1. Outstanding facilities in a beautiful campus

Situated in a 20-acre campus, the school boasts some of the most up-to-date and complete facilities among education providers in Greece. Sports facilities are unrivalled and include a water-polo dimensioned heated swimming pool with an adjacent mini-pool for very young children, a full-sized all-weather football pitch with seating for 300 spectators, a fully equipped indoor gymnasium with seating for 200 spectators and outdoor tennis and basketball courts.

In addition, the school makes constant use of an amphitheatre, piano rooms, outstanding science laboratories, junior and senior school libraries, fully equipped I.T. suites and the most modern teaching tools in classrooms. All of this is contained within our glorious campus – an entirely single storey purpose-built complex which is airy, uncrowded, surrounded by beautiful hills and by in the fresh air of the southern Athenian suburbs, thus creating a peaceful, calm environment for learning.

2. A truly British education

Our school truly delivers those characteristics of an educational system that is internationally recognised as being effective and progressive – the British educational system, governed by the English National Curriculum. Furthermore, it is the intention of St. Lawrence College to promote among our pupils a value system that is underpinned by the values that make up the core of a modern British education – values of caring, tolerance, fair-play, showing enthusiasm, the practice of a moral code of decency and the intent to strive for excellence while being aware of the needs of others. These values are coupled with progress in learning through self-belief and self-confidence and, ultimately, academic qualifications that are globally recognised. This is what a pupil at St. Lawrence College can aspire to.

3. A broad curriculum that builds great learners

Pupils experience a broad curriculum -built around the UK government’s National Curriculum for England- whatever their age and whichever Key Stage they are in. They also take Greek classes from Year 1, as well as a third language, chosen from a wide range of options, at Year 4. Pupils enjoy great flexibility in IGCSE choices and their A-Level subjects, but also receive considerable guidance and orientation as they make their selection. Parents are also provided with constant advice and information as to what the curriculum choices mean for their child and are encouraged to discuss options choices with their child.

4. A multicultural community

As a British school in Greece we take pride in that our pupils are drawn from a very diverse background: we wouldn’t want that to be any other way. At the last count, there were more than fifty nationality backgrounds among our pupils –a true celebration of cultures. This provides a wonderful opportunity to promote tolerance and understanding, an awareness and appreciation of differences between our experiences. This diversity is also present among our teaching staff and functions as a key element in our drive towards the values of mutual respect and care.

5. A fully inclusive, non-selective pupil body

St. Lawrence College is non-selective. This means there is no entrance examination that must be passed for a child to be admitted. We believe that every child has the right to an opportunity to learn. We work hard to instil a growth mindset among pupils and staff and we celebrate effort and determination to learn, first and foremost. Children with learning and behaviour challenges progress well at St. Lawrence College, thanks to the attention provided by our learning support and SEN programmes for both Junior and Senior school students [links to their respective pages] and by the happy learning environment that permeates the school as a whole. Simply put, every child matters.

6. A happy and safe environment – top quality pastoral care

Great care is taken to ensure that our pupils are able to grow and develop as thoughtful citizens, aware of each other and of the community they live in, and that they feel happy, safe and enthusiastic about their learning. This is the result of first-rate pastoral care, which, at St. Lawrence College, is achieved through a system of care provision modelled on the British system and undertaken by experienced, trained and caring staff. See Pastoral Care for more information.

7. Smooth integration of pupils seeking to improve their English

Every year we are joined by pupils seeking to improve their English before fully integrating into the regular British school programme. St. Lawrence College has carefully designed EAL (English as an Additional Language) programmes to help pupils quickly raise their English skills. It is a system that works – irrespective of the age of the child. We are proud of our ability to assimilate pupils into our very diverse pupil body, where everyone learns and everyone is welcome.

8. Enrichment opportunities - activities beyond the classroom

Learning can take place at any time and should be fun. That is why at St. Lawrence College there is a wide range of activities and clubs that pupils can be a part of. There are so many opportunities to develop a new skill, have fun and make new friends. These range from sports activities such as swimming, football, basketball, tennis and many others, to challenges such as the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, to music, drama, debating, forensics and public speaking, the Model United Nations, environmental and charity work and plenty more.

