HARROW School, founded in 1572 and whose old boys include Winston Churchill, has joined forces with local comprehensives to back their bids for specialist status.
The John Lyon’s charity, whose trustees are the governors of Harrow School, has pledged pound;100,000 in sponsorship to five of the borough’s high schools.
All of the area’s 10 high schools are seeking to develop a specialism to ensure the status does not become divisive. Several have paired up to make joint bids.
John Lyon’s has pledged pound;25,000 to Hatch End and Nower Hill, making a joint bid for arts status; pound;35,000 to Park high and Canons high, for their technology bid; and pound;40,000 towards Harrow high’s sports bid.
Schools bidding for specialist status have to raise pound;50,000 in sponsorship, and - if successful - receive additional per-pupil funding for three years.
Harrow high is a close neighbour of the pound;5,300-a-term Harrow School, whose head Barnaby Lenon has written to Education Secretary Estelle Morris supporting the high school’s sports college bid.
Mr Lenon said: “We are prepared to be full partners if Harrow high’s bid is successful. We have existing links. For example, a member of my staff is on their governing body and we compete against them in sport.
“We are especially keen to give Harrow high pupils the opportunity to make use of our athletics, cricket and football facilities. Through state-independent school partnership we expect to expand opportunities for local young people.”
Bruce Goddard, head of Canons high school, said: “We are lucky. Some schools have found it very difficult to raise the money and we are grateful to John Lyon’s.” He is optimistic the school’s joint bid with Park high will be successful.
John Lyon’s charity is the biggest private grant-maker in Harrow and one of the largest educational charities in London. It has committed pound;2 million to supporting young people in recent years.
