School Philosophy, Aims & Objectives

Parents need no reminding that children are individuals, that they develop unevenly and that they value encouragement and guidance in facing the unpredictable opportunities of life. Yet education in practice so often subordinates the individual.

First and foremost, the Lawrence School, Sanawar sees its aim as to provide each pupil with a childhood full of positive experiences to remember, one which is full of diversity and richness, warmth, colour and fulfillment. In the modern world, nurturing the spirit is too often forgotten.

Secondly, the School seeks to provide every child with a broad based education in terms of academic study, sports and leisure activities.

Some may perceive that the balance between academic work and extra curricular activities in Sanawar is less strongly tilted towards academic endeavour than in other schools. Certainly a higher than average percentage of time is spent gaining a wider than average breadth of educational experience. This is because we recognise that the young people we are educating are the leaders of tomorrow - they need more than high percentages to achieve in a global world.

Thirdly, make no mistake, we aim to help every child to perform at the very top of their ability range in whatever they do. In particular, while we seek to provide a broad based education throughout the School, as the child enters the examination years, academic work progressively becomes the most important issue.

Finally, as a co-educational School, Sanawar provides a balanced, safe but realistic environment for young people to learn and grow. The traditions of perseverance and duty are strongly upheld, as one would expect in a School with the motto "Never Give In", but so too are tolerance and openness. This approach is not a response to passing fashion but has been proved through the successful experience of over 150 years.

In overall terms, the School seeks to turn out young men and women with a well developed personality, prepared to engage with and contribute to the community at a regional, national and global level. In this aim, the School has met with a considerable level of success over a protracted period of time. Old Sanawarians appear in the upper echelons of the nations armed forces, in the professions, in global banking, commerce and technology, in the arts, music and films, in organised religion, academia and politics.