On Sunday 11th November pupils, parents and staff from St. Lawrence College joined other school communities, representatives from countries all over the world and members of the public to honour those servicemen and women who have died defending freedom and protecting their country over the last 100 years. Remembrance Day is marked every year since 1919. This year’s Remembrance Day was extra poignant given it is exactly 100 years since the armistice that ended The First World War.  

This year’s service of remembrance in Athens was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Alimos. The service was directed by the British Military Attaché, Captain Tim Ferns and led by the Anglican vicar in Athens, the Reverend Canon Leonard Doolan. Pupils from Byron College provided readings, singing and music. This follows St. Catherine’s school pupils doing so in 2017 and St. Lawrence College pupils in 2016. 

Following the laying of wreaths by the ambassadors and representatives of countries such as the UK, Ireland, the USA, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Serbia, Canada, Romania, Australia, New Zealand and India among others, there followed the laying of wreaths by pupils of schools. Two of our Year 6 pupils, Max Stephenson and Leo Droggitis, both house captains in St. Lawrence College, laid a wreath on behalf of all pupils, parents and staff of our school.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn” (lines from ‘For The Fallen’, by Laurence Binyon)  

Due to a government imposed school closure, St Lawrence College is not currently able to physically open its doors to its student body. However, we are able to offer a comprehensive set of online alternatives under these unprecedented circumstances and have undertaken considerable efforts to cover every level of learning from FS1 right up to A' level classes.

The Early Years department is in regular contact with families to continue each pupil's development using the online Tapestry platform which is already a big part of the shared learning experience for our youngest children. In KS1, teachers are regularly distributing and receiving work via email and modifying it according to individual learners' needs. 

Right from KS2 (Year 3), to Year 13 for A' levels, the online Microsoft Teams Platform is being utilised successfully by all. It is new to some of our pupils and staff, but not all. Having said this, all pupils and faculty have adapted quickly to the whole situation and are making excellent use of the facilities the platform offers. 

Whilst nothing can replace face to face classroom interaction between teachers and learners, the features of this learning platform mean that lesson material is being delivered with live feedback, thus providing a valuable class experience for our pupils. Lesson material is provided and work handed in as it would be at school. Teachers, who log on for lesson time between 9 a.m. and the end of  the school day, give their classes real time support during lessons and tasks. The experience is proving worthwhile, thus we hold our teaching staff in high regard and thank them for the professional, dedicated effort they are making to ensure no one loses valuable learning time during our closure. 

We wish the whole St Lawrence College community the very best of luck and sincerely hope we all stay safe and healthy in these trying times. 

A very warm welcome to St. Lawrence College Junior School and Nursery.  St. Lawrence College is a friendly school where we provide a happy, secure learning environment so that everyone feels valued- an excellent extension of the best home! The warmth of our staff and pupils, the strong atmosphere of camaraderie and cooperation and a nurturing environment are evident throughout the school from the moment you walk through the entrance.

At St. Lawrence College we cherish our pupils and encourage them all to develop socially, emotionally, academically and physically to achieve their full potential in every aspect of their school life.  We pride ourselves on providing a learning environment where children grow and develop in safe and supportive surroundings, becoming creative thinkers and lifelong learners. All of our children are known, appreciated and respected as individuals who leave us ready for the next stage in their education with life skills which prepare them to be future global citizens. We promote high standards whilst fostering creativity and imagination, therefore, encouraging children to be reflective and self-motivated learners.

Our curriculum is exciting and innovative, giving all pupils the opportunity to be successful, develop their skills and enjoy their learning.  We work hard to create an environment where the enjoyment of learning is fostered and nurtured, allowing pupils to feel safe and confident to participate fully. We believe that school should be fun and indeed that school days should be the best days of our lives.  Our pupils are taught that mistakes are simply learning opportunities and to always strive to do their best.

We also firmly believe in a genuine partnership between home and school and consider the relationship with parents and carers invaluable. We all want the best for our children and it is only when this partnership is thriving that children flourish in our care.

Our team of dedicated staff look forward to welcoming you to St. Lawrence College Junior School and Early Years.

We are delighted to share the incredible experience of our recent ski trip to Mt. Parnassos in Viotia, which took place on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th February. 61 enthusiastic pupils too part, accompanied by our dedicated staff members, and it was an adventure-packed trip filled with unforgettable moments.