9. Excellence in early years

Fostering the pleasure of imaginative play and a love and enjoyment of learning, our Early Years setting and dedicated practitioners provide the most wonderful start to your child’s learning journey at St. Lawrence College. Our warm and caring environment and its provision of stimulating play-based activities inspires our pupils to be curious, ask questions and develop an awe and wonder of the world.

10. The largest provider of A-Levels in Greece

A-Levels are the true and traditional post-16 educational qualification in the UK, with over 95% of UK schools offering education after GCSEs using it. Most importantly, A-Levels help pupils develop the essential study skills that must be in place if their progression to higher education is to be successful. No other institution in Greece teaches or enters more pupils for A-Level examinations than St. Lawrence College.

Here at St. Lawrence College, that the most common grade at A-Level, year after year, is an A grade, demonstrates the quality of delivery of this vitally important, pre-university stage of British education. Along with our expert and individually-tailored pastoral support and counselling, St. Lawrence College pupils are well-served and on track to access UK higher education or indeed any higher education institution in the world.

11. Top Academic Results Year After Year

Formal assessment through public examinations first occurs in Year 11 with IGCSEs, then continues in Year 12 with AS-Levels and is completed in Year 13 with A-Levels. St. Lawrence College has maintained very impressive standards in all of these examination standards, year after year. We are a non-selective school, and as such we are proud that the proportion of pupils who achieve at least five IGCSEs of at least grade C is consistently close to 90% (the UK average being 55%) – and at all levels of examination, IGCSE, AS-Level and A-Level, the most common grade achieved by far is the top grade of A/A*.

12. The perfect springboard to UK and global higher education

Pupils from our school access the very best universities all over the world. Most (around 80%) select to enter UK universities while others choose to go to the US, Canada, Europe or elsewhere for their higher education. Wherever they choose to study, St. Lawrence College provides the perfect combination of teaching excellence and informative one-to-one support before during and after the application process. It gives us great pleasure to see a young adult leave school and embark upon their chosen field of study, that’s why we strive to ensure that our pupils have access to a team of professionals in possession of deep experience, who also really care about them. 

13. Enthusiastic and highly qualified teaching staff

More than eighty teachers and more than 150 staff across the entire school are here to deliver the highest quality educational care within a safe and pleasant environment. Children are given the very best of opportunities to learn, thanks to the dedication and experience of teachers and educational practitioners who receive continual training in educational theory and who always seek out opportunities to improve their work. At St. Lawrence College we firmly believe that learning does not end with childhood –and we practise what we preach!

14. Continual Improvement

We stand for and expect continual improvement, from pupils but also from ourselves. We are proud of what we have achieved but we never want to stop moving forward. After all, when we promote and encourage self-reflection in our pupils, how could we not do the same as a school? This results in our teaching staff enjoying regular training delivered by expert educationalists, from the UK and beyond, undertaking on-line and off-site courses and working together to support and build upon their performance and effectiveness in their teaching. The school also continually reviews its curriculum and facilities in order to provide the very best and most modern and relevant educational experience possible.

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.

Senior school assemblies
Assemblies create a chance for pupils to gather in a larger group, comprising a significant proportion of the school, in order to listen, learn and sometimes contribute to a key theme. As such, an assembly is a special moment in the week of a pupil’s schooling.

All pupils attend one of two assemblies per week while in senior school. As well as performing an administrative function, the purpose of an assembly is to raise awareness on a topic. This is often part of the delivery of the PSHE programme, initiating a topic that will be explored further in form classes. It might be to report on the activities of pupils in other spheres of the school, such as trips or debating or sporting tournaments. Or perhaps the assembly simply aims to provoke reflection among pupils on some aspect of global or local current affairs.

For example, in recent months, senior school assemblies have covered themes as diverse as examination preparation techniques; the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarettes; code-breaking and cryptology; the ethics of depicting animals as humans in photography; issues related to bullying; the results of a school photography competition and a celebration of origami – where all children created a paper box following live instruction.

Assemblies also provide an opportunity for collective commemoration. This is the case of anniversaries, with assemblies held for Remembrance Sunday and for Greek celebrations such as “Oxi Day” (28th October) and Greek Independence Day (25th March). Special assemblies may be called to commemorate major current affairs. The Peshawar school massacre of December 2014 and the Paris bombings of November 2015 both triggered whole school assemblies where pupils were given the opportunity to reflect quietly and collectively as a group.

