Our pupils’ 2020 public exam grades attain the highest of standards

Mid-August wouldn’t be the same without the anxious wait for the public examination grades of our eldest pupils. Although all 2020 public examinations were cancelled by the UK authorities as a consequence of the covid-19 pandemic, pupils who were working towards IGCSE, AS-Level and A-Levels had been promised grades and certificates by the exam boards. Those grades have now been awarded and released.

The qualifications have been issued by exam bodies who used a combination of data and “assessment grades” submitted by schools as well as the exam bodies’ own statistical records regarding how schools’ pupil cohorts had performed in recent years.

This year, our pupils have received, collectively, grades that represent a tremendous achievement and they have improved upon the grades of recent years at A-Level and AS-Level, while matching the standards of recent years at IGCSE. Even in a ‘normal’ year these would be outstanding results, but given the challenge of recent months, our Year 11, 12 and 13 pupils should be especially proud of themselves.

A-Level

The 38 pupils of our Year 13 have been awarded 123 A-Level grades. The statistics are very impressive:

·         26% of all grades were an A* (up from 20% in 2019 and 13% in 2018)

·         More than half – 52% - of all grades were A*/A (up from 51% in 2019 and 34% in 2018)

·         More than three quarters – 76% - of all grades were A*/A/B and 85% were at least a C grade; again higher percentages than in both 2019 and 2018.

Two of our A-Level pupils each achieved a remarkable four A* grades – congratulations Ioanna Moirasgenti and Harry Karaiossifides; while Yueyang Li managed three A*s and two A grades.

AS-Level

Perhaps even more impressive are the AS-Level grades awarded to our Year 12 pupils. A total of 147 grades have been awarded to 43 pupils and the statistics truly demonstrate the excellence of this cohort of pupils. Note that the highest possible grade at AS-Level is A; and that A* does not exist at AS-Level.

• 56% of all AS-Level grades have resulted in A; up from 41% in 2019 and 40% in 2018.
• 86% of all grades awarded were a C grade or better; up from 73% in 2019 and 59% in 2018.

Outstanding individual pupil achievements included Panagiota Paraskevopoulou (AAAAB); Yijun Chen (AAAA); Yurui Cui (AAAA); Eleni Kalendi (AAAA); Markella Papadopoulou (AAAA); Jake Paternoster (AAAA); and Kaibo Wang (AAAA). Very well done to those young men and women and all our pupils.

IGCSE

A huge number of IGCSE grades have been awarded to our Year 11 pupils – 522 in total. This is far more than in recent years; in 2019 there were 420 IGCSE entries and in 2018, 386 entries. This year’s IGCSE grades were as equally impressive as in recent years and, by some measurements, even stronger. Thus:

• 25% of all IGCSEs resulted in an A* (2019 – 23%; 2018 – 25%)
• 47% of all IGCSEs resulted in an A*-A (2019 – 47%; 2018 – 45%)
• 83% of all IGCSEs resulted in an A*-C (2019 – 79%; 2018 – 90%)

Stand out achievements included Katrina Lemane (9A*); Leda Persidi (8A*, 1A); Athanasios Kapoutsis (7A*, 2A); Zoe Raptis (7A*, 2A); Danil Tsaran (7A*, 2A) with many other pupils securing multiple A* and A grades – congratulations to them all!

Higher Education

Many of our A-Level pupils are now progressing to higher education courses. The most popular destination is, of course, the UK, with pupils leaving us to start as undergraduates at such renowned universities as UCL, King’s College London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sussex, Queen Mary London, UEA, Lancaster, Bath and Southampton to name just a few. Other pupils are continuing their education at universities in countries such as the USA, Canada, The Netherlands; while a few will remain in Greece and attend institutions such as Deree College and BCA.

Our graduating pupils will study a fascinating diversity of degree courses including (but not limited to!) Medicine, Mathematics, Marine Technology & Engineering, Theoretical Physics, Chemical Physics, Aeronautics & Astronautics, Design Innovation & Creative Engineering, Neuroscience, International Relations, International Business Management, Classical Studies, Animation, and Environmental Geoscience.

Headmaster Phil Holden commented “I am delighted with the collective achievement of our pupils in this most difficult of years. These remarkable grades reflect the outstanding work our pupils have invested into their IGCSE, AS-Level and A-Level courses and I am very happy, and somewhat relieved, that their efforts have been recognised by the exam bodies of the UK. I congratulate all our pupils and I especially wish to thank all our school staff who have also supported our pupils with such consistency and dedication. This includes teachers of these pupils from earlier years in each child’s education. I know that so many of our pupils worked very, very hard through a stressful period and were well supported by the school and parents and so I am not surprised at how well they have done – their success was richly deserved and we can all take pride in their accomplishment”.

