Senior School Home
Welcome from the head of the Senior School
I regard it a considerable privilege to lead an independent school with the distinguished history of St Lawrence College. It has a long record of providing an excellent academic education within a supportive community, but is also modern in its outlook and very well suited to preparing pupils for a rapidly changing world.
You will find on this website many attractive pictures, showing the blend of beautiful historic buildings and state of the art boarding and classroom facilities, which together make St Lawrence one of the finest schools in the country. I would ask though that you judge the school not just on its facilities, or its excellent academic results, but on the attitudes and behaviour of our pupils. They find St Lawrence to be a very happy and caring community, a place which gives them the space to develop their individual talents, but also one that seeks to promote the essential attributes of confidence, teamwork and service.
As a co-educational boarding and day school, St Lawrence welcomes pupils from all around the world to benefit from the best of the British educational system. This diversity makes the school a cosmopolitan and vibrant place, where pupils leave us prepared for the challenges of the globalised world of work and study. They are well served in this by very committed staff who care passionately about their work.
One aspect of St Lawrence that distinguishes it from other private schools is that we are deliberately a medium sized school, when the trend nationally is towards ever larger school groupings. We believe this is essential to ensuring that individual pupils receive the attention and care they require. At the same time, we are large enough to provide facilities that would be the envy of much larger schools, and have something of a reputation for punching well above our weight in school competitions!
Nothing can beat visiting a school when deciding whether it is the right place for the education of your child, and I can assure you of a very warm welcome if you choose to visit this outstanding school.
Antony Spencer, MA (Oxon) ACA
Principal
Recent News
GCSE students celebrate great results
Students attain top university places
Governing Body appoints Barney Durrant
This concert was a truly wonderful occasion, showcasing many of the school's ensembles and some talented soloists.
SLC U16 Hockey Team to National Independent School Semi-Final
SLC families enjoyed an exclusive evening at the Turner Contemporary
SLC Chinese pupils hosted their own Chinese New Year for the whole school to enjoy
SLC was delighted to welcome the artist, Katie Paterson, to the school on 28 January.
SLC was the first school to face the B2S batting simulator, which reaches speeds of 90mph
Event Highlights
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Senior School Statistics
- 138 Years
- 30 Nationalities
- 45 Activities
- 200 Boarders
- 160 Fixtures
- 378 kg of Fruit
140 Years
St Lawrence College was founded 140 years ago in October 1879 at Dane Park House, not far from the present site, as an Evangelical Church of England school, originally called South Eastern College. Under the leadership of Rev E C D’Auquier, its purpose was to combine religious training with “a sound, liberal education”.
Starting with just 5 pupils, by 1884, when a new Main Building was opened, the number of pupils had risen to 125. In 1905 the Archbishop of Canterbury opened the distinctive Tower, which completed the Main Building of the Senior School and is a Ramsgate landmark.
30 Nationalities
St Lawrence welcomes both boarding and day pupils from all around the world to benefit from the best of the British educational system. This diversity makes the school a cosmopolitan and vibrant place, where pupils leave prepared for the challenges of the globalised world. At any one time we have around 30 different nationalities in total.
Our overseas boarders participate fully in the academic and pastoral life of the College, along with the sports and activities programmes. Although almost half of our boarders are English-speaking, we have a dedicated EAL Centre for those students who need additional English support.
45 Activities
Recognising that there is more to education than just exam results, we aim to develop pupils’ wider skills through our extensive range of extra-curricular activities, with over 45 different activities offered each term. The range of options available to our pupils enables every individual to find their niche, from Scuba-Diving to Film Club, Chess to Horse Riding, and we try to ensure a balance of adventurous, sporting and creative options.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Combined Cadet Force provide further rewarding opportunities for personal development and leadership, with field trips and expeditions offered throughout the year.
200 Boarders
With over 200 full Boarders in the Senior School, boarding is central to the school’s life and is one of its great strengths. Children thrive in the supportive and calm environment and we are very proud of the level and quality of care that the staff provide to all pupils, especially those who are boarders and for whom the school is their home.
We try very hard to provide a 'home-from-home' for our boarding pupils, both in terms of comfort and atmosphere. In recent years, a massive programme of investment has created some truly remarkable facilities for our boarders, and all rooms are en-suite.
160 Fixtures
Over 160 Hockey fixtures were played over the year by senior boys and girls. Building on our strong foundation of sporting success, we are proud of how many pupils represent the school in so many different sports, including the school’s major sport of Hockey. Expert coaching at all levels develops confidence and skills, and the school has several current and ex-international sports coaches on its staff.
An Olympic-standard water-based hockey pitch is a fantastic addition to the extensive sports facilities at St Lawrence College which also include a swimming pool and purpose-built sports centre housing squash courts, dance studio, fitness suite, climbing wall, etc.
378 kg of Fruit
In an average term-time week, the school community consumes 378kg of fruit and 1020 pints of milk! All meals are freshly prepared in-house in the school’s kitchens, with local produce used where possible.
Catering Manager, Mark Curtis, says: “My team and I strive to provide top quality, delicious and nutritious food.” There is a wide choice of food and individual dietary needs are catered for.
As well as the traditional ‘Hogwarts-style’ Dining Hall used for breakfast, lunch and supper, the school’s modern coffee shop is popular with pupils, parents and staff.
