Good Schools Guide describes us as “A thriving school which provides a well-rounded, well-grounded education in a welcoming atmosphere.” In our most recent ISI inspection, John Lyon met all of the required independent school standards.
Pupils look after each other, are compassionate and exhibit a willingness to volunteer, all of which are reflective of the School’s aims.
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What The Good Schools Guide says…
Senior School:
- Parents believe the school gets the balance just right. ‘The grades are good, but you’re not made to feel awful if you’re not at the top of the league tables.”
- A ‘rounded’ education given a firm emphasis, with a timetabled programme of ‘skills-based’ activities including everything from cooking to changing a tyre.
- ‘People describe us as one of the best kept secrets in London,’ says the Head, who clearly now intends the secret to leak out.
Read the Senior School’s Good Schools Guide Review
Prep School:
- The curriculum, delivered by knowledgeable and experienced staff, runs roughly along National Curriculum lines, but one step ahead.
- A positive, upbeat school with high academic standards and a warm family atmosphere, producing well-balanced, confident all-rounders.
- Good range of clubs from reception, and working parents welcome the wrap-around care – as well as the overall family atmosphere.
We are delighted that John Lyon School has met all of the required independent school standards and also that the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) recognised how we are providing quality academic, co-curricular and pastoral outcomes for our pupils. We were very pleased with the wonderful feedback we received from the inspection team, which confirms our commitment to offering the very best, rounded educational experience to our pupils.
For the first time in its history, John Lyon was inspected as a 3 to 18 co-education school, with the ISI visiting all three of our campuses: Prep School, Senior School and Sudbury Fields.
It is worth nothing that, as of September 2023, the ISI has been operating inspections within an entirely new framework which varies hugely from previous inspections. Therefore, comparisons with our previous inspection reports and that of other schools’ reports before this time are not like-for-like.
Whilst we were previously graded ‘excellent, excellent’ in the Prep and Senior Schools, the new style of inspection reports now simply state whether a school has met or not met the required standards.
John Lyon School is pleased to have met all Independent School Standards:
- Leadership and management, and governance
- Quality of teaching, training and recreation
- Pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society
- Safeguarding
Senior School:
Prep School:
Please note that reports from both the Independent Schools Inspectorate and the Good Schools Guide were commissioned prior to the merger between John Lyon School and Quainton Hall School in November 2020. Quainton Hall School since become part of John Lyon School, as our Prep School, and was rebranded to be part of the John Lyon family in January 2024. Click here to read more about the rebrand.
Pupils are eloquent, think clearly and communicate with confidence.
The Good Schools Guide remains one of the best sources of information for parents. All reviews are entirely impartial.
A small, thriving school, with historic links to Harrow School, which provides a well-rounded, well-grounded education in a welcoming atmosphere.
We provide a wide range of sporting activities and opportunities for all pupils.
At our Prep School we concur with educational theorists who emphasise the importance of the creative mind and ‘emotional intelligence’ and ‘wellbeing’ – the need to develop the whole personality and our pupil’s imaginations especially. Drama has the power to liberate the mind.
We encourage our pupils to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. 
At our Prep School, Computing covers the use of electronic technology in all its forms, including computers and other communication devices.
• What is religion?
Art is an integral part of our Prep School’s curriculum, providing our pupils with a unique means of expressing their ideas by allowing them to explore new thoughts and give life to their creative minds.
History is taught throughout the School and pupils are encouraged to find out about events and peoples.
Planet Earth is our only home. It is an mind-blowing, diverse and constantly changing place of awesome beauty and power. 
French is the language of our nearest neighbours, probably the easiest foreign language for English speakers to learn and, after English, one of the most widely-learned languages worldwide.
The core of every science lesson at our Prep School is about developing every pupil’s curiosity in the world around them. 
Mathematics is a key subject for children of all ages at our Prep School.
English is taught using lively and creative methods through a variety of texts and resources incorporating ICT from Pre-Prep onwards.