Junior school assemblies
Every morning at 8.40am, all pupils in the Junior School assemble in the playground to meet their teachers, before being admitted into class.  Here the Headmistress and Deputy Headmistress greet the children to say good morning, make any important announcements and wish them a good day.  Very often morning assembly is also a time when we discuss whole school initiatives, acknowledge pupil achievements and have pupils present a variety of topics to the rest of the school.

Class assemblies are held on Fridays for all classes in Years1-6. Pupils prepare for several weeks to present a topic that is related to specific PSHE and Citizenship themes that they have been learning about. The children are encouraged to have their thinking extended by each assembly and often take part in follow up activities on the theme presented.

All of our assemblies follow themes and issues that we feel are important for our pupils to understand as they prepare for life in the modern world and also to cope with everyday life in school.  Such themes as learning about values, respect and tolerance, diversity, building resilience and being proud of who we are.

Throughout St. Lawrence College’s history, thousands of our pupils have gone on to study at some of the best universities in the world, travelled far corners of the globe and of course met their professional goals.

In all these years, we have had the pleasure of chatting to you in person about your lives, and we know that some of you have become great scientists, lawyers, bankers, engineers, artists, parents and generally turned into responsible and interesting adults.

...thousands of our pupils have gone on to study at some of the best universities in the world...

What we would like to do now, is to share your stories and these great achievements. Please help us to do that by completing the questionnaire below. We would love to be able to use these stories to share on our websites, in printed media, on our social media channels – and of course in our classrooms, when we talk to current pupils about where and what our alumni have gone on to do.

Stories such as yours help us to inspire current generations of students and of course illustrate so accurately why we are so proud of each and every one of you!

Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you,
Dimitris Karakostas - Business Manager

Every summer, for one month, St. Lawrence runs a highly successful summer programme suited to children aged from three to fourteen.

Each year we renew old friendships and make new ones. We guarantee a special experience for our pupils, offering optimum learning and superb sports facilities.

...learning, fun and adventure in a healthy balance.

Summer at St. Lawrence offers a vibrant, warm environment in which children can further develop their skills, academically, socially and in a wide variety of sports and activities.

The programme offers learning, fun and adventure in a healthy balance. Those who wish to strengthen and reinforce their Cambridge Primary skills may do so, while others can:

•    develop and improve their spoken English, at all levels

•    become clearer and more confident speakers in English

•    concentrate on a sports/water sports-based programme

•    explore the multimedia and IT centre

•    enjoy the arts and crafts centre

Do join us for an unforgettable summer adventure!

Our pupils are our ambassadors and it is therefore essential that they convey the highest possible standards of behaviour and appearance.

All pupils attending St. Lawrence College, up to and including Year 11 must wear the prescribed school uniform when attending school, or when participating in a school-organised event outside normal school hours.

Our uniform policy and items succeed in:

• promoting a sense of pride in the school and in the pupils’ personal appearance
• engendering a sense of community and identifying pupils with the school
• supporting positive behaviour and discipline
• being comfortable, smart and practical for a day’s activities
• being flexible enough to be suitable whatever the season or climate
• preventing pupils from creating a distraction in class by coming to school in fashion-conscious clothing
• making pupils feel equal to their peers in terms of appearance
• taking into account health and safety
• providing good value for money by specifying clothing that is hardwearing enough for any pupil’s day

The school shop operating within the administration building provides a wide variety of uniform clothing items, i.e. shorts, trousers, sports bottoms, T-shirts, polo shirts, jumpers, sweatshirts, fleeces or hoodies and more.

Please refer to our Junior and Senior school policies for more specifics.

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.

The School is situated in an ideal geographic location. It is close to the southern suburbs and easily accessible via the main motorway, Attiki Odos, which connects the airport region where we are located, to the northern and western suburbs of Athens. We offer a comprehensive bus service to most areas of Athens and Pireaus. The cost of this service is specified in the accompanying transportation document.

