Considering a school with a rich history and a focus on student success? Canons High School is such a place. Let’s uncover its story.
Canons High School is an academy in Edgware. It lies in the London Borough of Harrow. The school includes a sixth form centre. This centre is part of the Harrow Sixth Form Collegiate. Before 1974, it was known as Downer Grammar School.
Downer Grammar School was built in 1952. It was the first grammar school in Harrow after World War II. The school was named after Thomas Downer. He was a magistrate from Harrow. Downer died in 1502. The Bishop of Stepney opened it in 1955. His name was the Right Rev Joost de Blank.
In 1974, Downer Grammar School changed. It merged with Camrose Secondary Modern School. Camrose had opened in 1932. Together they formed Canons High School. The Camrose site then became a middle school. Canons was originally one of four houses. These houses were part of the grammar school. Each was named after a local country estate. Mr Becker was the headmaster at this time.
Canons High School gained Technology College status in 2002. Later it gained a second vocational specialism. For many years Canons had four year groups. The first year group was Year 8. In September 2008, the school added a sixth form. This added Year 12 and 13. A new Sixth Form Centre opened in September 2009. In 2010 and 2011, the school changed its status again. It became a Science college. The intake years changed to include Year 7.
On August 1, 2011, Canons High School became an academy. Ofsted inspected the school in 2013. It was judged as “Outstanding”. In 2019, it was judged as “Requires Improvement”. In 2023, it was judged as “Good”.
Canons High School teaches students aged 11 to 18. It prepares to admit Year 7 pupils. Mr Bullock is the current Headteacher. Main feeder schools include Stag Lane, Glebe, Little Stanmore and Aylward. The school is often oversubscribed.
The school is east of the A4140. It is north of the Harrow and Brent boundary. Queensbury Underground station is nearby. The Jubilee line passes to the west. Edgware Road is to the east. It lies in the parish of All Saints, Queensbury.
Canons High School has many notable alumni. Some attended Downer Grammar School. These include Long John Baldry a musician, Denis Christopher Lindsay a botanist, Tessa Peake-Jones an actress and Keith Riglin a bishop. Muktar Said Ibrahim, a terrorist, attended Canons High School.
Canons High School is more than buildings. It is a place of transformation. It prepares students for their future. The school continues to evolve. Canons High School shapes future generations.