Order a Prospectus Book an Open Morning Register for Entry Frequently Asked Questions News Calendar Contact Us HOME OVERVIEW ACADEMIC LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM BOARDING ADMISSIONS PUBLIC FACILITIES THE CURRICULUM RECENT DEVELOPMENTS A-LEVEL EXAM RESULTS 2013 (I)GCSE EXAM RESULTS 2013 AFTER HARROW BOOK AN OPEN MORNING VIDEO GALLERIES PHOTO GALLERIES Home Academic Life Academic Life Public examinations are important. Achieving good grades increases a boy’s options in life, most immediately with regard to university entrance, so we do our utmost to help Harrovians perform to their potential. But that’s not the whole story. At Harrow, those achievements provide just one dimension of academic life. Scholarship, unlike examination syllabuses, is limitless. This is a school where learning for its own sake motivates us all, Beaks and boys. We balance the rigour of carefully crafted examination preparation with the development of research skills and the ability to debate, communicate confidently, solve problems and think both critically and creatively. We do this because we believe these skills have inherent, lifelong value. It is no coincidence, also, that universities are always on the lookout for candidates who know how to learn and who wish to be further stretched and challenged. Our coherent and broad curriculum ensures that all boys perform well in their (I)GCSEs and A-level public examinations, thereby increasing their academic and career opportunities. Our challenging super-curriculum offers a range of scholarly activities that complement and bolster the traditional syllabus. This includes our unique Electives programme, a range of broad-based, university-style classes that go outside and beyond A-level study, and our roster of societies and lectures that take advantage of our full-boarding schedule and close proximity to London. The academic curriculum for the first year, which we call the Shell, is a foundation course in which boys have a choice of languages. In the Remove and Fifth Form, boys study ten subjects to (I)GCSE, including the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Sciences and a Modern Foreign Language. All boys are expected to take at least four subjects to AS-level and three or four to A-level, specialising in subjects that will prepare them for their desired university course. Alongside the Electives programme, we offer Sixth Formers Critical Thinking and an Extended Project Qualification. We attract some of the very best teachers in the profession, all of whom love their subject and pass this on to the boys. Relatively small division sizes enable Beaks to focus on individuals to greater effect; in the Lower School a boy might expect to find himself in a group of about 15; in the Upper School, A-level divisions rarely exceed ten and are often much smaller. We test all boys on arrival at Harrow to assess their abilities and learning needs. We have a team of professionals in the Learning Support Department, including EAL specialists, and we ensure that we meet the learning needs of each individual boy. In addition to his House Master and academic Beaks, each boy also has a Tutor that helps to guide him. Parents meetings are held for each year group every year, and we write reports at half term and the end of each term. If you have any questions about our curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Jesse Elzinga, Director of Studies. DAILY LIFE AT HARROW News Pupil Achievements School Calendar Meals this week Term Dates Non-teaching Job Vacancies Gap student applications INSIDE HARROW All Pupils’ Email Staff email Harrow Intranet Parents' Site Remote File Access OTHER HARROW WEBSITES Harrow Association Harrow Development Trust Harrow School Enterprises Harrow Summer School Harrow International School Bangkok Harrow International School Beijing Harrow International School Hong Kong John Lyon's Charity The John Lyon School Harrow Club W10 HELP Contact Us How to Find Us FAQs Accessibility Privacy & Terms Harrow School 5 High Street Harrow on the Hill Middlesex HA1 3HP school website design by Interactive Schools