The Laurels School

The Laurels School, an independent school with a Catholic ethos for girls aged 11-18. At The Laurels, our aim is for your daughter to achieve academic excellence and to forge a compass for life. We do this through: A culture of excellence.

Our philosophy of education is based on a ‘character first’ approach. Our character development programme is based on the cultivation of the virtues that ensure our pupils are truly well-rounded young women.

Our philosophy of education is based on a ‘character first’ approach, that is, we strive to develop in your daughter those qualities of greatness that will enable the achievement of academic potential but also very importantly also help her develop in every other aspect of her life at school and, crucially, beyond school leading to a happy and fulfilled life.

The school aims to develop the whole child, in close partnership with parents, through a deeply embedded character programme grounded in Catholic principles, which will enable each girl to fulfil her potential through acquiring virtues in a climate that balances freedom with responsibility.

The Laurels School Vision is enshrined in the PACT Charter of Principles. In line with this vision, the School’s aims are:

• To nurture the personal development of the individual through the cultivation of human virtues.
• To provide a stimulating and challenging education which will help pupils achieve independent thought and learning through Arête– happiness through excellence.
• To engender a deep respect for each person as a singular and unique individual.
• To enable pupils to discover their strengths and make the most of their talents in the service of their community.

The Laurels School is located at No. 1 Chelsea Embankment in a building called Shelley House. Its name derives from the fact that the first building to be erected on this site in 1878 was commissioned by Sir Percy Shelley, the only surviving son of Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (author of Frankenstein).

In 2019 Shelley House entered a new and exciting phase in its long, illustrious history providing a magnificent home for The Laurels School. With its unique educational project, The Laurels School hopes to continue to enrich and serve the community building upon the solid foundations of virtue ethics, a commitment to excellence and an understanding of the good, the true and the beautiful. Shelley House overlooking the timeless River Thames could not be a better setting for this!