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 540 pupils – 148 in the Junior School and 392 in the Senior School, of which 176 are boarders (boarding from 7 years of age). Located on the Kent coast, and within easy walking distance of the sea, the school is set in 80 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 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. Although we are a non-select school our pupils thrive, whether needing support or highly academic. 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 be 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.

Founded 1879

The College opened on 27 October 1879 at Dane Park House as South Eastern College with just 5 pupils under the leadership of Rev E C D’Auquier as an Evangelical establishment with the purpose of combining “careful religious training with a sound, liberal education”.

Significant founders were Dean Payne-Smith of Canterbury, Mr John Deacon (Chairman of Deacon’s Bank) and the Rev J B Whiting (Vicar of St Luke’s, Ramsgate). In October 1884, when a new Main Building was opened, the number of pupils had risen to 125. The College was incorporated as a Public School in 1892.

An extension was added to the Main Building in 1896 and the four Houses and a Cadet Corps were created. Sixty acres of land were purchased, thus providing the school with excellent playing fields. In October 1905 the Archbishop of Canterbury opened the Tower (erected in memory of Mr John Deacon), which completed the Main Building of the Senior School.

In September 1906 the College adopted its new name: St Lawrence. In 1916, due to the risk of air raids and naval bombardment during the First World War, the College was evacuated to Chester and the Ramsgate buildings were used as a hospital for Canadian soldiers. Over 130 former pupils were killed during the war and the Chapel was built as a memorial, dedicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1927.  Thus, the main building was completed, as we see it today.

Facts