The first day of our trip kicked off with excitement as all pupils participated in a 2-hour ski or snowboard lesson, tailored to their individual skill levels. Under the guidance of certified instructors from the ski school, our Year 8 pupils embraced the challenge and showed remarkable progress on the slopes. After an exciting day on the snow, our pupils had the chance to unwind and enjoy some leisure activities. Some chose to try ice-skating at an outdoor rink, while others relished the apres-ski life with hot chocolate and quality time chatting with friends, creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

On the second day, our pupils eagerly jumped back onto the snowy terrain, this time enjoying two additional lessons of 2 hours each. With determination and perseverance, many of them demonstrated remarkable improvement, demonstrating their newfound skills as confident skiers and snowboarders.

We are immensely proud of all our pupils for their exemplary behaviour and courage throughout the trip. From waking up bright and early at 6:30 am to ensuring all their equipment was organised and welcoming any challenge presented to them, they displayed commendable dedication and enthusiasm at every stage of this school trip.
A heartfelt thank you to all the pupils, staff, and parents for making this trip a resounding success.

Here's to many more exciting adventures ahead!

We are delighted to share the highlights of this year’s successful Year 8 ski trip to Mt. Parnassos, which took place on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th February. A total of 59 pupils started off on this exciting adventure, accompanied by our dedicated staff, making it a truly unforgettable experience for all.
The first day was filled with energy and enthusiasm as pupils participated in a 2-hour ski or snowboard lesson tailored to their individual skill levels. Under the expert guidance of certified instructors, working in very small groups, they embraced the challenge and made remarkable progress on the slopes. After an active day in the snow, pupils enjoyed a well-earned break, choosing between ice-skating at an outdoor rink or unwinding with hot chocolate while socialising with friends.
The adventure continued on the second day with two additional 2-hour lessons. With growing confidence and determination, pupils refined their skills and showed impressive improvement on the slopes. Whether they were beginners mastering their first descent or experienced skiers perfecting jumps and turns, everyone had the opportunity to develop their abilities and push their limits. Some pupils who had never skied before were confidently tackling the beginner slopes by the end of the day, while more advanced skiers took on new challenges, such as jumps and twirls.
We are incredibly proud of our pupils for their enthusiasm, resilience, and teamwork throughout the trip. Their exemplary behaviour made it an absolute pleasure to accompany them on this adventure. From early morning starts to the final run down the slopes, they displayed dedication, determination, and a positive spirit.
A huge thank you to our staff, pupils, and parents for their support in making this trip such a success. We look forward to many more exciting adventures in the future!

Back in May and June 2024 just under 250 pupils sat public examinations at our school and this week has seen the results of these IGCSEs, AS-Levels and A-Levels released. A record-breaking 1,176 separate qualifications were sat for by our pupils, and although 64 pupils will need to hang on until later in August for their GCSE Greek results, the vast majority of grades are now known, making it possible to celebrate the achievements of our pupils.

IGCSEs

Exactly 100 pupils sat for 731 GCSE/IGCSE qualifications. Of those, 29% resulted in an A* (“A-star”) and 49%, resulted in an A* or A grade. These percentages are well up on last year’s 20% and 42% respectively. Pupils whose performances stood out included Mainta Kourounlian who attained an A* in every subject, scoring 9A* in total; Leonidas Drongitis, Alexandra Mavromichali, Petra Todd and Jiayu Zhu who each achieved 8A* among their exams, while Mohamed Abdel Fattah, Sofia Tzagkaraki-Kaseta, Nga Sim Kimberly Wang and Xuefei Zhang each attained 7A*s among the IGCSEs they sat for. 

AS-Levels

Year 12 pupils sat their AS-Levels, where the highest possible grade is A (there is no A*) and where the AS-Levels are, essentially, the first half of what will become a full A-Level following Year 13. A grand total of 273 AS-Level qualifications were sat, with 44% resulting in an A grade, and 77% achieving in at least a C grade. This is up from last year’s 36% and 71% respectively. Pupils who achieved exceptional grades included Despoina Salachas (5A), Nicholas Lempidakis (4A1B) and Penelope Farmakidi, Theodora Farmakidi, Gerasimos Kazianis, Jiachin Lin, Andres Van Meek, Yifei Wang Konstantinos Zafeirakis and Marita Katsouridis all of whom achieved 4A.

