Best secondary schools in Harrow: A complete 2026 guide

Harrow has one of the most recognisable secondary school names in the country, but the borough's wider state and independent landscape is broader than the famous Harrow School suggests. The borough has no state grammar schools, but it has a strong group of comprehensives, faith schools, and single-sex state secondaries, alongside several established independent schools.

This guide is for parents weighing up secondary options in Harrow, whether you are considering the independent route or looking at the borough's state schools. It covers the schools that consistently come up in local conversations, plus how Harrow's admissions process works alongside the wider pan-London system.

We have based this list on schools with strong reputations, positive Ofsted or ISI track records, and consistent demand from Harrow families. We have included independent schools, academies, comprehensives, and faith schools so that the list works whatever route you are considering.

We have not invented Ofsted ratings or specific exam results. Where we describe a school's strengths we have used qualitative language based on widely reported information. You should always check the most recent inspection report and the Department for Education's compare-school-performance service before making a decision.

Harrow School in Harrow on the Hill is an independent boarding school for boys with a long-standing national and international reputation. It is among the most well-known independent schools in the country.

The school is known for strong academic results, a distinctive house system, and a broad extra-curricular offer including sport, music, and the arts. Admission is by competitive assessment, with most pupils entering at Year 9. Bursary and scholarship support is available.

The John Lyon School in Harrow on the Hill is an independent co-educational day school (formerly boys-only until 2021, when it became co-educational at 11+ from September 2021). It was founded by John Lyon, the same benefactor behind Harrow School, and shares some governance links with Harrow while operating as a distinct day school.

The school is known for strong academic standards, an active sixth form, and a balanced extra-curricular programme. Admission is by competitive assessment, with bursary support available.

The Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth is just over the Hertfordshire border but widely used by Harrow families. It is an independent day and boarding school with a long-standing reputation.

The school is known for strong academic results, an active sixth form, and a broad sporting and arts offer. Admission is by assessment, with bursary support available.

Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood sits in the neighbouring borough of Hillingdon but is a popular option for Harrow families looking at boys' independents. It has a strong national reputation.

The school is known for high academic standards, an active sixth form, and a long-standing tradition of sporting and academic competition with Harrow School. Admission is by competitive assessment, with bursary support available.

Harrow has no state grammar schools. Families looking for the state selective route most often apply to the partially-selective Hertfordshire schools (such as Watford Grammar for Boys, Watford Grammar for Girls and Parmiter's, which retain a historic grammar name and reserve a share of places for academic ability) or to the fully selective Buckinghamshire grammars further out. These all sit outside the London admissions area and run their own selective tests.

If you are considering the cross-borough or out-of-London selective route, treat it as a separate parallel application. Register early for the selective tests in Year 5 or early Year 6, and check the catchment criteria carefully since many out-of-borough schools give priority to children living closer to the school.

Whitmore High in Harrow is a large co-educational secondary with a strong local reputation. It serves a wide catchment across the centre of the borough.

The school is known for consistent GCSE results, a broad subject offer, and an active sixth form. Admission is non-selective and primarily based on distance.

Park High in Stanmore is a co-educational comprehensive with a long-standing local reputation. It is one of the more popular non-selective options in the north of the borough.

The school is known for solid GCSE results, a structured approach to behaviour, and an active sixth form. Admission is non-selective and primarily by distance.

Nower Hill in Pinner is a large co-educational secondary with a positive local reputation. It serves a wide catchment in the west of the borough.

The school is known for consistent academic results, a broad curriculum, and an active sixth form. Admission is non-selective and primarily by distance.

Bentley Wood in Stanmore is a non-selective girls' state secondary. It is one of the few single-sex state schools in the borough.

The school is known for consistent GCSE results, an active sixth form, and a supportive academic culture for girls. Admission is non-selective and primarily by distance.

Sacred Heart Language College in Harrow is a girls' Catholic academy with a specialism in languages (it converted to academy status in 2019, having previously been voluntary aided). It has a long-standing reputation in the borough.

The school is known for strong GCSE results, particularly in languages, a clear Catholic ethos, and a supportive academic environment. Admission gives priority to baptised Catholic girls in line with the school's faith-based criteria.

Canons High in Edgware is a large co-educational academy with a positive local reputation. It serves the east of the borough and parts of neighbouring Barnet.

The school is known for steady improvement in results, an active extra-curricular programme, and a broad subject offer. Admission is non-selective and primarily based on distance.

League table position is only one factor. The right school depends on your child's personality, your home location, and what matters most to your family.

Harrow's state secondary landscape is more diverse than its independent reputation suggests. Schools like Whitmore, Nower Hill, and Park High serve large communities and have built consistent reputations over many years. Single-sex state options like Bentley Wood and Sacred Heart give girls a different environment to consider. Co-educational comprehensives suit families who prioritise a mixed peer group day to day.

Practical factors matter too. Harrow is a large borough geographically, and commute times across it can be significant. Sixth form provision varies between schools, and SEND provision varies even more. It is worth asking specific questions on open day even if you do not currently expect to need that support. Visit on a normal weekday if you can, not just at the polished open evening.

Harrow is part of the pan-London admissions system. You apply through the Harrow online portal, listing up to six schools in order of preference. The deadline is 31 October in Year 6 for entry the following September. National offer day is 1 March.

Independent schools sit outside the pan-London system entirely, with their own deadlines, fees, and assessments. If you are applying to Harrow School, John Lyon, or any other independent, follow that school's own admissions process and treat it as separate from your state-school preferences. You are still entitled to a state place if your independent applications do not work out.

Faith schools usually require a supplementary information form and supporting evidence such as baptismal certificates or signed clergy forms. The level of faith required for priority admission varies between schools and even between years. If your child is not offered a place at any of your preferred state schools, you will be offered the nearest school with availability and can join waiting lists.