Our Year 6 pupils recently enjoyed an unforgettable residential trip to Milias Camps, nestled in the beautiful surroundings near Mount Parnassos. The trip provided the perfect opportunity for adventure, teamwork, and reflection as the children celebrated the end of their Junior School journey.

During their stay, the two groups took part in a wide range of exciting outdoor activities. One of the highlights was a challenging hike up to an ancient ruin, where pupils combined physical effort with a sense of discovery and history. They also explored the countryside on bikes, taking in the stunning natural scenery and enjoying the freedom of the great outdoors.

For those seeking adventure, climbing and archery sessions encouraged pupils to push themselves, build confidence, and develop new skills. A refreshing dip in a mountain river offered a moment of fun and relaxation, while a scenic walk through the picturesque valley of Pavliani allowed everyone to appreciate the beauty of the Greek landscape.

Throughout the trip, the children demonstrated excellent teamwork, resilience, and enthusiasm. Whether encouraging one another during activities or simply sharing time together, they built strong bonds and created lasting memories.

The Year 6 residential was a truly special experience — filled with laughter, adventure, and friendship. It provided a wonderful way for our pupils to celebrate their final year in the Junior School and to take with them memories they will treasure for years to come.

The British Physics Olympiad provides a series of competitions to stretch and challenge talented young physicists. Following the increasing popularity of the competition among our pupils, the senior school Physics department took part in four of these competitions: the Intermediate Physics Challenge for Year 11, the Senior Physics Challenge for Year 12, the Physics Challenge for Year 13 and the BPhO Round 1 for Year 13.

A number of pupils embraced the challenge and won awards and certificates filling us, yet again, with pride!

Below is a list of all the contestants and their attainment per competition. We wish to congratulate them all and share the news of their success with you!

In each one of these competitions, top Physics problem-solvers of their age from UK and international schools alike took part, so attaining even a modest mark still includes our pupils in the very top rank of participants.

However, we would like to give a special shout out to:

Meng Xuchen, a Year 11 pupil, for achieving a Gold award in the Intermediate Physics Challenge, awarded only to the top 5.5% out of roughly 2400 contestants, as well as her success in the Senior Physics Challenge, a competition meant for Year 12 pupils!

Liao Yuqian, a Year 12 pupil, for achieving a Gold award in the Senior Physics Challenge, awarded only to the top 8.9% out of roughly 6900 contestants, as well as her successes in the Physics Challenge and BPhO Round 1, competitions meant for Year 13 pupils!

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!

On Monday 19^th June, the Early Years held their most welcoming event, their ‘Family Day’. It was a wonderful occasion which gave families and friends the opportunity to hear these young children singing songs and to showing off their learning in a school environment. It was also that special time when each pupil received their end of year certificate. The formalities were followed by an enjoyable and relaxing picnic all together, for which families had contributed a traditional dish from their country, so that all could share. It fitted together so well with the last important topic of their year, ‘People from Around the World.’ What a lovely day was had by all!

The annual sports day for Reception and Years 1,2 and 3 took place on the 7^th and 8^th of June respectively. Pupils came and performed exercises which showcased the skills they have developed in an array of sports such as gymnastics, football, basketball, field hockey and athletics. Our pupils got an extra confidence boost from all the parents who attended this fun event as they cheered for their children from up close.

Pupils wore their house colours and collected house points for their respective houses which resulted in some fantastic colourful photos taken from high above. At the end of the day, the results were announced. For Years 1-3, Macedonia finished in 1^st, Attica in 2^nd and Epirus in 3^rd and for Reception Epirus finished in 1^st place, Attica in 2^nd and Macedonia in 3^rd.

Pupils were ecstatic to have helped their houses and await with enthusiasm for the results from the whole academic year, which will be announced at the annual award ceremony on the 21^st of June.  

On the 29th of March our Year 8 pupils visited the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre in a daily trip organised by the Greek department and the Head of Year 8.

First, the pupils watched the play “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens, a popular moral story for children and adults alike. This story ends on a note of hope, arguing that truth, purity, and innocence can be preserved even in an environment of poverty and social inequality. 

