Harrow High School

About Harrow High School

Harrow High School sits within the Harrow local authority, one of 15 state secondary schools in the borough. While the school holds a Good Ofsted rating, it is not among the top-ranked peers in the area — those are Avanti House School, Bentley Wood High School, and Whitmore High School, which sits just 1.9 km away and holds an Outstanding rating. The school is a mixed, non-religious secondary with a sixth form, and it is notably oversubscribed: its capacity is 837 pupils, yet it currently has 1,013 on roll, suggesting strong local demand. The headteacher is Paul Gamble, and the school operates as a boarding school, which is unusual for a state-funded secondary in London. This combination of a Good rating, high demand, and boarding provision makes it a distinctive option for families in Harrow who want a larger-than-average school with extended pastoral care.

Academically, the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 4, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 27.8, which is below the national average, and no pupils entered or achieved the EBacc combination in the 2023/24 results. The EBacc average point score sits at 2.06. Progress 8 data is not available, so it is difficult to compare directly with the local authority average of 0.36. However, at Key Stage 5 the story is stronger: the school’s A-level value added score is 0.22, with a confidence interval of 0.13 to 0.31, placing it in the ‘Above average’ band. The average points per entry is 49.12, equivalent to a grade A, and the best three A-levels average out at grade A with 49.62 points. This suggests that while GCSE outcomes are modest, the sixth form is a genuine strength, adding significant value for students who stay on.

The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, science labs, art studios, a sixth form centre, and a chapel, alongside sports such as athletics, swimming, and martial arts. Clubs include coding, Model UN, and Young Enterprise, which may appeal to families wanting enrichment beyond the classroom. The school has an official sixth form, so students can continue from Year 11 through to 18 without needing to move. Given its oversubscription, early application is advisable. This school will suit families who value a large, diverse secondary with boarding options and a sixth form that punches above its weight academically, even if GCSE results are not the strongest in the borough.

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