On the crisp evening of 17th October, our school grounds transformed into a vibrant celebration of the season as families, pupils, and staff gathered for the much-anticipated Autumn Festival. Children arrived dressed in delightful costumes, adding a splash of colour and creativity to the festivities. From trending memes to spooky Halloween-inspired outfits, the parade of costumes brought smiles to everyone’s faces.

Pumpkins — carved, painted, and creatively decorated were on display showcasing the artistic talents of our Junior school children and families. The glowing displays added a warm, festive charm to the evening. Music filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere and the rhythm of the evening was matched only by the buzz around the busy food stalls. There was something delicious for everyone to enjoy.

A special shout-out goes to the Junior School Charity Ninjas and the Senior School Services Society, who hosted a variety of engaging games for children. Their dedication to community service was truly inspiring.

The Autumn Festival was more than just an event—it was a celebration of togetherness, creativity, and the joy of the season. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a memorable evening!

Over the past couple of weeks, our school has taken part in two exciting tournaments, featuring four of our Over 16 teams. We were proud to host the Boys Football and Girls Volleyball tournaments, while our Boys Volleyball and Girls Football teams travelled to ACS to compete.

All our teams represented the school with outstanding skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship. A special congratulations goes to our Boys Over 16 Football team, who earned a bronze medal after winning two out of their three matches on the day.

We would like to extend a big thank you to our coaches, Ms Dikaioulia, Mr Strzemiecki, and Mr Styliatis, for their hard work in preparing the teams.

Finally, we wish both our Over 16 Girls and Boys Football teams the very best of luck in their upcoming tournament in Thessaloniki later this year.

As part of our KS4 programme, pupils had the opportunity to explore the rich cultural and natural heritage of Rhodes during a recent 3-day educational visit organised by the Head of Year 11 and the Head of Greek.

Highlights of the trip included a guided tour of the medieval Old Town of Rhodes, featuring landmarks such as the Acropolis of Rhodes, the Palace of the Grand Masters, and the historic Street of the Knights. Pupils also visited the ancient site of Lindos, where they explored the Acropolis and the Temple of Athena, as well as the picturesque village below.

The group enjoyed a relaxing visit to the Kallithea Thermal Springs, renowned for their natural beauty and historic architecture, and spent time at the unique Valley of the Butterflies. Other memorable stops included the interactive Farma of Rhodes Petting Zoo and the tranquil Seven Springs nature reserve, a hidden gem known for its lush greenery, waterfall, and scenic walking paths.

This immersive experience allowed pupils to deepen their understanding of Greek history, culture, and the natural environment, while also building lasting memories with their peers. It was a truly enjoyable trip for everyone involved—with both pupils and teachers relishing the chance to explore, learn, and spend time together in such a beautiful and historically rich setting. The combination of educational value and shared experiences made it a memorable highlight of the school year.

Well done to this year’s International Award Silver participants for successfully completing their adventurous journey in Mt Menalon! Over three days, the students navigated mountain trails using only a map and compass, working in teams and making decisions independently. Along the way, they stopped at two monasteries nestled in the landscape—one of which, Prodromou Monastery, is built into the side of a rock, offering breathtaking views over the valley below.

On the second night, after completing the longest and most challenging hike of the expedition and having the chance to end the hike with a swim in Lousios river, the group gathered by the banks of the river to light a campfire. There, they roasted marshmallows and enjoyed a well-deserved meal under the stars—a memorable moment of rest and connection in the heart of nature.

Each evening, pupils set up camp at their destination, carrying all their gear and supplies throughout the expedition. The team covered over 30 kilometres on foot and demonstrated outstanding resilience, teamwork, and determination. A huge congratulations to our Year 11 IA team for this incredible achievement!

The Greek Department, in collaboration with the Head of Year 7, organised a successful educational trip to the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum for our Year 7 pupils, on 9th October 2025. 

As part of a multi-curricular experience, pupils explored the ancient citadel and learned about its rich history and architecture, including the iconic Parthenon. With the guidance of an English-speaking tour guides, pupils enjoyed breathtaking views over Athens and gained valuable insight into ancient Greek civilisation. The visit continued at the Acropolis Museum, where pupils had the opportunity to view artefacts from different historical periods and deepen their understanding of everyday life in ancient Athens. It was a memorable and enriching day for all involved.

 Experiencing history so vividly sparked curiosity, inspired thoughtful questions, and left our pupils with lasting impressions of Greece’s remarkable cultural heritage. It was a truly outstanding example of learning beyond the classroom.

With university application season well underway and both Year 12 and 13 pupils looking to the future, we have been fortunate to have some visitors to our campus who were able to give our older pupils some food for thought.

