Independent Secondary Schools Admissions Guide – Harrow

April 22, 2022

• Topical

Harrow is an independent full boarding school for boys aged 13-18. It was established in 1572 by a Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I and is located on a 300-acre estate in Northwest London. It has around 850 pupils, approximately 160 in each year, who live between 12 boarding houses. Most boys join Harrow in Year 9 (13+), but the school also accepts 20 boys each year into Year 12 (16+).

Visit Harrow:

The school has 12 open mornings a year that take place on a Saturday morning. Typically, families are given a presentation by the headmaster, a tour of the school with a guide and at least one current pupil, and a visit to a boarding house. They also have the opportunity to meet other House Masters and members of the admissions department.

Registering for Harrow:

The official deadline for registering a student to join into Year 9 (13+) is the 1^st of May in Year 6 (aged 11), although Harrow advises registering by the end of Year 5 (aged 10). If this deadline is missed, there is the opportunity to register late before the 1^st of May in Year 7 (aged 12), but this is very competitive as there are only a few remaining places at this stage.

The deadline for registering into Year 12 (16+) is October of Year 11. There is a second assessment period for which the deadline is January, but it is advisable to take part in the first round as there is only a limited number of places available after the first round of assessment.

The Admissions Process:

Year 9 (13+) Entry:

Stage 1 – Candidates must sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test between October and May of Year 6, although Harrow prefer they sit the test between October and December. Harrow receive the results of this test along with a reference from the candidate’s current school. Boys with strong references and a good result on the pre-test are invited to meet at least one House Master between January and June of Year 6.

Stage 2 – All boys who have passed the ISEB Pre-Test are invited to sit the Harrow Test which comprises of a computerised maths and English test (30 minutes on each) and a short written essay. There are also two interviews at this stage, one with a House Master and one with a Senior Master.

Following the Harrow test and interviews, successful applicants will then be offered a conditional offer. The offer is subject to Common Entrance results, in which boys are expected to achieve at least 65% in all papers.

Year 12 (16+) Entry:

Stage 1 – Candidates must choose the four subjects they would like to study in Sixth Form and are tested then on their two strongest subjects. Harrow will also request a reference from their current school.

Stage 2 – Shortlisted applicants attend an assessment day at Harrow where they will be interviewed by the Head Master and the Registrars. They will then be given conditional offers, subject to the satisfactory completion of their GCSEs.

Selection Criteria:

Harrow is a highly academic institution and its selection process aims to maintain that. However, this is not the only consideration and well-rounded boys are sought after. They are looking for boys that will thrive in a busy boarding school and boarding house environment and contribute widely to school life.

For Year 12 (16+) entry, successful candidates will need to achieve 8 or more GCSEs at grade 7/8/9 and most likely would have achieved 8/9 in the subjects they want to study at sixth form.

There are also a range of scholarships, exhibitions, and bursaries which boys can apply for. Visit the school website to find out more.

https://www.harrowschool.org.uk/admissions/admissions-home