Our fleet comprises various types of buses, all of which are fully air-conditioned, with comfortable, safe seating. Our manned bus drivers are fully qualified and children are assisted by capable, experienced bus monitors. Our scheduled bus routes are designed to accommodate pupils’ transport needs and take them as close as possible to their places of residence, so as to ensure minimal travel time for children.

Zone A': Agia Marina - Markopoulo - Koropi - Kitsi - Korbi - Vari - Varkiza - Vouliagmeni - Kavouri - Pigadakia - Voula - Glyfada - Hellinikon - Sourmena - Argyroupoli - Kalamaki - Alimos - Agios Dimitrios - Ilioupoli.                                                    

Zone B’: Saronida - Lagonissi - Keratea - Kalyvia - Porto Rafti - P. Phalero - N. Smyrni - Kallithea - Kareas - Ymmitos - Holargos - Papagou - Agia Paraskevi - Pallini - Drafi - Halandri - Daphne - Koukaki - Plaka - Kolonaki - Moshato - N.Phalero - Pangrati - Vyronas - Zographou.

Zone C': Piraeus - Kastella - Amfiali - Nikaia - Korydallos - Haidari - Exarheia - Patissia - Galatsi - Ampelokipi - Vrilissia - Kifissia - Kefalari - Marousi - Pefki - Kokkinara - N.Psychico - P. Psychico - Filothei - P. Pendeli - N. Kifissia - Melissia - N. Erythraia - Drosia - Fokaia - Anavyssos.

The St. Lawrence College campus is ideally located at the south eastern suburbs of Athens, 15 minutes by car from the airport and Glyfada, 30 minutes from Kifissia. The well-designed and well-equipped school setting consists of a wooden, earthquake resistant construction all at ground-floor level, situated in a 20-acre peaceful country environment.

...situated in a 20-acre peaceful country environment.

The school is constantly undergoing considerable expansion and refurbishment through considerable investment to cater for our growing school roll. The school currently features a modern suite of science laboratories, state of the art computer labs, a junior school library, a purpose built study room in the senior school, a 400-seat open-air amphitheatre, an Exhibition Centre, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, an Olympic-size heated swimming pool, an all-purpose air conditioned indoor gymnasium and a full size 11-a-side football pitch. Plans are underway for construction of significant additions to the school in the foreseeable future and should enhance our wealth of resources even more.

The school’s extensive facilities serve to complement the high academic standing of St. Lawrence College and provide the foundation for its many educational and extra-curricular activities.

Learning beyond the classroom is a vital part of every child’s education, and educational visits, excursions, and trips to places of interest form an integral element of this experience.

We are committed to enriching the relevance of pupils’ learning by arranging off-site visits, where appropriate, as an extension of the curriculum. These opportunities broaden children’s horizons, deepen their understanding, and bring learning to life in meaningful and memorable ways.

All pupils in the Early Years and Junior School have the opportunity to attend several school trips throughout the academic year, and we take full advantage of all that is available in the surrounding Attica region. Popular destinations include the Athens Digital Planetarium, the Attica Zoological Park, the Archaeological Museum, and many other sites of cultural, historical, and scientific interest.

we take full advantage of all that is available in the surrounding Attica region

In addition, the PE Department organises a range of inter-school athletic tournaments for pupils in Key Stage 2. These visits to other schools provide opportunities for friendly competition, with the emphasis placed on participation and enjoyment in new and stimulating surroundings. St. Lawrence College is also proud to act as a host for such events, welcoming pupils from other schools to share in these valuable experiences.

At St. Lawrence College, giving back is central to who we are. Through charitable work and fundraising, pupils, parents, and staff support both local and international causes, learning the importance of empathy, respect, and responsibility.

From refugee aid in Greece to supporting charities such as the Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Smile of the Child, The Salvation Army, Save the Children, and ActionAid, our community is dedicated to making a positive difference.

learning the importance of empathy, respect, and responsibility

Fundraising events are always met with enthusiasm — from non-uniform and “crazy-hair” days to raffles, bake sales, craft sales, sponsored walks, and collections of needed items. Pupils see first-hand the impact of their efforts through assemblies, visiting speakers, and staff-led presentations.

Much of this work is driven by our Charity Ninjas club, whose energy and creativity inspire the whole Junior School to get involved and show compassion in action.

