Friern Barnet Grammar School

The school was founded in 1884 as St John's High School for Boys by the Reverend Prebendary Frederick Hall MA of Jesus College, Cambridge,[1] rector of the Parish of St James and St John, Friern Barnet, to educate boys from middle-class families capable of meeting fee payments, as distinct from his efforts to provide the free schooling – financially supported by parishioners – of infants.

This was a late work in the Gothic Revival style by eminent architect John Loughborough Pearson (whose works include Truro Cathedral and St John's Cathedral, Brisbane) begun in 1890 and completed by his son Frank in 1911.

[2] On the site of the school was the original temporary iron construction known as the school-church of St. John, where both classes and church services were held.

[3] In 1995, Friern Barnet Grammar became the Senior Department of Woodside Park School, rebranded and began admitting girls.

Motto: Vita Lux Hominum Latin: Life and Light of Mankind (from St John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men) School Crest: Phoenix School Houses: [4] Formerly – Collingwood, Drake, Frobisher, Grenville, Nelson Latterly – Cook (yellow), Livingstone (green), Scott (red) Annual Events: Founder's Day, Speech Day (Prize Giving), Sports' Day In 1961, prizes were presented by the Member of Parliament for Finchley, Mrs Margaret Thatcher who "in an inspiring address spoke to the boys about their vocation in the life of the community for which school days are a preparation".