On Tuesday, 21st March, 2017, Spring was really in the air as the children were uplifted by sunshine, warmth and the beautiful voices of the Taylor Sounds Choir from Indiana's Taylor University. A truly wonderful combination of performances that held the KS2 pupils and staff enraptured, began and ended with singing like you've never heard before. That last note - boy was it high!  

A fun, unique form of entertainment known as 'playback' was also exhibited by the performers known as Taylor Playback Theatre, much to the delight of the audience. Tracy Manning, the theatre's director, gathered short stories from our children who were all dying to share, and her players put on highly amusing, impromptu skits based on certain styles that she directed them to. So creative! So imaginative! 

We were all thoroughly entertained and are very grateful to these generous visitors for sharing with us their talent and hard work. Thanks go to Dr Rediger and her choir: Diana, Paige, Howard, Renae, Claire, Meghan, Ross, Evan, Jeff, Edric and Benj. Also a shout out to Tracy's actors: Grace, Birdley, Alexis Turner & Alexis Colon and Sean. 

On Thursday 23rd February 2017, KS1 classes were treated to a super assembly by Ms Tapankidis' Year 2 class. 'Playing and Learning Together' was the topic of their class assembly.

The pupils sang three of their favourite PSHE songs packed full of meaning: Playground Blues, The Colours of Friendship and Learning Together. The songs were combined with short skits to remind youngsters how to make certain no one is left out during playtime.

"We're all different but we're all special!" was the message to all. Children have to find a way to celebrate their differences and help each other learn both in the playground and in the classroom. They use their individual skills and talents, developing them all the time. Heartfelt singing and acting was enjoyed by parents, pupils and staff. Congratulations Year 2 on a job well done! 

Many of you are already aware of the fantastic job that staff and senior school pupils did raising funds for Archelon turtle conservation with their 5km and 10km runs on the day of the Athens marathon. Well there is now some lovely news from the turtle centre in Glyfada. They have put up details of our sponsorship on their rehabilitation tanks. Congratulations once again to all involved! 

In this week’s Senior School assemblies, pupils had the opportunity to learn about the turtle conservation work undertaken by the NGO, Archelon over the last 30 years. Mrs Anthoula, the Archelon Education officer, spoke about the challenges that these Mediterranean sea creatures face. She told them about the importance of NGOs having volunteers and it was inspiring to see our older pupils’ eagerness to sign up to assist this charity in their free time. Also, Sadin Abdul Fattah presented Mrs Anthoula with 520 euros that our pupils and staff had raised by running 5km and 10km races on the day on the Athens marathon in November. These funds will help to contribute towards the rehabilitation and care of the injured sea turtles that currently reside in Glyfada.

This Remembrance Sunday, 13th November 2016, St Lawrence College staff, parents and pupils were invited to attend the memorial service held at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Palaio Faliro, Athens.

A very moving service was held in which a number of distinguished diplomats including the British Ambassador, Mr John Kittmer and the US Ambassador Mr Geoffrey Pyatt, as well as war veterans and other senior military officials, laid wreaths in commemoration of those who died in war.

There was a reading of Kenny Martin's poem 'I went to see the soldiers' by our Head Pupil and a beautiful rendition of Shawn Hook's moving song, 'Soldier' by the Junior School choir, under the tuition of our music teacher and choir leader, Ms Clare Bakewell. It was a special occasion to be a part of, and warmly received by all guests. Well done to the childen for their sincere participation.

St. Lawrence College operates a house system.  Every child and member of staff is allocated one of three houses which they will be in for their life at St. Lawrence College. Houses are allocated when pupils start in Reception or when they join the school at a later stage. Children of the same family will be allocated the same house whilst ensuring that the number of pupils is fairly balanced between each house.

Our houses are named after three regional areas in Greece: Attica (blue), Epirus (green) and Macedonia (red).

Pupils have a sense of pride in belonging to a house

Houses are an important part of school life, as they create community spirit and give the children an opportunity to contribute to something bigger that involves children from all year groups.

Pupils have a sense of pride in belonging to a house and enjoy the “friendly” competition between houses. They have opportunities to experience such life skills as working as a team, leadership, achievement and at times disappointment.

House points are awarded for model behaviour, effort in learning, showing kindness to others and various other good deeds.  Pupils also participate and compete in competitions and events for house points throughout the year.  The points are tallied at the end of the year and the winning House is awarded the House Challenge Trophy.

At St. Lawrence College, we take your children’s health and safety very seriously and have two qualified nurses on site to cater for the needs of our community here at school. In case of a pupil being in need of medical care due to sickness, injury or an ongoing medical condition, we are able to offer professional help.

The school has a well-equipped nurses’ station, with a suitable area for treatment and a bed for pupils if pupils need to rest and recover after an incident. Our nursing staff are able to treat minor injuries, attend to illnesses, administer prescribed medication and offer support to pupils with on-going conditions. In all instances, they communicate any treatment given at school to parents/carers by phone, email or in the homework diary, and will always contact parents/carers immediately in case of emergency.

