Mr Barney Durrant MA
Founded in 1879, St Lawrence College is a thriving independent day and boarding school, providing a first class education for boys and girls from 3 to 18 years. Currently, we have approximately 650 pupils – 200 in the Junior School and 450 in the Senior School, of which 210 are boarders (boarding from 7 years of age). Located in the Kent coastal town of Ramsgate, and within easy walking distance of the sea, the school is set in 45 acres of safe and spacious grounds, housing both beautiful historic architecture and outstanding contemporary facilities.
Academic standards are high across the school, which offers an extensive choice of GCSEs and A-levels, with an excellent success rate of pupils going on to their first choice of university. We ensure every individual is nurtured to achieve their potential, and they are prepared for life in a rapidly changing global society. A combination of dedicated teachers, a broad and challenging curriculum, strong work ethic and focus on core educational skills provide a stimulating, inspiring and purposeful learning experience for our pupils. All of this is underpinned by High Performance Learning; an understanding that intelligence is not fixed and that high performance in education is achievable by all. We are proud to have been one of only 14 schools globally to have been granted the status of a World Class High Performance Learning School. Modern facilities combined with traditional values, based on our Christian roots, draw out the talents of each pupil, whilst our policy for keeping class sizes small ensures that our teachers can look after the individual needs of each pupil. Our school curriculum includes Saturday School for all pupils Year 9 and above. Optional activities are available for Year 8 and below. Offering a wide range of evening and weekend activities is provided for boarders with additional events and fun day trips are organised. Exeat weekends run through the Michaelmas and Lent terms.
Sporting facilities are exceptional, and expert coaching is provided at all levels in a variety of disciplines, including rugby, netball, hockey and cricket. The magnificent sports centre houses a fitness suite, squash courts, climbing wall, dance studio and a large sports hall for activities such as badminton and basketball. Our Sports Excellence Programme, led by international calibre players and coaches, is delivering County and National level success in hockey, rugby, netball and cricket. We are 2020 U16 Boys Indoor Hockey National Champions and we are currently in the top four U15 Boys Rugby teams in the 2020 National Vase Competition.
Music and drama flourish here, enhanced by the school's 500-seat theatre, and there are many opportunities for pupils to perform. All pupils benefit from an extensive activities programme which in the Senior School includes the CCF (Combined Cadet Force), a thriving Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, as well as chess, archery, golf, fencing, football, sailing, horse riding, swimming, table tennis, musical theatre and many more activities.
Strong pastoral care, high quality teaching and a great emphasis on extra-curricular activity make this a very special community in which to live and learn. Boarding for pupils aged 7-18 is central to the school's life, and it is one of our great strengths. A wide range of evening and weekend activities are provided for boarders, along with additional events and fun day trips. We offer full time and weekly boarding options, and we aim to provide a 'home-from-home' for our boarding pupils, both in terms of comfort and atmosphere. In recent years, a substantial programme of investment has created exceptional boarding facilities, with all rooms en-suite.
Our self-contained campus is situated within easy walking distance of the historic seaside town of Ramsgate. It has excellent transport links to the continent, being near to both Dover and the Channel Tunnel. London is only 75 minutes away by high-speed rail link to St Pancras International. Gatwick and Heathrow are under two hours away.
