St Lawrence College

St Lawrence College is co-educational, day and boarding school for children aged 3-18 years.

"One aspect of St Lawrence that distinguishes it from other 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 a reputation for punching well above our weight in school competitions!"  Barney Durrant - Head of College

St Lawrence College is a safe and caring school set in 45 acres of spacious, stunning grounds which house beautiful old architecture combined with modern, state-of the-art facilities. Founded in 1879, it is home to 560 day and boarding pupils from local, UK and international families. Facilities include a historic Dining Hall, Chapel, Library, Theatre and a new Science, Art and Design Technology Centre. Offering continuity of education from 3-18, with boarding pupils aged from 3 to 18 years, the school has a real family atmosphere, with a strong sense of community and superb pastoral care based on Christian foundations. We nurture every individual to achieve their potential.

Academic standards are high, and an extensive choice of GCSEs and A Levels are offered, with an excellent success rate of pupils going on to their first choice university, including Oxbridge. Our policy for keeping class sizes small ensures that our teachers can look after the individual needs of each pupil, so that high-flyers gain their places at the top universities, and our less able pupils develop skills in areas which will serve them well in the future. In 2019 St Lawrence College became Kent’s only High Performance Learning World Class School, and one of only 14 schools globally to achieve this coveted accolade.

Boarding is central to the school’s life and is one of its great strengths. Full and flexi boarding options are available offered and exeat weekends are optional. There is a wide range of evening and weekend activities for boarders as well as additional events and fun day trips. Boarding pupils enjoy a ‘home-from-home’ experience, both in terms of comfort and atmosphere. Ongoing investment has created some truly remarkable boarding facilities, and all rooms are ensuite.

Sporting facilities are exceptional, and expert coaching is provided at all levels in a variety of disciplines including hockey, rugby, netball and cricket. Our hockey teams have seen considerable success in recent years and our U16 Boys and U18 Girls are 2020 National Champions. Our large sports centre houses a fitness suite, squash courts, climbing wall, dance studio and sports hall for badminton, basketball etc. There are a variety of high quality outdoor courts and pitches including a water-based Astro pitch and floodlit Astros as well as a heated indoor swimming pool. Music, drama and the arts flourish, 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 includes the Combined Cadet Force and a thriving Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, as well as chess, archery, golf, fencing, football, sailing and horse riding.

The school is set in the fresh sea air of the Kent coast in a safe, self-contained campus situated within easy walking distance of the historic seaside town of Ramsgate. It has excellent transport links to Europe, being near both Dover and the Channel Tunnel. London is only 75 minutes away by high-speed rail link to St Pancras International. Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports are under two hours away, with school minibus transfers available.