Their responsibilities also include monitoring and recording the pupils’ well-being and physical development as well as working with pupils, teachers and parents to promote good health and well-being for all pupils.

Parents are asked to complete a medical questionnaire before their child joins St. Lawrence College, and they are always welcome to contact us to discuss any particular concerns at any time.

Here at St. Lawrence College more than fifty nationalities are represented among our pupil body, making our school a truly global community. This rich tapestry of cultures, along with an unrivalled international school experience, allows us to translate the nuance and ethos of a traditional British school into a vibrant and modern international learning environment.

Our curriculum has a strong British foundation but is uniquely adapted to the needs of our international and multicultural student body. It is this wonderful and unique combination that makes us truly, internationally British.

Our ethos and values are woven into our curriculum as well as in every aspect of school life.

In line with these principles, St. Lawrence College holds high expectations of both staff and pupils, as we strive to achieve the highest academic standards and quality of learning. Our ethos and values are woven into our curriculum as well as in every aspect of school life.

The provision of a first class pastoral care system, a wide variety of cross-curricular activities and an explicit focus on the development of the child as a whole are all features of the British education that St. Lawrence College provides. All these go a long way towards developing and nurturing such qualities as resilience, self-confidence, adaptability, tolerance and an international way of thinking.

Our facilities provide ample opportunities for different cultures to interact and our British curriculum is enriched by multicultural exchanges. Thanks to an atmosphere of calm, discipline and respect, our pupils are bound to feel comfortable and confident in their school environment. It is this unique learning experience that allows them to develop all the necessary skills, values and attributes that are necessary for them to thrive within an increasingly fast-paced and competitive world.

And that's what each and every one of the dedicated members of the Senior School Forensics Society is aiming to accomplish in these busy weeks leading up to the 2016 Panhellenic Forensics Association Tournament at Ziridis School in Spata, Attiki. From Thursday March 17th through to Sunday March 20th, 2016, pupils from St Lawrence College will be competing against their peers from all over Greece in a range of speaking events including Debate, Duet Acting, Impromptu Speaking, Group Discussion, Oral Interpretation and Oratory.

Every Saturday this term you will find the staff and pupils involved, at school practically from dawn till dusk! They're writing their pieces, practising them relentlessly, learning their lines and getting ready to deliver them with all the aplomb they can muster. St Lawrence College has an excellent record of achievement at this annual tournament, coming second overall last year and winning Debate too. There's a lot to live up to this year, but we're sure the talented young people who make up this year's team will give it their all and do us proud. Go St Lawrence College!

Over the past week, the athletics track was alive with energy, excitement, and the sound of cheering as our annual running events took place for the junior school.

Pupils from Years 1, 2, and 3 sprinted their hearts out in the 60m flat race. The top three fastest runners from each house (Attica, Epirus, and Macedonia) advanced to the finals. A huge congratulations goes to the three fastest runners in the final, who earned medals for their incredible display of speed and determination!

Meanwhile, pupils in Years 4, 5, and 6 took part in trials during their PE lessons to qualify for the 80m and 150m races. The finals were held in front of their parents, giving them a chance to show the results of their hard work. Medals were awarded for their great effort and impressive performances.

Adding to the excitement, our enthusiastic parents got in on the action in the Mommy’s and Daddy’s races! Medals were awarded to our fastest grown-up participants, and we thank them for bringing such great energy to the event.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the pupils who competed and cheered each other on, as well as to the families and staff who supported them throughout.

Another very successful year for the SLC Forensics team, as our Debate Team won for an unprecedented 3rd year in a row at this year’s Panhellenic Forensics Tournament. Overall, the team came an impressive 3rd out of 21 participating schools from all across Greece, meaning St Lawrence have been ranked in the top 3 schools every year since 2013.

The tournament took place on 16th – 19th March in Thessaloniki. We had 6 Finalists in the Sweepstakes events and 4 Honourable Mentions, and our 2nd Debate team qualified for the Quarter Finals. One of our debaters, Rosie Vorri, ranked 1st individual speaker in the Debate competition. 

Debate Team – Winners:
•    Achilleas Papadimitriou
•    Nicholas Short
•    Rosie Vorri
•    Isabella Kontogianni
•    Anastasia Samaras

Finalists:
•    Ioanna Moirasgenti (Group Discussion)
•    Eleni Giamas (Oral Interpretation, Comic)
•    Nathan Marks (Oral Interpretation, Dramatic)
•    Rosie Vorri (Oral Interpertation, Dramatic)
•    Artemis Spyridis & Iokasti Spyridis (Dramatic Duet)
•    Alexander Shtefan & Maria Christina Michaelides (Comic Duet)

Honourable Mentions:
•    Rebecca Jackson (Oratory)
•    Rosie Vorri (Impromptu)
•    Nicholas Hagis & Nathan Marks (Comic Duet)
•    Rebecca Jackson & Nadia Papazarcadas ( Comic Duet)

Many thanks to our Head Coach, Ms Stafford; Debate Coach, Mr Courts; and all coaches, Ms Grivas, Ms Kladouchou and Ms Iliadou for all their help. The team spent long hours and a lot of Saturdays at school practising, and it is wonderful to see them achieve such remarkable results every year.