Extra-curricular clubs provide pupils with wonderful opportunities to make new friends, stay active, and develop new skills in a safe and supportive environment. At St. Lawrence College, we offer a wide range of clubs — from infant activities to chess — ensuring there is something to suit every interest. Clubs run both during the school day (at lunchtime and within school hours) and after school from 3:30–4:30pm and are available to pupils from Foundation Stage 1 through to Year 6. Our outstanding facilities, including a 25-metre heated outdoor swimming pool, outdoor tennis courts, an all-weather pitch, a large sports hall, and an athletic running track, support the breadth and quality of the activities on offer.

opportunities to make new friends, stay active, and develop new skills 

Team Sports

Many of our clubs encourage teamwork and physical activity through both indoor and outdoor sports. Popular choices include football, rugby, tennis, basketball, volleyball, karate, rhythmic gymnastics, dance, and more. All sessions are led by fully qualified, professional coaches, who bring their expertise to provide high-quality coaching for pupils of all abilities.

Swimming

Swimming is not only a life-saving skill but also the gateway to many enjoyable water-based experiences. At St. Lawrence College, we offer afternoon swimming lessons for pupils aged 2½ to 18, taught by friendly, caring, and fully qualified instructors. Structured lessons cater for all levels, from water-confidence classes through to advanced club swimming.

Music

Music is at the heart of our school culture. We believe it is a creative and social art to be enjoyed by all, and our after-school Music School provides pupils with the chance to explore their musical interests. Instrumental tuition is offered in piano, guitar, violin, and drums, with pupils also able to prepare for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) examinations.

Other Clubs

Alongside sport and music, pupils can enjoy a variety of other activities across the year. These include Choir, Drama, Chess Club, Art Club and Robotics.

Practical Details

At the end of the summer term, families receive information outlining the full range of clubs available for the following academic year. This includes details of the age groups, times, and any associated costs, helping families to plan ahead and choose the activities best suited to their child’s interests.

Rationale

opportunity for the development of self-reliance, self-discipline, self-confidence and responsibility for learning

also strengthens the link between home and school

quality of homework more important than quantity

complementing and reinforcing classroom learning

fostering good lifelong learning and study habit

Aims

to encourage parent/carer partnership in learning

to encourage dialogue between parents/school, school/pupils and pupils/parents

to revisit objectives taught in school

to enhance and support learning

to encourage good learning habits

to be interesting and enjoyable

What homework involves

a short amount of homework to complete

research for a project &  topic work

reading, comprehension or grammar

a maths exercise or specific mental maths skills

spelling lists

Greek, French,  Chinese, Spanish  tasks

Role of the Class Teacher 

to make it purposeful

to reward and praise children

to mark homework and give feedback

to provide an explanation for parents

to give an easy-to-follow routine

to take equal opportunities into account

Role of the Pupil

to discuss homework with parents/caregivers

to complete homework tasks within set time frames

to follow up on comments made by teachers 

to seek assistance when difficulties arise 

to organise their time to allow for homework

Role of Parents /Caregivers

to praise the child for their efforts

to help their child develop a approach with talk and positive discussions

to ensure there is a balance between homework and recreational activities

to communicate with teachers about concerns

to check the homework diary each day

to discuss homework with the child

to provide a homework area without

to use methods suggested by the teacher to assist

to check the child’s efforts to learn basics such as times tables

to encourage reading for pleasure

How long should be spent on homework?

through KS2 time spent on homework will gradually increase

years 3 and 4: up to 30 minutes daily

years 5 and 6 homework will increase to 45 minutes, apart from time spent reading for pleasure

language teachers may assign homework once a week

these time estimations are only guidelines

Assessment in KS2

Summative assessment is commonly referred to as assessment of learning, in which the focus is on determining what the student has learned at the end of a unit of instruction or at the end of a grade level. Summative assessment helps determine to what extent the instructional and learning goals have been met.

What summative assessment is done in KS2?

