This week at SLC saw two exciting events for the Junior School children in years 3 to 6 as we held both the High Jump Finals on Tuesday 30th May and the Annual Swimming Gala on Friday 2nd June, 2017. 

The children who jumped on Tuesday were determined and strong, showing their skill and their desire to reach ever higher goals! Despite the absence of a new school record this year, no one can fault the children's efforts. 

And in the swimming events, the children were more than happy to dive into the cool water on a very hot day that saw some really fast races. From freestyle to breastroke to backstroke, the swimmers really made waves!

Well done to our dedicated staff who enabled our sporty pupils to have these opportunities to excel outside of the classroom. And congratulations to all eager participants too! Take a look at our new school 25 metre swimming records from Years 3 to 5.

Year 3 Girls Backstroke
Nicci Dardanis 26.92 sec

Year 4 Girls Freestyle & backstroke
Estheleen Charalabidi 17.79 sec & 22.42 sec

Year 4 Boys  Breaststroke
Alexios Mylonas 21.51 sec

Year 5 Girls Breaststroke
Konstantina Bograkou-Tzanetakou 23.80 sec

Year 5 Boys Freestyle, backstroke & breaststroke
Konstantinos Chachamopoulos 15.62 sec;  18.84 sec; 21.19 sec

The pupils and staff of St. Lawrence College today observed one minute’s silence in memory of those who lost their lives in Manchester on Monday 22nd May. The minute of silence was observed at 1.00pm, and was thus timed to coincide with the one minute’s silence called for by the UK government and observed across the UK at 11.00am UK time. 
Pupils were encouraged to reflect upon the impact of Monday’s attack on the lives of all those affected; the relatives and friends of those who were killed or injured and also the school communities which so many of the young victims were members of. 

St Lawrence College welcomes families with children from two and a half years old to four years of age to drop in, stay and play at our Early Years Family Open Day on Friday 12th May between 10am and 1pm. Why not come along and meet other prospective pupils, parents and staff? Enjoy refreshments  while your young children participate in fun activities in our garden. Watch your children take part in creative arts activities and see what we can offer you and your children to support their first steps in active learning. Experience first-hand the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum in action with our senior leadership team & Early Years practitioners. You may take the opportunity to view our extensive campus and all its excellent facilities.
 
In addition, your children will participate in a physical development session with our professional instructors of games and sports including  mini-tennis, yoga and other games. Furthermore, your children will experience our mindful approach to Personal Social & Emotional Development through the use of the Jigsaw scheme for young children. Alongside this, they will listen and interact in a communication language & literacy session specially designed to help them in their interactions with others and you will see them engage in a hands-on numeracy lesson. 

A limited number of places are available, so please apply by Friday 5th May at the latest by sending an email to info@slc.gr stating the parent's name, the pupil's name and date of birth, and a phone number. Alternatively, contact our school office (210-8917000) for more information. We look forward to meeting you on our Open Day!

Well you know what they say, rugby isn't just a game you play, it's a way of life. And boy oh boy were the children of years 5 & 6 finding that out on Tuesday 28th March. The rugby bug has definitely hit our school as the children are starting to feel the pull of this super sport. As it's still early days yet, the children play tag rugby which teaches them how to learn all the important skills of the game without the danger of tackling and body contact. With equally enthusiastic pupils from St Catherine's School to compete against, there was much to play for this week, all in the friendliest of spirits of course. 

Mr Rizos, the rugby coach, was very pleased by the response and feedback he got from staff, pupils and parents who came along to watch. The senior school rugby players who helped to referee were also impressed at the children's drive and determination. Watch this space for more action to come!

Thursday, 23 March, saw a new and successful whole school initiative take place, which saw everyone on campus read in silent unison for two D.E.A.R reading sessions, signalled by a special bell. Pupils and staff constantly had their novels ready at hand but were not aware of the actual times that the reading sessions would take place. Everyone was clearly enthusiastic about stopping whatever they were doing and simply enjoying their quiet reading. The aim of this initiative is to encourage a love of reading for pleasure and was one of the main activities planned to show our school's support of World Book Day. 
 

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.

(Years 1 and 2)

Key Stage 1 covers Years 1 and 2 of primary education and builds on children’s early learning by introducing a broader, more structured curriculum. At this stage, pupils begin to deepen their understanding of core subjects while developing greater independence and confidence as learners.

In Year 1, the curriculum expands to include a range of subjects delivered through engaging, topic-based learning. Alongside class teachers and teaching assistants, pupils benefit from the expertise of specialist teachers in subjects such as Music, Computing, and Greek language, which is introduced during this year. Teaching is carefully differentiated to meet the individual needs of each pupil, ensuring strong progress in literacy, numeracy, science and beyond.

Our experienced staff foster a nurturing environment that balances high academic expectations with personalised support. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely to ensure pupils are continually challenged while also receiving the encouragement and guidance they need to succeed.

a nurturing environment that balances high academic expectations with personalised support

By the end of Year 2, children have developed into capable, curious, and confident learners. They are well-prepared for the transition into Key Stage 2, equipped with a solid foundation in essential skills and the enthusiasm to embrace new challenges. Throughout their time in Key Stage 1, pupils benefit from a rich, supportive learning environment where each individual is valued and empowered to achieve their best.

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!