A major sports development has been accomplished at St. Lawrence College through a complete renewal and redesign of the large football field which features at the heart of the school’s sports facilities.

The time had come for a relaying of the football field and the opportunity was taken to establish additional features for the school’s sports provision. Through the summer, work was carried out to remove older broken spectator seating and completely remove, level, and relay a new football pitch surface. Now a high-quality 9-a-side football pitch has been laid, and with perfect timing, for post-pandemic interschool tournaments and matches are due to recommence. Likewise, within school, inter-house tournaments and PE lessons will make full use of the new facility.

Furthermore, surrounding the new football pitch, a running track has been developed. The running track, a feature we have not enjoyed at school until now, will lead the development of track events among the school’s athletics programme. It is already in use, and will be enhanced further, in due course, with a ‘cinders’ surface and the painting of running lanes. Further developments over the summer include a permanent long jump pit and the refurbishment of the spectators’ seating area.

Planning for an official celebratory opening of the new sports facilities is under way and announcements will be made soon. The whole area has been welcomed by sports staff and pupils alike, and with lunchtime try-outs for boys and girls football teams well under way, our pupils are already making the most of this new school feature.

April is Autism Awareness month and this week St Lawrence College would like to get this opportunity to promote autism awareness and acceptance for this lifelong condition, which affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. We want to make as many people as possible to realise that we are all different and social in our unique way. We consider this to be a very important part of your child’s learning experience as learning about difference is imperative. We strongly believe that helping young people and teachers to understand autism as they grow up will equip them to accept and empathise with children and adults who have autism. 

Throughout the week there will be blue ribbon pins available at the school’s receptions as an effort to raise money and awareness. All proceeds will go to support the creation of * ‘Avali’ an initiative of Ms. P. Alexiou, a mother of a child with Autism and the **Specialised Unit for children with Autism at the Children’s General Hospital of Athens Panagiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou’.

We will be supporting ‘ Blue T- shirt’ as part of World Autism Awareness Week 2017! Wear your light blue T-shirt in school on Friday 7 April 2017.  We want everyone to wear their blue T-shirts for the day, and show they are not afraid to stand out for autism (staff included and parents too). Parents can send in their pictures for us to put on the website to show their support.

Bullet Points:

Meets one lunch time per week

Open to all pupils and to all levels of ability

Project based work to be exhibited around the school or at our Annual Exhibition

Encourages the use of a wide range of materials

Introduces pupils to a variety of artistic techniques and applications such as Mural painting, not necessarily taught within the Art room

Promotes individual learning

Promotes learning through group projects

Provides help for those pupils who want to develop further their natural talent

Offers help to those who would like to improve their practical skills

Builds on the skills already taught during lessons and helps to further improve knowledge and understanding of this subject

Helps to promote pupils visual awareness

Helps to promote pupils historical awareness in Art and Design

Works to enhance confidence through the development of individual projects

Aims to encourage friendships and promotes diplomatic skills through working within a group

Different age groups working together creates a sense of team work

Gives the A-Level Art pupils an opportunity to show their appreciation of this subject through some small seminars or presentations of their choice, prepared by them

Gives an opportunity for creativity to those pupils who have not chosen Art in Key Stage 4

Informal, fun, therapeutic, instructive

Promotes a more aesthetically pleasing environment in and around the school for pupils, staff and visitors through e.g. display

Pre-Key Stage 1

Reception is the first year of primary school in the UK and is closely linked to Key Stage 1 which is comprised of Years 1 and 2.

In Reception class, children learn a wide range of skills through an equal balance of self-initiated activities and more formal class teaching methods. They are taught by one of our three experienced Reception teachers, aided by qualified TAs (teaching assistants). Children at this age are exposed to a broad and rich curriculum with units of teaching based on topics which expand their horizons and prepare them for their formal start of primary school in Year 1. More specifically, throughout their Reception year, pupils embark on the phonics, literacy and numeracy programme that they will continue to pursue throughout Years 1 and 2. 

In Year 1, their curriculum is extended to cover a greater range of subjects including those with specialist teachers, such as Music, Computing and Greek language lessons which begin during year 1. Class teachers and TAs thoroughly cover every area of need and facilitate a rapid rate of learning that takes budding pupils to an excellent level of competency in literacy and numeracy. 

Reception and Year 1 classes reside in the same area of the school, thus teachers work closely together to ensure a smooth transition between stages. This creates a natural progression for pupils who have attended Reception class with us, but is also a very careful process which caters for the needs of pupils who join us at this stage from other schools, nurseries or kindergartens.

By the end of Year 2, our pupils have grown and developed into capable, independent young learners with a skillset that ensures they can cope admirably with future challenges ahead. They are well prepared by a dedicated staff of teachers and teaching assistants who provide a rich, nurturing environment for every learner.