The Heatherley School of Fine Art was named after Thomas Heatherley who took over as principal from James Mathews Leigh (when it was named "Leigh's"). Founded in 1845, the school is affectionately known as Heatherley's. It is one of the oldest independent art schools in London and is among the few art colleges in Britain that focus on portraiture, figurative painting and sculpture.
It opened a new school, on George Street (off Baker Street), London, in November 1927 after previously being located on Newman Street.
Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Millais, Lord Leighton, Russell Flint, Solomon Joseph Solomon, Gregoire Boonzaier, Michael Ayrton and Sickert are numbered amongst its former students as was the first Principal of the Slade School of Art, Sir Edward Poynter, Kate Greenaway, and the first Principal of the Royal College of Art, Walter Crane.
Coordinates: 51°28′43″N 0°11′05″W / 51.4787°N 0.1847°W