Then, the pupils enjoyed their lunch under the blue sky, a well-deserved day out for our Year 8 pupils!

On 20^th October 2022 Year 7s visited the castle of Acrocorinth and Stymphalia Environmental Museum. The pupils sketched the surrounding area to identify physical, human and environmental elements and looked at the defences while creating castle sketches to compare these with Norman castle building. These activities were planned in accordance with the Year 7 Geography and History syllabus showcasing how learning outside school is essential for and an integral part of our pupils’ educational development.

I liked the trips because they were lots of fun I couldn't stop laughing with my friends. It was fascinating and very interesting. I learnt many things I didn't know before and enjoyed them very much.

-Vanessa 

Stymphalia Lake

I enjoyed observing the dry Stymphalia Lake and learning about its past history. The fish were so cool especially how they functioned during dry season.

Castle of Acrocorinth

The castle was very interesting because I couldn't believed that where I was standing had been created gradually more than a thousand years ago.

-Carola 

We are proud to unfold our adventurous, creative and magical journey which brought us to this impressive Koropi Campus where we celebrate our 40 years of operation

NORTHERN JOURNEY: The School did not pop up in 1980, the year of our foundation, looking as we do today. We started in Paleo Psychico, Filothei, Halandri,
occupying five different buildings that were necessary to house our constantly increasing pupil body, as our growth rate was phenomenal. To accommodate a number of non Athens resident pupils, we also ran a boarding house at Hotel Frini in Kifissia.

September 1984 finds the School in Gargitos in a purpose–built school building. We have left Paleo Psychiko and Halandri, but we still keep Filothei.

SOUTHERN JOURNEY: In September 1981, the School opened a branch in Hellinikon, naming it “L1” i.e. Lawrence One. The success was instant and in the years that followed new buildings were added, one after the other, in the area to accommodate the pupil body -three of which were built by us. Again the need to accommodate a number of boarders was covered by running a small villa in the area as a boarding house.

As time went on, the Board of Governors realized the   need to bring together the North and the South and
so the three component schools, Filothei, Gargitos, Hellinikon, merged in Hellinikon in September 1987.

A new beginning was made in Hellinikon. An impressive success story both in numbers and particularly in academic achievements follows bringing the buildings to the staggering number of eleven, “L11” i.e. Lawrence Eleven.

In the summer of 2004 the time had come to move again.

So “Farewell Hellinikon”, “Good Morning Koropi” and the gate of our impressive Koropi Campus opens in September 2004.

To sum up this building/geographical journey, we have worked out of 17 buildings, two boarding houses, in six suburbs before reaching our present beautiful home – the Koropi Campus.

Summer SCHOOL: The St. Lawrence College Summer School has been taking place as follows:

-Alexander Beach Hotel, Arachovitika, Peloponnese, 

  Summer 1982

- Tolo Camping, Nafplio, Peloponnese, Summer 1983-1989

- Hellinikon Campus, Summer 1994-2004

- Koropi Campus, Summer 2005 – Present  

Our School has come such a long way and it is in the hands of people, teachers and administrative staff, who will continue to nurture it as the safe educational oasis that it is.

On 5th December the Year 8s enjoyed the new and immersive exhibition, ‘Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius’ that has come to Athens. As part of our history course on the Renaissance our pupils had the opportunity to explore the life and work of this great artist and inventor, 500 years after his death.

Masterpieces, inventions, codices, and drawings from the Renaissance master came to life in an experience that was simultaneously entertaining and educational.

They viewed 75 models of his inventions, natural reproductions, interactive machines and copies of his famous codes, with more than 200 exhibits that have been designed in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Rome. 

The experience allowed our pupils to delve into the mind of a truly Universal Man.

Over the weekend 6-7^th October eleven St. Lawrence College pupils from our school participated in the Campion School Model United Nations.

The pupils, who ranged from Year 7 to Year 12, acted as delegates of Ethiopia and Mexico across various committees. Two of our older pupils held chairing positions in their committees, a great honour for Andreas Hagis and Joanna Sakkadas that comes as a recognition of their dedication and hard work in various past MUNs. For the first time ever, two pupils from Year 7 took part in the MUN, with one of them managing, through his enthusiasm and dedicated work, to gain the Best Delegate Award in his Junior Group Discussion Committee - congratulations to Constantine Zafeirakis!

