A school that has been a staple boys schools for nearly 145 years will soon start teaching girls.

John Lyon School which is known for educating boys from Harrow since 1876, will be welcoming its first girl pupils from September 2021, which marks the school’s 145th anniversary year.

The decision to introduce girls into Year 7 by 2021 is based on demand from parents and prospective parents, as well as the schools desire to reflect the Harrow community.

Miss Katherine Haynes, the headteacher, said: “John Lyon has a rich history and tradition, yet we are a proudly modern, forward-thinking and ambitious school.

“Situated on the edge of the pre-eminent global city, London, in a borough that is constantly changing and evolving, we see our ability to adapt to meet the needs of our community as a core strength.

“Our recent school inspection noted a community that ‘exudes an ethos of inclusivity’.

“The broad diversity of John Lyon’s pupils reflects this community, with the single exception that to date we have only educated boys.

“When our School was founded in the 19th century girls simply weren’t educated in the same way as boys but almost 150 years later we are in a position to be able to extend this education and rich heritage to both boys and girls.

“As we approach our 150th anniversary it is especially pleasing to announce our ambition for a large increase in our bursary provision.

“With means-tested bursaries as well as academic, sport, music and drama scholarships, we envisage more than one-third of our 600 pupils will benefit from reduced school fees.

“John Lyon, the man after whom we are proudly named, was a philanthropist whose legacy has been a fine education for many thousands of young people. It is good to be able to build on that legacy.

“The School believes that as a high-achieving senior day school educating both young men and women from all backgrounds in the heart of a vibrant North West London, we can look to the future with confidence that standards will increase further, opportunities for pupils will grow, and John Lyon will continue as a leading place of learning for generations to come.”

In January, the school received an ‘Excellent’ rating from the Independent Schools Inspectorate for both pupil’s academic standards and their personal development.

Looking ahead, the school already intends to increase the funding of bursaries to make it available to more pupils.