St Lawrence College has a long record of providing an excellent academic education within a supportive community. Our aim is to maximise the performance of every pupil, ensuring that they leave school equipped with the knowledge, skills and qualities that will serve them well for university, the workplace and life.
High Performance Learning at SLC
St Lawrence College is a High Performance Learning World Class School, and was one of the first 14 schools globally to achieve this coveted accolade. This means that as a school we focus on the development of core competencies and advanced cognitive performance characteristics through a variety of teaching methods including enquiry-based learning. Pupils will also develop values, attitudes and attributes which will support them as they become life-long learners. We are also an accredited High Performance Learning Research School, working with Canterbury Christ Church University as part of the Education Research in Schools Partnership.
High Performance Learning (HPL) is an established teaching and learning framework that recognises that every pupil can be a high performer and it aims to create pupils who have the values, attitudes and attributes that enable them to meet the challenges of adult life.
The school’s ongoing programme of academic development, working with High Performance Learning, is informed by a wealth of evidence that a child’s intelligence is not fixed but can be grown, and that high performance in education is achievable by every pupil. Pupils will learn to identify and use advanced thinking skills in a systematic way as well the key values, attitudes and attributes for successful learning, regardless of their starting point.
As a High Performance Learning School we support our pupils to:
· Develop skills: Students learn to think critically, solve problems, and work collaboratively
· Build resilience: Students develop the ability to overcome challenges and persevere
· Develop a growth mindset: Students learn that intelligence can be developed through practice and effort
· Practise self-regulation: Students learn to take responsibility for their learning and progress
This is achieved through the consistent use of a shared language, using common vocabulary to help pupils and teachers communicate about learning. Our approach is skills based. We focus on developing core competencies and Advanced Cognitive Performance Characteristics (ACPs) through a variety of teaching methods including enquiry-based learning. Pupils will also develop Values, Attitudes and Attributes (VAAs) which will support them as they become life-long learners. We provide opportunities for pupils to engage in deliberate and regular practice, focusing on achievable yet challenging goals. HPL was developed by educational leader and researcher Professor Deborah Eyre.
Mrs Kirsten Parker
Deputy Head (Academic)