A-Levels and Universities

At A-Level, where 202 qualifications were sat for in total, grades are vitally important as many pupils’ acceptance into their chosen university was dependant on the outcome of their A-Levels. The proportion of A-Level grades that were A* was 22% this year. This is up from last year’s 16% and is, in fact, the equal highest in our school’s history, barring the COVID years when exams were cancelled, and grades were awarded by school assessment. The proportion of A-Levels awarded A* or A was 41%, down from last year’s 45%, and the proportion in the A*-C range was 77%, slightly down on last year’s 81%. 

Individual stories of excellence from some of our pupils include Dimitris Grigoropoulos, Yun Li, and Ziqing Qian who each scored 4A*, Paris Larios and Yuhan Chen who each scored 3A*1A, Sofya Semenova (3A*) and Kristian Nersesian (3A*). Most remarkable of all was Huijie Su, who secured an amazing 5A*s, and who scored 100% on nearly all her exams this year. 

The UK remains the most popular destination for higher education among our school leavers, and this year we see our graduates starting degree courses at UK universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s College London, University College London (UCL), City, Warwick, Lancaster, Southampton, Leeds, Exeter and Bath. 

Beyond the UK we have school leavers beginning degree courses at such institutions as diverse and widespread as Rhode Island School of Design, USA; Milan University for Modern Languages, Italy; EU Business School, Barcelona, Spain; Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA; and The Moscow Institute of International Relations in Russia. 

School reaction

Headmaster Phil Holden commented “These wonderful results, and the fact that so many excellent young people are leaving our school to begin the next chapter of their education in such a variety of locations, is a testament to the hard work of pupils and staff at St. Lawrence College. I congratulate our school leavers and thank the teachers throughout the school, the staff of St. Lawrence College, and the parents of our pupils for a collective achievement which we can all be proud of”.  

Back in May and June 2024 just under 250 pupils sat public examinations at our school and this week has seen the results of these IGCSEs, AS-Levels and A-Levels released. A record-breaking 1,176 separate qualifications were sat for by our pupils, and although 64 pupils will need to hang on until later in August for their GCSE Greek results, the vast majority of grades are now known, making it possible to celebrate the achievements of our pupils.

IGCSEs

Exactly 100 pupils sat for 731 GCSE/IGCSE qualifications. Of those, 29% resulted in an A* (“A-star”) and 49%, resulted in an A* or A grade. These percentages are well up on last year’s 20% and 42% respectively. Pupils whose performances stood out included Mainta Kourounlian who attained an A* in every subject, scoring 9A* in total; Leonidas Drongitis, Alexandra Mavromichali, Petra Todd and Jiayu Zhu who each achieved 8A* among their exams, while Mohamed Abdel Fattah, Sofia Tzagkaraki-Kaseta, Nga Sim Kimberly Wang and Xuefei Zhang each attained 7A*s among the IGCSEs they sat for.

AS-Levels

Year 12 pupils sat their AS-Levels, where the highest possible grade is A (there is no A*) and where the AS-Levels are, essentially, the first half of what will become a full A-Level following Year 13. A grand total of 273 AS-Level qualifications were sat, with 44% resulting in an A grade, and 77% achieving in at least a C grade. This is up from last year’s 36% and 71% respectively. Pupils who achieved exceptional grades included Despoina Salachas (5A), Nicholas Lempidakis (4A1B) and Penelope Farmakidi, Theodora Farmakidi, Gerasimos Kazianis, Jiachin Lin, Andres Van Meek, Yifei Wang Konstantinos Zafeirakis and Marita Katsouridis all of whom achieved 4A.

A-Levels and Universities

At A-Level, where 202 qualifications were sat for in total, grades are vitally important as many pupils’ acceptance into their chosen university was dependant on the outcome of their A-Levels. The proportion of A-Level grades that were A* was 22% this year. This is up from last year’s 16% and is, in fact, the equal highest in our school’s history, barring the COVID years when exams were cancelled, and grades were awarded by school assessment. The proportion of A-Levels awarded A* or A was 41%, down from last year’s 45%, and the proportion in the A*-C range was 77%, slightly down on last year’s 81%.

Individual stories of excellence from some of our pupils include Dimitris Grigoropoulos, Yun Li, and Ziqing Qian who each scored 4A*, Paris Larios and Yuhan Chen who each scored 3A*1A, Sofya Semenova (3A*) and Kristian Nersesian (3A*). Most remarkable of all was Huijie Su, who secured an amazing 5A*s, and who scored 100% on nearly all her exams this year.

The UK remains the most popular destination for higher education among our school leavers, and this year we see our graduates starting degree courses at UK universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s College London, University College London (UCL), City, Warwick, Lancaster, Southampton, Leeds, Exeter and Bath.