Model United Nations has some fanatic supporters in our school who enjoy participating in these conferences, dedicating much of their free time, both at school and at home, towards preparing for them. Taking part in an MUN Conference is a rewarding and educational experience with participants making new friends from all over the world, and not only learning about current world affairs but also proposing solutions to many of them. All the members of the MUN Club of our school, old and new, are now looking forward with great excitement to their next event, which is scheduled for December 2018!

Key Stage 3 is the first stage of British education that is in secondary (senior) school. For the first time in their education, a pupil will have ten specialist subject teachers across the eleven subjects that they will learn. These subjects are Mathematics, English, Greek, Science, History, Geography, Information Technology, Art & Design, Music, a third language (French or Spanish) and Physical Education (swimming, football, basketball and volleyball). Of these subjects, Mathematics, English and Greek are streamed on ability.

Pupils are carefully assessed throughout these three years of their education. This is achieved in a variety of ways through formative and summative assessment techniques with unique statistical and descriptive analytical information being communicated to parents regularly. End of year internal examinations not only provide an opportunity to assess learning that has occurred but help develop skills of examination preparation and the resilience to cope with the public examination process that is ahead of these pupils.

These three years of school are immensely important to the educational development of a child. They enter this Key Stage from primary (junior) school and leave it to start IGCSE public examination courses. This Key Stage does so much more than take a child forward in their understanding of the subject matter they are studying. It is during this Key Stage that children learn to work with a range of specialist teachers who each have a different style and slightly differing expectations of their classes. Pupils learn how to interact with and work with different adults and different sets of children. Their organisational skills develop as they learn to cope with the demands of different subjects with multiple deadlines and study skill requirements. Pupils also, of course, start to develop definite preferences for subject areas which are the first indications of where they may choose to specialise in the future.

A ‘40 Year St. Lawrence College Reunion’ took place on Wednesday 18th December. It gave us all great pleasure to see former pupils of the school again, in some cases after many years, and it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up on their news and keep the St. Lawrence community alive.
 
Over 120 Alumni responded to our invitation. They came to compete against our current school teams in volleyball, football and basketball matches, representing their old school houses of Attica, Epirus and Macedonia. Beyond the sports field, they participated in a number of forensics and debate events. It was a wonderful opportunity to reminisce!
 
For this event our school decided to support PIKPA VOULAS and through a number of charity drives, ending on the day of the reunion, we managed to raise 6,182 euros to be able to purchase mattresses, which are urgently needed for the beds of the children in the orphanage of PIKPA VOULAS.
Dear alumni, you know that you are always welcome here at St. Lawrence College and it will always be our pleasure to see you. Don’t forget us, keep in touch!

We would like to thank our sponsors without whom this event would not have been possible:

Amigos Mexican Restaurant

Seacon

Subdued

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Among the many clubs that St. Lawrence College pupils can choose from, we are especially proud of the following:

Greek Drama Club

Pupils of all nationalities and from all school years are encouraged to join this club, which meets twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays during break times.

The aim of the Greek Drama Club is to present something innovative for Greek National Celebrations, something of interest, but always related to that particular period in history. This usually includes a short play, Greek dances and songs.

Environmental Club

The Environmental Club meets once a week, usually on Fridays, and is open to all pupils in the senior school.

The aim of the club is to promote and raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues, to instil a sense of responsibility and personal commitment to protect and preserve the environment and to encourage pupils to learn more about some of the most important issues facing the world today –i.e. the benefits of recycling at home, endangered species, pollution, deforestation, and the fragility of the rainforests.

Another important objective of the club is also to give support to Greek environmental organisations, such as Arktouros and the Turtle Rescue Centre, by arranging visits and holding fundraising events.

Greek Support Club

The Greek Support Club aims to offer help to those who encounter difficulties with their Greek language skills. The club is open to native and non-native speakers alike, as well as to pupils from all years. It meets every Thursday at lunch time but participating pupils are encouraged to go and seek help any time they deem it necessary.

Yearbook Club

• The Yearbook that is produced each year is a highly prized possession for every pupil and continues to give those pupils great joy long after they leave our school. For that reason, it is important that the Yearbook is produced to the highest of standards – and that is the job of the Yearbook Club. This club is open to pupils from all years, but it is usually senior members of the school body who are the most productive in it.
• The aim of the Yearbook Club is for members to:
• Proof read yearbook pages which are being put together and critically assess them for necessary changes.
• Gather information/interview graduating pupils for the graduate page.
• Get assignments from departments or year groups to be used as resources.
• Promote regular contact with subject teachers so that club members keep abreast of events.
• Categorize resources gathered by grade, department or theme.
• Write text to go with the photographs that are to be used in the yearbook.
• Offer new ideas for the yearbook.
• Act as photographers if they wish and take photos of sporting events/other events for potential use.

