Harrow Relationships

Harrow School is proud of its association with the Harrow International Schools (HISs) of which, so far, three have been established, in Bangkok (opened in 1998), Beijing (opened in 2005) and Hong Kong (opening in 2012). The purpose of the international schools programme is to replicate the legacy and traditions of Harrow School by creating a network of international schools which aims to create leaders for a better world, through academic excellence and a well-balanced educational philosophy. In order to achieve this purpose, it is a stated aim to open schools in countries which have strong ties with Britain and British culture and traditions and, in particular, with Harrow School.

Before Harrow School grants a licence, the prospective school undergoes a rigorous assessment of its commercial viability, as well as its core principles and ethos. This assessment continues, as is be apparent below.

Legal Ties
The legal framework is based on a number of written agreements. The following, though not in any way a substitute, gives a brief outline.

Each HIS is a separate company, ultimately owned by Asia International Schools Ltd (AIS), of which there are two shareholders, Mr Daniel Chiu’s family trust (80%) and Mr Ian Taylor (20%). Mr Chiu has been the Proprietor of Harrow International School Bangkok (HISBK) almost since its inception and of Beijing (HISBJ) and Hong Kong (HISHK) from the beginning. Mr Chiu, a successful Hong Kong businessman, initially became interested in HISBK through family connections with the school when it first started and, since, has developed a passion for international schooling. It is because of his isingness to invest in the schools and provide collateral that the capital necessary to support such large projects has been raised. He has established a subsidiary of AIS, Harrow International Management Services Ltd (HIMS), for the purpose of overseeing the HISs.

Each HIS operates with the benefit of a licence from Harrow School to use the name “Harrow” and the Arms (the lion crest). Although they are privately and independently owned, with their educational, administrative and financial responsibilities wholly separate from those of Harrow School, each HIS has close functional ties to Harrow School, as well as to each other.

Each HIS has its own Harrow Agreement, a legally binding agreement that outlines the roles and responsibilities of it and the other parties, including the Governors of Harrow School (and the company through which they are represented) and sets out the framework under which that company receives royalties for the use of Harrow School’s Name and Arms. These agreements lay the foundations for accountability in the operation of the HISs. The Harrow Agreement includes governance arrangements outlining the composition, roles and responsibilities of the HIS’s governing board and the operating guidelines with which that school must comply. These include the school’s philosophical foundations, curriculum, co-curriculum, pastoral care, quality controls, staffing, and operations such as marketing and finance. The agreement also recognises the supervisory role of HIMS, which operates under a separate management services agreement with the HIS.

Each HIS is monitored in terms of the expectations enshrined in the Harrow Agreement in two ways. Each has its own governing board of ten members, including two representatives of its owners and two Governors of Harrow School. (Two representatives of the Governors of Harrow School also serve on the board of directors of HIMS.)

In each school term, the two representatives of the Governors of Harrow School attend each of the HIS’s local Governors’ meetings and also the HIMS board meeting. While at the schools, they spend time visiting classes, talking with teachers, students and parents and reviewing financial performance. Similarly, the Director of Schools/ COO of HIMS visits each HIS for two days once a month and discusses with the Head matters related to strategy, finance and policy, as well as visiting classes and meeting with staff and parents.

Functional Ties
The following are examples of the functional ties between Harrow School, The John Lyon School and the Harrow International Schools.
• Mr Peter Siddons, a former Chairman of the Governors of Harrow School, is now Chairman of the HIMS board. Since becoming a Governor of Harrow School, he has visited HISBK 33 times and HISBJ 13 times, almost invariably also attending a local Governors’ meeting.

• Old Harrovians have sat and are sitting on both HISBK and HISBJ governing boards.
• Mr Kevin Riley, formerly Head of The John Lyon School, is now Head of HISBK.
• Mr Mel Mrowiec, currently Deputy Headmaster of Harrow School, has been appointed as the founding Head of HISHK.
• Mr Matthew Farthing, Head of HISBJ, was formerly Director of Studies and Head of Senior School at HISBK.
• Mr Martin Towse, formerly a senior leader at HISBK, is now Deputy Head of HISBJ.
• Mr David Dawes taught mathematics at Harrow School for 16 years before teaching at both HISBK and HISBJ and he now also aspires to teach at HISHK!
• Mr Gordon Montgomery was a physics/mathematics teacher at Harrow School and moved to HISBK 6 years ago, where he is now Head of Suriyothai House.
• Ms Sarah Mackrory taught at HISBK for 3 years before being appointed to a teaching post at Harrow School.
• Mr Francois Stalder and Preethi Stalder had a one year exchange to Harrow School from HISBK.
• Mr Severin Herbert, Head of Drama at HISBK, spent a year at HISBJ establishing a drama department there.
• Graduating students from Harrow School and The John Lyon School have gone to HISBK and HISBJ as GAP students. Former students of Harrow School have also worked at HISBJ as graduate interns.
• Travel Awards – each year 2 teaching staff at HISBK receive travel awards to travel to Harrow School for a week to become more acquainted with the school.
• Regular visits – periodically a teacher from Harrow School visits the Harrow International Schools. For example, visitors have included the Head Master, the Director of Studies, the House Master of the Grove, and the Director of Sport and PE.
• Many students from the HISs have attended Harrow School’s summer holiday programme.
• Year 6 exchange – for 2 years now Year 6 students from HISBK and HISBJ have visited each other.
• Geography and biology trips – 6th Form students from HISBJ have visited HISBK on biology and geography fieldtrips.
• MIS – the Directors of ICT at Harrow School, HISBK and HISBJ collaborated to decide which new Management Information System to adopt for the international schools. They are currently going through the same process for the purpose of deciding which VLE to introduce.
• Regular meetings – the Heads of HISBK and HISBJ meet with the Director of Schools individually once a month and as a group once a term; the Leadership Groups are now meeting annually, as are the Marketing and ICT teams.
• Heads from the five schools meet for dinner once a year.
• Mr Daniel Chiu and the Director of Schools attend a Harrow Foundation board meeting each year.