Headmaster's Vision

Ahead of his time, Skipper Lynam, the first of three members of the Lynam family to be headmasters of the school (between 1886 and 1965), gave the Dragon a vision which still guides and inspires us. Over the years it has touched Old Dragons as diverse as John Betjeman and Leonard Cheshire, Hugh Gaitskell and Antonia Fraser, Tim Henman and Peter Jay, Hugh Laurie and Christopher Cazenove... and generations of lawyers, businessmen, musicians and scientists.

Today the Dragon is the biggest boarding and day prep school in the country, with an unrivalled reputation and superb record of winning scholarships and matches.

Important as these successes are, what truly sets the Dragon School apart are the very special people who have lived, worked and played here...and still do today.

Walk through the playground or corridors and hear the voices, the laughter, the camaraderie. Talk to the boys and girls who are interested and interesting and have the words to prove it. Feel the energy, the zest, the air of purpose, the determination to succeed, to enjoy life, to enjoy each other's company. Watch the children at the end of the day as they return home or to House, dishevelled and tired but still talking and still happy. Feel the atmosphere of a special place.

But however strong the ethos and people, the School needs structure, a firm base and a viable strategy to carry the Dragon Vision into the future. To meet this challenge, the School has established a Strategic Plan to ensure that the Dragon continues as a beacon of educational excellence. Vision needs resources as well as people. The School has never been well endowed with money or great buildings. Any development must therefore be funded from operating surpluses, and the support of the wider Dragon family and friends. The Guiding Principles explain what we believe will continue to guide our thinking and our plans for the future.

2002 was the 125th Anniversary of the founding of the Dragon. Part of Skipper Lynam's ethos all those years ago was that the Dragon should educate children from all walks of life and of all abilities. Because the school has no endowment it has not been possible to help as many children as we would have liked, and therefore we are focusing on building a Bursaries Fund to help children whose parents would not otherwise be able to afford to send them here. We will, of course, continue to put money into new and existing buildings and facilities, in order to give the children the very best environment in which to learn.

Headmaster
John Baugh