School History
The School opens
Harvington school opened in 1890 as Heidelberg College, a kindergarten school run by two sisters, Misses Watson. The School was named after the birthplace of Miss Chrystabel Watson’s Mentor, and remained Heidelberg College until the first world war when in 1915 the staff and parents took the decision to rename the school, and Harvington was born.
School moves to Castlebar Road
In 1892, the school was moved to its current position on Castlebar Road, occupying two houses. In this year a third Watson sister, Miss Florence took over as head, a position she held for an outstanding forty-eight years
Miss Emerton and Mrs Turner appointed
Miss Florence was replaced by joint Headmistresses, Miss Emerton and Mrs Turner in 1940.
Miss Frances Smith appointed
In 1956 after sixteen years, the two Heads retired and in their place Miss Frances Smith took over the school. The next 50 years saw 3 more longstanding headmistresses, one of whom doubled as the Mayor!
Mrs Evans appointed
Then in 2006 Mrs Evans, our current headmistress, was appointed. Mrs Evans directed and led the development of Harvington School to Harvington Prep School as a result of the local demand for a traditional prep school with high standards, gaining entry for girls to the most prestigious senior schools in London.
125th Anniversary
In the years that have followed the school has grown in terms of pupil numbers and the breadth of study offered to our children. However, the warm family feel of our school, as started by the Watson sisters back in 1890, is a theme that we still hold onto and an ethos that we hold dear. In 2015 the school celebrated its 125th Anniversary with a year full of activities for pupils and their families, past and present.
