Harrow Traditions

Visitors to Harrow Shanghai will see a great many long-lived traditions and will hear some unique terminology. While the origins of many of these, founded at Harrow London over the centuries, may have been lost in time, they remain a common language and set of behaviours among all those who are fortunate to attend a Harrow School.

• A Beak is a teacher, also known as a Master. 

• Bill is registration, held every morning at 08:00.

• A Bluer is the uniform’s dark blue blazer jacket. Greyers are the common grey trousers.

• A Hat is the name for the famous Harrow headwear.

• Capping is the polite act of acknowledging a beak or visitor in passing on campus by a pupil touching the brim of their hat.

• Ducker is the swimming pool.

• A Monitor is a prefect.

• Trials are internal School examinations.

• Send up is a Housepoint.

• Skew is a recorded incident of bad behaviour or poor work.

• Remove is the equivalent of Year 10 at Harrow and Shell Year 9.

• Fifth Form is the equivalent of Year 11. Sixth Form is the combination of Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, the equivalent of Year 12 and 13.