Meetings happen about once per month, so that members can check on their combined progress and arrange new assignments. They usually take place during lunch break, however senior pupils often meet whenever they have free time during the day.

Assessment is an essential part of the educational process at St. Lawrence College for a number of reasons. Amongst other things, assessment provides teachers, pupils and parents with a clear idea of any child’s progress and gives very good indications about how well concepts have been understood. This then enables teachers to adjust their lessons and approach in order to maximise learning.

Types of assessment

Assessment is a continuous process and is achieved using a variety of methods which fall broadly into two categories:

A. Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is an ongoing process which gives pupils the chance to demonstrate what they have learnt. Formative assessment does not involve grade assigning, but helps teachers understand whether a concept has been understood by a pupil. In return, pupils can expect specific, constructive written feedback from their teachers on all pieces of work which will clearly indicate how to further improve. There are a host of activities which can be used as a basis for formative assessment. Examples include:

• Written responses
• Class discussions and activities
• Group work
• Presentations

B. Summative Assessment

Summative assessment focuses on testing what a pupil has learned. Summative assessment tasks are graded and the marks are used to form Progress Marks and Report grades. Types of summative assessment include:

• Project work
• Essays/Writing Tasks
• Tests

Within each school year a pupil will receive 4 summative assessment marks, which illustrate his/her progress.

Electronic Progress Marks (EPMs)

Electronic Progress Marks (EPMs) are issued in November and April. Each pupil is given a mark out of 20 for each subject, based on summative assessment tasks. Departments may also give pupils a mark for the presentation of notebooks/files and may adjust an EPM based on behaviour/class contribution. The average EPM of the class is also calculated in order to provide a point of reference for pupils’ collective progress.

For more specific details on EPMs, please refer to individual departmental assessment policies.

Reports

All pupils receive two reports per year. Pupils in Years 7-10 receive reports in December and June while those in Years 11-13 are issued with reports in December and April/May. Each pupil receives a comment from each of their subject teachers and a term grade ranging from A-F. This grade is based on averaging marks given for summative assessment and can be read as follows:

A = 80%-100%
B = 65%-79%
C = 50%-64%
D = 40%-49%
E = 30%-39%
F = 0%-29%

Moreover, pupils are given a grade for effort ranging from E (Excellent) to P (Poor). Reports also feature each pupil’s exam mark from their most recent exam session, as well as the class average mark and the pupil’s position within the class.

Apart from their grades, pupils receive a) a comment from their form teacher, which may not just be about academic achievements but also about the pupil’s contribution to the school as a whole, and b) a final comment from the Headmaster or Deputy Head.

Examinations

Each year group gets examined on a regular basis. There are three different exam sessions which happen at various times within the school year.

Internal Exams

• Internal exams for Years 7-10 last for one week and take place in June

Mock Exams

• Public exam candidates in Years 11, 12 and 13 take mock exams at specially scheduled times.
• Mock exams are held in February/March for Year 11s and April/May for Years 12 and 13.
• Mock exams closely replicate public exam conditions in order to help prepare our pupils and are a useful indicator of areas which need further work in the weeks which follow.

Public Exams

• Year 11 takes Cambridge IGCSE exams in May/June
• Years 12 and 13 take Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) Level exams in May/June
• Exam boards for AS and A Level exams are Cambridge, Edexcel and Pearson
• Results of all public examinations are issued in August

Evaluation and Monitoring Tests

In October, pupils in Years 7 - 9 sit MidYIS assessments and Year 10 pupils sit Yellis assessments, both of which are produced by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring based at Durham University. This is a series of computer-adaptive assessments which provide information on pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, and help us to predict how they are likely to perform at IGCSE. The results are used for evaluation purposes and provide essentidata which can be used in a number of ways such as:

• to evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s assessment and teaching practices and make adjustments where necessary
• to compare teacher and pupil performance over the years and ultimately improve teaching and learning
• to give a general indication of the skills a pupil has and how these skills might be applied in future studies
• to compare individual pupil progress from one year to the next and to highlight any causes for concern
• to provide a clear indication of where each pupil is in relation to assessment bands as set out by the UK Department for Education
• to directly compare the progress of our pupils with those of other schools around the world