Andrew Lawrenson started his education in 1915 at the Baring Street Elementary School. At the age of 7 he moved to the South Shields High School until he left in 1929, when he went to Armstrong College, Durham.

He left university with a BA (Hons) in English, having studied English Language and Literature as his main subjects, and Latin, French and Philosophy as subsidiary subjects.

His first teaching job (in 1933) was at the Ocean Road Senior Boys' School, and in 1934 he took up an appointment at St Stephen's Junior Boys' School, where he stayed until 1940. After a year at the Harton Junior Boys' School he had a few months at the Dean Road Boys' School and then in 1941 he moved on to his old school, the South Shields High School for Boys.

He gained his MA in July 1949, and continued at the school until his retirement at the end of 1974.

Andrew was one of many from the same family line who taught in South Shields, and his cousin (Thomas Lawrenson) also taught at the South Shields High School for Boys. However, TA Lawrenson (Headmaster of Westoe School), was not related.