Beyond the UK we have school leavers beginning degree courses at such institutions as diverse and widespread as Rhode Island School of Design, USA; Milan University for Modern Languages, Italy; EU Business School, Barcelona, Spain; Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA; and The Moscow Institute of International Relations in Russia.

School reaction

Headmaster Phil Holden commented “These wonderful results, and the fact that so many excellent young people are leaving our school to begin the next chapter of their education in such a variety of locations, is a testament to the hard work of pupils and staff at St. Lawrence College. I congratulate our school leavers and thank the teachers throughout the school, the staff of St. Lawrence College, and the parents of our pupils for a collective achievement which we can all be proud of”.  

May and June 2022 saw the return of public exams for our school’s eldest pupils. These were the first public exams to be held since 2019 as a consequence of the global pandemic. This year’s A-Level and AS-Level results have now been released and the results achieved by the Year 12 and Year13 pupils of our school are truly remarkable!

A-Levels

At full A-Level, which marks the final qualifications a pupil takes in a British school, 52 candidates took 170 A-Levels. This was a greater number of A-Level pupils and entries than ever before at our school. The standard of the grades achieved would be considered outstanding in any year. But when it is noted that because of the covid pandemic, these pupils had never taken public exams before (all exams were cancelled in 2020 and 2021) and that these pupils experienced disruption over the last two years through all manner of covid-related impacts and restrictions in school, their results can only be considered as brilliant.

Of all the A-Levels taken, 22% resulted in in A* grade and 54% in an A or A* grade. This was markedly up on the 20% and 51% respectively from 2019, which was the last time exams were held. Furthermore, an astonishing three out of every four (75%) of all A-Levels taken resulted in a grade in the A*/A/B range.

A number of exceptional performances stand out. These include Lin Ning Huang (3A*1A), Ioannis Kontomihos, Katrina Lemane and Danyl Tsaran (3A*), Athanasios Kapoutsis, Leda Persidi and Zoe Raptis (2A*2A), Isabella Karaiossifidi and Nikolaos Zairis (1A*3A) and Marina Vassiliadis (4A).

And on to higher education!

Our school leavers are heading off to universities both in the UK and elsewhere in the world. UK destinations include UCL, Lancaster, Sussex, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Surrey and many other locations, while other school leavers have chosen universities in France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the USA for their higher education. Our school leavers will study a wide range of subjects, including Medicine, Politics Philosophy and Economics (PPE), Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, History, Applied Mathematics, Psychology, International Hospitality Management, Computer Science.

AS-Levels

At AS-Level, a whopping 85 pupils took 282 exams, which is comfortably the largest number of AS-Level candidates in a single exam session in the history of our school. As with those pupils who sat A-Levels, these pupils had never taken any public exams before as a consequence of the pandemic and also had experienced disruptions and restrictions through their recent education. Nevertheless, the collective performance of this large group was truly impressive and well up on the most recent AS-Level exams from 2019. This year’s cohort of pupils managed an A grade in 53% of all AS-Levels, compared to 41% in 2019. Likewise, this year an extraordinary 81% of all AS-Levels resulted in a grade in the A-C range (2019: 73%)

There were 16 pupils who scored four A grades, and standing out among those top performances were Nikolaos Synodinos with five A grades and Leandros Mandilaris with four A grades plus one B.

IGCSE

Pupils in Year 11 who sat their IGCSEs also have all their results now – well, nearly. They are still waiting for their GCSE Greek results which, being a different qualification from the IGCSEs, sees grades being released one week later. A full analysis of these results will appear in due course once the Greek results are known, but already it is clear that our Year 11 pupils have done very well indeed.

Reaction from the Headmaster

St. Lawrence College’s Headmaster, Phil Holden, commented “All these pupils have been through so much in recent years through no fault of their own. They have worked through lockdowns, online lessons, periods of having to self-isolate and quarantine, and restrictions in school in the classrooms, playgrounds, and extracurricular activities. It isn’t easy to wear a mask all the time in school, and to learn from teachers who are also wearing masks. What is more, it has been well-publicised in the British media that A-Level grades are down this year globally. Given all that, what a fantastic achievement it has been to see our pupils do so well at A-Level and AS-Level. I congratulate them, am immensely proud of them, and wish those who are leaving us the very best of luck. Likewise, I thank all the teachers and staff of the school who have worked so brilliantly and who have made it possible for our pupils to reach these dizzying standards. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful staff and I am in awe of their achievement through what has been such a challenging period of time for many reasons”.