First to call in, was the European University Consortium consisting of 4 institutions, all of which deliver degree courses in English. Of the four, Bocconi University, Milan and EHL (Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne) are probably the most well-known, but it was also fascinating to find out about Constructor University, based in Bremen, and the Brussels School of Governance. As well as giving a brief presentation, the representatives held a mini fair afterwards to answer any questions - of which there were many!

Two weeks later, we were honoured to be visited by the Irish Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador to Greece who came to talk about studying and living in Ireland. As well as giving really interesting details about life in the emerald isle and the wonderful opportunities studying there provides, the ambassador also talked about her own career path and how she ended up doing the job she now does, which our pupils found very interesting and gave them much to consider.

Next up, we will be hosting a representative from our most popular UK university destination, UCL, as well as looking at options a little closer to home after the half-term break.

Exam Results Success for St. Lawrence College Pupils

Through May and June 2025 pupils from our Years 11, 12 and 13 took their IGCSE, AS-Level and A-Level exams. A grand total of 226 pupils sat for 1138 qualifications made up of around 3000 individual exam papers! Results began to emerge last week and today we see the release of the final grades to be issued (Greek GCSE).

The simple story is our pupils did us proud once again! The proportions of all kinds of qualifications hitting top grades maintained our outstanding standards from previous years and remain well above UK national averages. And there are plenty of individual success stories as well – read on for a full analysis!

Year 11 and IGCSE/ GCSE

91 pupils in Year 11 sat for 695 IGCSE qualifications in May and June 2025. Their results maintain the high standards set by cohorts of previous years at our school. The key measurements are what proportion resulted in A*/A grade, and what proportion scored A*-C (with C grade or better being considered a ‘pass’). This year’s A*/A rate of 46% showed nearly half of all IGCSEs and GCSEs taken resulted in in a top grade. This proportion was slightly down on 2024’s 49% and yet up on 2023’s 42%. The A*-C proportion of 91% this year beat both 2024 (86%) and 2023 (80%). 

Individual outstanding performances from pupils included Koralia Datsiou (9A*), George Anastassiou (8A*1A) and Adrian Delaportas, Antigoni Giannakopoulou, Hailey Hyeyoon Jun and Tina Liras each of whom attained 7A* among their qualifications.

Year 12 and AS-Levels

In May and June, a total of 243 AS-Level qualifications were sat for by 72 Year 12 pupils. Once again, the standards were very high, well above UK national averages and typical of the high benchmarks our cohorts consistently set year after year. The most frequently awarded grade was A (there is no A* at AS-Level) with 37% of all AS-Levels scoring that top grade. This was a little lower than the 2024 proportion, but higher than 2023. The proportion of AS-Levels scoring at least a C grade was the highest in the last three years at 78%.

Stand out performances included George Tzoutzourakis (AAAAA), Mohamed Abdel Fattah, Athina Christoforou, Yiyi Liu, Zhuoxuan Ying and Xuefei Zhang (each attained AAAA), Alexandra Mavromichalis (AAABB), and Athanasios Argyros, Varvara Biziouk, SofiaTzagaraki-Kaseta and Jiayu Zhu (who each attained AAAB).

Year 13 and A-Levels

63 pupils sat for their final A-Level exams back in June and with the results they have gained the next stage in their educational journey commences. These 63 pupils sat exactly 200 A-Level qualifications, and their A-Level results this year were well in line with those of recent years, and consistently above UK national averages in terms of grade distributions. Just under half (46%) of all A-Levels sat resulted in an A* or A, with A being by far the most common grade awarded across all A-Levels. This is the highest proportion of A*/A in the last three years. Furthermore, an extraordinary 88% scored at least a C grade – which is the highest in the last four years. Indeed, all A-Levels in Further Mathematics, Literature, French, Greek, History and Politics resulted in at least a C. 

Pupils whose performances stood out included Alexandra Kefallonitis and Jiachen Lin who both scored A*A*A*, Guoguo Chen (A*A*A), Andres Van Meek (A*A*AA), Xinyi Hu (A*A*AC), Theodora Farmakidi, Despoina Salachas and Konstantinos Zafeirakis who each attained A*AAA, Yifei Wang (A*AAB), and Saiied Matin Musavi and Alexandros Kotsatos (A*AA).

On to university!

Our school leavers are progressing to an impressive range of universities around the world now, to study hugely diverse degree courses. The most popular destination remains the UK, with around half our graduates, choosing universities across the United Kingdom. These include Imperial College, University College London (UCL), King’s College London, University for the Creative Arts, Bath, Warwick, Edinburgh, Bristol, Stirling, and Southampton as a representative selection. Other school leavers are progressing to universities in the USA, China, Canada, Australia, and across Europe in Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Cyprus, France, Spain, Germany and Hungary, while a small number will remain in Greece. Courses they will study include Medicine, Law, Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Design, History & Archaeology, Mathematics, Psychology, Fashion Business & Management, Maritime Engineering, Chemistry, Interior Design and the Fine Arts. We wish them all every success!

