engineering Council 2005–2011
Andrew Findon, flautist
C. Robin Ganellin, emeritus professor of medicinal chemistry, University College London
Roger Glover, musician
Carl Jackson, director of music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court
Paul Jenkins, formerly HM Procurator General, Treasury Solicitor and head of the Government Legal Service
Robin Leach, actor & broadcaster
Leigh Lewis, former permanent secretary, Department for Work and Pensions
Donald McMorran, architect
Roger Mercer, archaeologist, and president, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 2005–2008
Beric Morley, former teacher at the school
Derek Morris, former chairman of the Competition Commission; provost, Oriel College, Oxford
Simon Napier-Bell, music manager and record producer
Stephen Norrington, film director, Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Paul Nurse, 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; president, Royal Society 2010–2015
Paul Oliver, architectural historian and writer on the blues and other forms of African-American music.
Geoffrey Perkins, writer, and former head of comedy, BBC Television
Geoffrey Pinnington, editor of The People 1972–82
Michael Portillo, journalist and broadcaster, former Conservative politician and Cabinet Minister
Alan Reece owner director, Pearson Engineering Ltd
Andrew Ritchie, commandant, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 2003–2006
Cardew Robinson, comic
Nigel Sheinwald, British ambassador to the United States 2007–2012
Anthony Smith, director, British Film Institute 1979–1988; president, Magdalen College, Oxford 1988–2005.
Stephen South, Formula Three driver
Jamie Stewart, musician, The Cult
Martin Walker, editor-in-chief emeritus, UPI
Martin Townsend, journalist and former editor of the Sunday Express
Anthony Young, Baron Young of Norwood Green, former deputy general secretary, Communication Workers Union; former governor, BBC; formerly Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Postal Affairs and Employment Relations, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Gayton High School

Angus Fraser, cricketer
Mark Ramprakash, cricketer
Jitesh Gadhia, investment banker
Rishi Rich, International Music producer
Nick Webster, soccer coach, writer, TV personality

Harrow High School

Marvin Sordell, former footballer who played for Watford, Burton Albion and England Under-21s
Ben Davis, footballer for Fulham F.C. and Thailand under-23s

Bibliography

May, Trevor. "The History of the Harrow County School for Boys". Harrow: Harrow County School for Boys, 1975 ISBN 0-9504535-0-1, 199p.
"Golden Jubilee Book, 1911–1961". Farnham Common: R. G. Baker & Co., 1961, 124p.
"The Gaytonian: The magazine of the County School, Harrow". 1911–1975.