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 Thursday 14th November 2024, the Greek Department organised an educational trip for our Year 9 pupils to Herakleidon Museum, in the centre of Athens.  During our visit our pupils enhanced their understanding of the Ancient Greek technology and its significance in shaping modern culture, science, and art. 

The museum featured a variety of displays, including models and artefacts that demonstrate the ingenuity of ancient Greek civilisation. Year 9 pupils engaged with interactive exhibits and explored ancient Greek inventions and innovations.

The whole experience of our visit to Herakleidon Museum not only enriched our pupils’ knowledge but also enhanced their critical thinking about the impact of technology on society. 

On Thursday, 21st November, our school hosted the Boys Under-16 Volleyball Tournament, while our Under-16 Girls Football Team participated in the tournament at St. Catherine's.

The girls had an outstanding performance, winning all three of their matches with an impressive 6 goals scored and only 2 conceded. Their hard work paid off as they were thrilled to receive gold medals and the 1st place trophy after a long, challenging day of matches.

The boys also gave a commendable effort, winning one game and narrowly losing two. All their matches were highly competitive, with each going to a deciding 3rd set. Ultimately, the boys secured 3rd place and are eagerly looking forward to their next competition.

Congratulations to all the players for their dedication and sportsmanship, and a big thank you to the coaches, Ms. Dikaioulia and Mr. Styliatis, for their guidance and support.

On Friday 15th November, the children of SLC junior school put on a wonderful pumpkin display to be proud of. Although the evening festivities for our Autumn Festival could not go ahead due to severe rain, the children and their families nevertheless spent a great deal of time and effort creating the most delightful pumpkins you can imagine. We had a Smurf village overshadowed by the wicked wizard Gargamel, a year 4 class with All Eyes on Us, and even a nod to Christmas in some of the creations on display! 

As always, we thank the families for their enthusiastic involvement in producing a spectacle for the children of our school to admire. 

On Tuesday 12th of November. Our under 16 girls’ volleyball and boys football teams took part in their respective annual tournaments.

The girl’s managed to win two of their group games and lost one. Whereas the boys won one, drew one and lost one match.

For most of the pupils in the teams this was the first time they took part in an under 16 tournament. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the high level of competition and look forward to participating in more tournaments in the future.

Finally a big thank you, to Ms Dikaioulia and Mr Strzemiecki for coaching the teams.

On Sunday 10th November, a lovely group of our junior school Charity Ninjas and their families joined the community-wide initiative "Oloi Mazi Boroume" (All Together We Can) to plant trees on Mt. Hymettus in Glyfada. This event, part of a nationwide goal to plant 50,000 trees, brought together hundreds of volunteers committed to creating a greener and more resilient Greece.

Participants planted developed, broadleaf saplings known for their slow-burning properties, contributing to the long-term sustainability of Greece’s forests. The event, organized in collaboration with the municipality of Glyfada, was an inspiring day of environmental action, where pupils, families, and local citizens joined hands for a healthier planet and a vibrant future.

We’re proud of our Charity Ninjas for making a positive impact on the world and supporting our environment!

To mark anti-bullying week, we held assemblies and lessons on diversity in PSHE. The children finished the week by wearing odd socks as a way to highlight diversity. Looking different and being like an odd sock in a way is a great conversation opener for children young and old. 

Choose Respect Every Time, was our motto this week. Respect and kindness are always the way to go at St Lawrence College!

We are thrilled to share the heartwarming impact of our Charity Ninjas initiative! On Tuesday 5th November, a group of our young Charity Ninjas visited the 1st Special Primary School of Kallithea to personally deliver foldable tricycles purchased with funds raised during our end-of-term bazaar last year. These tricycles will serve as outdoor play equipment for children aged 4-7 with diverse educational needs.

The visit was a joyful experience for all involved. Our Charity Ninjas not only met the children who would benefit from their hard work but also helped assemble the tricycles, played alongside the children, and saw firsthand the joy their efforts brought. This memorable day highlighted the spirit of giving, connecting our pupils with those they helped support, and showing them the power of community.

Congratulations to our Charity Ninjas for their dedication and generosity! We couldn’t be prouder of the difference they've made.

Our school hosted the annual over 16 girls’ volleyball and boys’ football on Monday the 4th of November.
Six schools took part in each of the tournaments. Our girls finished in 1st place having lost only one set all day!
The boys in dramatic fashion scored a last-minute equaliser and won the penalty shoot out in the small final to achieve 3rd place.
Over the next couple of weeks our under 16 boys and girls will be taking part in both football and volleyball tournaments in various schools. 
Congratulations to all our team members who represented our school in an outstanding manner. Finally, a big thank you to the coaches Ms Dikaioulia and Mr Strzemiecki for their outstanding work with their respective teams.

At the end of the first half term, 31 pupils from years 12 and 13 travelled to Poland to visit Warsaw and Krakow. The trip began with a walk along the Vistula and visit to the Royal Castle and the Warsaw Uprising museum in Warsaw before continuing on to Krakow. The pupils spent an emotional and unforgettable day visiting the Memorial and Museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau. They saw the fascinating Rynek underground museum, before finishing with a visit to the stunning, iconic Wieliczka Salt Mine. 
 

The Debate season began at the annual St Catherine's School tournament just before the half term break. We sent 3 teams of relatively inexperienced debaters who acquitted themselves admirably as always. We are looking forward to the rest of the season.

Congratulations to our IA Bronze pupils on successfully completing their first training expedition to Parnitha last weekend! They hiked for two days and spent a memorable night at the Flambouri refuge, sharing meals and stories around the fireplace with friends.
The pupils had a fantastic experience, with highlights including navigation lessons during their hikes and stunning views of the landscape. Each group rotated leaders, allowing more pupils the opportunity to step into leadership roles and test their newly acquired navigation skills.
Well done to everyone! This is a wonderful start to their IA programme!
 

During the weekend, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th of October sixteen pupils participated in the Campion School MUN, representing our school, and making us very proud for their dedication and impeccable behaviour. This time we had two pupils serving as Chairs of Committees, Konstantinos Zafeirakis in the GA3 Committee (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee) and Penny Farmakidi in the WHO Committee (World Health Organisation) but also many pupils of Year 7 who very bravely took part in what was a very long weekend for them, a real achievement for pupils so young!

And they are all excited and ready for the upcoming participations in the Costeas-Geitonas School CGSMUN and the St Catherine’s SCMUN! No doubt these will be as successful and rewarding experiences as the first one of this academic year was. Well done to all participants!

On Thursday 10th of October 70 pupils from year 7,8 and 9 took part in a cross-country tournament hosted by ACS in Sygrou Park.
Hundreds of pupils from various international school’s took part in a cross country running tournament with plenty of healthy competition occurring between schools. Our year 8-9 pupils ran 3km and our year 7 pupils ran 2km all of whom received big cheers as they approached the finish line.
Some notable placements are Miran Kourounlian and Noah Sturmel who finished in 10th and 11th place respectively in JV boys’ division. Julia Michaelidis and Penny Karakosta who finished in 6th and 8th position in the JV girl’s division. Whereas in the 2km race Serafym Maievskyi and Yingzhi Lou finished first out of pupils in our school.
Congratulations to all those who came and took part in the event, you truly gave it your all and as a school we are very proud of how you represented us!

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