‘Pioneers’ of 450-year-old British school to become part of Oakdale

With a storied tradition of opulence and the requisite noblesse oblige, Oakdale, a community famous for its sprawling mansions and connections to the robber barons of the Gilded Age and currently boasting a robust community civic spirit, is the perfect setting for Harrow International to open its much-anticipated New York outpost.

Amity Education Group, which bought the Bourne Mansion property in 2016 from St. John’s University, will be opening Harrow New York as the first Harrow International School in the United States.

The original Harrow School, located in the United Kingdom, was founded by John Lyon by royal charter of Queen Elizabeth I over 450 years ago and has since produced seven Prime Ministers, including Winston Churchill.

Sartorially, Harrow students have been distinguished with a more light-hearted and whimsical uniform consisting of morning suits and straw boater hats that can only be purchased from Christy’s in London.

“We are setting out to restore the mansion and grounds to its former glory,” said James Mower, director of studies at Harrow New York.

With 170 acres of waterfront property, the Georgian-style mansion built in 1897 for Frederick Bourne, the president of Singer Sewing Machine Company, will house approximately 80 students for the 2025-2026 school year from grades 6 through 9, subsequently adding a grade each year thereafter.

The school is currently awaiting its Provisional Charter from the New York State Education Department and expects this to be approved soon. In addition, Harrow New York has been accepted as a Candidate School to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in grades 11 and 12.

“The qualifications for an IB diploma are quite rigorous, with courses at the university level,” said Matthew Sipple, project lead and vice principal.

Sipple and Mower are expecting Harrow New York to obtain IB authorization for students to begin the program when the school opens for grade 11 enrollment.

A co-educational school with both boarding and day students, along with the option for weekly boarding (i.e., living on campus Monday through Friday with home visits Saturday and Sunday), Harrow New York is said to “offer a bespoke and challenging academic curriculum, combined with pastoral care of the highest standard and an outstanding co-curricular program, all rooted firmly in the Harrow Values of Courage, Honor, Humility and Fellowship,” according to the school’s website.

“I’ve had top-tier faculty from around the world contact me,” said Mower. “Harrow opening a school in New York is the biggest news right now in the international education community.”

While Mower and Sipple have highlighted the unique opportunities for learning available in New York City, both school leaders are adamant that the Harrow tradition and spirit cannot thrive without a strong relationship with the local community.

“We’re not here to hide behind big gates,” said Mower. “We want our students and faculty to make connections with local civic groups and community members investigate opportunities where they can make a difference.”

Among the community integration ideas is the potential use of the campus by the Oakdale Civic Association and Oakdale Historical Society for their monthly meetings, and for special celebrations such as Earth Day.

The popular 5K charity event held on July 4 and previously organized by Oakdale Civic Association president, David Chan is another community event that Mower and Sipple are keen to revive.

“We as a community are excited for the opening of Harrow International. We are looking forward to the school bringing new life to the grounds of the Bourne Mansion as well as the Oakdale community. The Oakdale Civic Association looks forward to working together with Harrow and possibly returning the successful Oakdale Firecracker 5K to the grounds in the future. We are also looking forward to the possibility of Harrow allowing the civic to returning to their grounds to host our monthly civic meetings. I anticipate the opening of the school bringing nothing but positives to our community,” said Chan.

Maryann Almes, president of the Oakdale Historical Society, who met with Harrow officials earlier in the year said she was “pleasantly surprised” at the organization’s celebration and intent to preserve and restore the history of the property.

The OHS reached out to the former LaSalle Military Academy that had operated on the Bourne Mansion property who said they were “happy to see their old stomping grounds once again used in the education of young people.”

“And we really, really like the hats!” said Almes.