We’re thrilled to share the wonderful success of our Festive Fundraising Day, hosted by the Charity Ninjas on Wednesday, 18th December! The day was filled with holiday cheer as staff and pupils showcased their creative side by wearing Christmas cardigans, winter woollies, and jolly jumpers, with many transforming old sweaters into festive masterpieces. A huge congratulations to our 1st place winners, Marianna in 2Tr and Lydia in 4B, who wowed the judges with their incredible designs and were each awarded a family ticket to XPLORE Entertainment Centre!

The Charity Ninjas’ handmade holiday gift cards and wrapping paper were a huge hit, selling out completely thanks to the amazing support from our school community. The delicious hot cocoa topped with mini marshmallows was another crowd favourite, adding a warm and cosy touch to the festivities. All proceeds from the event will support OLOI MAZI BOROUME (All Together We Can), a fantastic organization dedicated to social welfare, environmental protection, health, and education initiatives in Greece.

Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and supported this heartwarming cause. Together, we’ve made a difference and shared the true spirit of the holiday season. Wishing you all a joyful and healthy holiday season!

On Friday 13th December, the school gym here at St Lawrence College was transformed into a wonderful theatre full of Christmas spirit. Voices rang out loud and clear, as all our pupils sang a wide range of songs about this festive season. The choir and the Instrumental club took part too in creating the warmest, loveliest atmosphere of celebration. 

Congratulations to all our pupils who participated in the concert, and to all the members of staff who helped us put on a truly warm and welcoming celebration. Happy Holidays to all our children and families at this special time of year!

Friday nights are sometimes turned into disco nights at St Lawrence College for our 9- to 11-year-olds. Dancing away the wintery blues is just what the doctor ordered for these energetic youngsters. And dance they did! With all the latest big tunes to jump around to, as well as a bunch of old classics that get everyone's feet tapping, they had a really enjoyable evening of laughs and good times with all their friends. 

Competitions too, set the heartbeats racing as the children attempted to scoop up prizes for showing their best moves under the watchful eyes of our expert teachers who judged it all. Thank you to all the staff who stayed to supervise the evening and enable the children to have so much fun.

On Monday 7th October, we were privileged to have the renowned educator Mr Will Ord here at school. Will Ord is an international teacher trainer, keynote speaker, and education consultant based in the UK and he was invited to talk with both parents and teachers in a series of enlightening sessions through the day.

All parents want their children to have 'successful lives', but what does that really mean? What are the key elements of a successful life in the 21st century, and what does the research say? The parents’ session explored these fundamental questions and delved into the areas of confidence, resilience, and Growth Mindsets.

Teachers worked with him to learn how to maximise the efficacy of metacognition in the classroom, recognised as the most strategically advantageous approach to developing children's learning skills. P4C was explored as staff refreshed their training in this wonderful part of the curriculum. 

Truly inspirational!

 Will Ord - Thinking Education 

The pupils of St Lawrence are showing just how happy they are to be back at school with their friends and teachers. Playtimes are the best times for our children as they have the chance to enjoy the sunshine and our wonderful outdoor environment. 

The games they play, the laughs they have and the friendships they build are grounded in security as they are always under the watchful eye of our staff. 

Ready! Respectful! Safe! These rules guide our school through every part of every day.

Welcome back to school everyone!

Cyrano de Bergerac, a soldier in the French Army, is a gifted poet who unfortunately has an obnoxiously large nose. He has endless unrequited love for his distant cousin, the beautiful Roxanne, but he believes his ugliness bars him from the "dream of being loved by even an ugly woman." Roxanne loves Christian de Neuvillette, who is unable to romance her, so Cyrano writes love letters to Roxanne and woos her whilst pretending to be Christian. 

The senior school drama club put on a wonderful performance of this tragic comedy with real gusto, under the directorship of our new drama teacher Ms Marianthi Kiriou. The play was performed on a warm May evening in the amphitheatre under a full moon rising. The cast was made up of young pupils in the senior school from KS3, and we were impressed by their abilities. Families, friends and staff gave them all a well-deserved standing ovation!

Congratulations to them all!

On the last day of the Spring term, the pupils of the junior school participated in our annual Easter bonnet Parade. It was a delightful exhibition of creativity and togetherness which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the children and staff. 

A chocolate Easter egg was the much sought after prize to the best hat in each year group, although it was a difficult decision for the judges!

Congratulations to all who took part in this traditional celebration!