Weekly reviews in Years 3 & 4 each Friday morning progressing to weekly tests in Years 5 & 6

Spelling lists

Mental maths skills

Regular English comprehension and grammar

Regular maths

Science unit tests according to each year’s  Cambridge curriculum requirements

Year 3: plants, life processes, classification of animals & plants, material properties, forces & motion, scientific enquiry

Year 4: the human body, animals in their environment, states of matter, sound, electricity & magnetism, scientific enquiry

Year 5: plants, changes in states of matter, light, the earth & beyond, scientific enquiry

Year 6: the human body, animals in their environment & feeding relationships, the environment, material changes of state, forces & motion, electricity & magnetism, scientific enquiry

Language attainment tests

End of year tests of attainment in  foreign languages: Chinese, French, Greek, Spanish

Regular unit/topic tests throughout the year

Cambridge Progression Tests

In term 3 in Year 6, official tests from Cambridge are sat in the 3 core subjects: English, maths & Science.

What formative assessment is done in KS2?

Formative assessment is commonly referred to as assessment for learning, in which the focus is on monitoring student response to and progress with instruction. Formative assessment provides immediate feedback to both the teacher and student regarding the learning process.

The most common procedures of formative assessment include the following.

Feedback. A teacher provides oral or written feedback to student discussion or work. For example, a teacher responds orally to a question asked in class; provides a written comment in a response or reflective journal; or provides feedback on student work.

Observation. A teacher observes and records a student's level of engagement, academic and/or affective behaviour; develops a plan of action to support that student; implements the plan; and continues to record observations to determine its effectiveness.

Portfolios. A growth portfolio can be used to create a record of student growth in a number of areas. For example, a teacher may use writing portfolios to collect evidence of a student's progress in developing writing skills.

At SLC Junior School, we ensure that home learning is given to each child as and when it is needed, in order to reinforce the learning that has taken place in school.

Our Home Learning Policy sets out the aims and expectations for each stage of a child’s learning journey. The policy ensures that tasks are purposeful, age-appropriate, and designed to support progress while encouraging independence and positive learning habits.

support progress while encouraging independence and positive learning habits

In Reception and Key Stage 1, we emphasise the importance of learning together and sharing the experience. We encourage parents to participate alongside their child in a set of essential, regular tasks set by the class teacher. These may include reading together, practising flashcards, or completing a short numeracy activity online.

In Key Stage 2, home learning provides an opportunity for pupils to take greater responsibility for their own learning. We place more value on the quality of homework than the quantity, so tasks are only assigned where they are useful in consolidating a concept or skill taught in school. This might include a written activity, a project, or preparation for an upcoming assessment. Pupils are also given specific daily tasks on platforms such as Spelling Shed, Bug Club and DoodleMaths/ DoodleTables to strengthen essential skills.

We believe that well-chosen home learning tasks complement and reinforce classroom teaching, help to establish positive study habits, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. The Home Learning Policy makes these aims clear and provides guidance so that parents, pupils, and staff share a consistent understanding of expectations at each stage.

The assessment of pupils takes two main forms: formative and summative.

Formative assessment takes place daily. It allows teachers to monitor children’s progress across all subjects and ensures they receive the feedback they need to move forward in their learning. Teachers continually assess understanding in order to adapt planning and meet the needs of every child in each lesson. This ongoing process also informs longer-term planning, ensuring that every pupil is supported to make sustained progress.

adapt planning and meet the needs of every child 

Summative assessment provides a snapshot of performance and usually takes place at the end of a unit, term, or academic year. At St. Lawrence College, we combine information from standardised testing systems with teacher judgements based on classroom observations to ensure accuracy and reliability. Class teachers carry out regular assessment of academic achievement, with differentiation applied at every stage to meet individual needs.

Cambridge Early Years and Primary Insight Assessments

In the Early Years, two baseline assessments give teachers a snapshot of where children are in their learning when they begin school or nursery: ASPECTS (for 3–4-year-olds) and BASE (for 4–5-year-olds), both developed by Cambridge Insight. These provide valuable information about each child’s starting point.

From Year 1 onwards, pupils take part in Cambridge Primary Insight (for ages 5–11), a broad range of digital, adaptive, formative assessments from Cambridge Insight. These are used for diagnostic purposes and to track pupil progress effectively over time.

In Key Stage 2, assessment is supplemented by in-house subject reviews, and in Year 6, pupils undertake end-of-year attainment testing based on the Cambridge Primary curriculum. These tests measure pupils’ knowledge, understanding, and skills in the core subjects of English, Mathematics, and Science.