Comparing our school results to the UK averages

Our school’s results are consistently above those of the UK in recent years. While some might expect this from a fee-paying school, the pupils at St. Lawrence College could be claimed to be at an additional challenge in that so many of our cohort are working in second or even third languages as they attempt UK exams such as IGCSE and A-Levels. Add to this that we are completely inclusive and non-selective. This means that there is no academic entrance exam to our school and, on the whole, all pupils are entered for all exams in their subjects. Thus, it becomes very clear we can be extremely proud of our pupils’ collective performance and can warmly commend our school staff for their effective teaching.  

IGCSE/GCSE A*-A proportions

2023: UK 26.4%, SLC 42%

2024: UK 22.6%, SLC 49%

2025: UK 23.0%, SLC 46%

IGCSE/GCSE A*-C proportions

2023: UK 67.8%, SLC 80%

2024: UK 67.4%, SLC 86%

2025: UK 70.6%, SLC 91%

A-Level A*-A proportions

2023: UK 27.2%, SLC 46%

2024: UK 27.8%, SLC 40%

2025: UK 28.3%, SLC 45%

A-Level A*-C proportions

2023: UK 76.0%, SLC 81%

2024: UK 76.4%, SLC 77%

2025: UK 77.8%, SLC 88%

School reaction

Headmaster Phil Holden commented “I am delighted that the hard work, dedication, and commitment of so many of our pupils has been rewarded with these strong results. It is a testament to their diligence and effort, but also to the wonderful professionalism of our teachers throughout the school who have supported our pupils in their learning and their exam preparation. I especially congratulate those pupils leaving our school. As well as the high-quality study skills they have acquired, I hope they will also take happy memories with them wherever they are progressing to in the world!”

On the evening of Friday, 20th June, St Lawrence College proudly hosted its 45th Annual Awards Ceremony. The event was a heartfelt celebration of learning, achievement, and the unwavering academic effort shown by our pupils throughout the year. Families, staff, and pupils gathered to honour excellence across all areas of school life. We were privileged to welcome Mr Panagiotis Ladakakos, President of the Hellenic Wind Energy Association, as our esteemed Guest of Honour. His inspiring words highlighted the importance of perseverance, innovation, and sustainability in today’s world. Our graduating class of year 13 pupils were a symbol of our hopes for the future generation of leaders. The evening was a memorable tribute to the dedication and accomplishments of our school community.

On Monday 16th June, a Junior School concert was held at 12 midday and a Junior/Senior concert was held at 7pm. Both concerts took place in the calm and peaceful surroundings of the Efilena estate and filled the hall with wonderful music. Families, music tutors and members of staff looked on proudly at the array of dedicated talent on show in front of them. It is always heartening to see such dedicated young learners take their moment to shine and we look forward to the occasion every year. Well done to all our bright and talented musicians.

On Saturday 14th June, St Lawrence College collaborated with the organisers of Robotakia School to host the 2025 Robotakia Festival. Over a thousand participants and guests joined us in the indoor gym for an afternoon of celebration of children’s creativity with technology. Pupils from the Robotics club at our school as well as many others from far and wide, took the time and made the effort to showcase their skills and explain their projects to the judges. Congratulations to all who took part in this wonderful event!

To celebrate the end of term, our clubs hosted a fantastic event in the gym. The Rhythmics, Cheerleading, and Dance & Movement clubs dazzled the audience with energetic performances that proudly displayed their hard work and newly acquired skills. The Karate Club also impressed with a powerful demonstration, breaking boards and showcasing their disciplined techniques. 

In early June, our Key Stage 2 students took part in a series of educational beach clean-up trips across Attica, organised as part of our school’s commitment to environmental awareness and responsibility. Coinciding with World Environment Day (June 5th) and World Ocean Day (June 8th), the trips gave our pupils a unique, hands-on opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world action. Armed with gloves, bags, and a strong sense of purpose, the children rolled up their sleeves and got to work, collecting litter and helping restore the natural beauty of our local beaches. Not only did they make a visible impact—removing significantly more waste than in previous years—they also gained a deeper understanding of how pollution affects marine ecosystems and what we can do to protect them. We are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, teamwork, and growing sense of environmental responsibility. A huge thank you to our pupils for making these trips a meaningful success!

On Thursday 5th June, Year 6 were treated to THE end of year event for their age group – the Year 6 Formal. In beautiful dresses and smart suits, these oh-so-sophisticated eleven-year-olds danced the evening away at the Efilena Estate close to school. They were enthusiastic from start to finish and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Roll on High School – they're as ready as they’ll ever be!