Week at a glance - See our Head of School's weekly reflection
2026-04-30 10:00
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." Steve Jobs
Dear Colleagues,
This week our themes have been Design and Health and Safety. Monday April 27th was World Design day. Design is not just about aesthetics; it is about purposeful creation. By teaching design principles, we encourage students to look at the world critically rather than passively. In MYP all students study both Digital and Product Design and next year we will be offering Diploma Level Design Technology for the first time. When students understand that they have the agency to shape their environment—whether through coding, engineering, or product design—they shift from being consumers of technology to creators of the future. Secondary students enjoyed an interactive assembly on Thursday where they considered aspects of design. Many thanks to Martin for leading this.
In our Montessori classrooms, design is often referred to as the "Prepared Environment." The design of the space and the materials themselves is a core part of the pedagogy. Every piece of furniture and equipment is designed to be "child-sized." This isn't just for comfort; it’s designed to empower the child to master their environment without adult help. Montessori materials are famous for their minimalist, intentional design. They often use natural materials (wood, metal, glass) to provide real sensory feedback (e.g., a glass jug will break if dropped, teaching the child "natural consequences"). Many Montessori materials are designed with a built-in "control of error." This means the design of the object itself tells the child if they’ve done the task correctly, allowing for self-correction without a teacher's intervention.
As part of the design project, Montessori Primary has begun preparations for the Science Exhibition. Students are using their creative writing lessons to develop posters and plan the design of their own planets. The project will continue with the construction of 3D models, bringing their ideas to life.
Waldorf education views design through the lens of art, rhythm, and the soul. It is less about "functional engineering" and more about "organic aesthetics." Waldorf environments often avoid sharp 90-degree angles. Based on Rudolf Steiner’s theory of Anthroposophy, buildings and rooms are designed with organic, flowing shapes and soft "lazured" wall colors (layers of transparent paint) to support different developmental stages. Students are taught "design-through-making." This includes handwork and woodworking. The goal is for the student to understand the soul of a material and how to transform it into a functional, beautiful object.
We have also reminded students about the importance of health and safety this week. One of our core values is safety and we strive to create a safe learning environment for our community.
Safety education is the foundation upon which all other learning is built. We teach children to identify hazards not to limit their exploration, but to enable it safely. By understanding the "why" behind rules, students develop the maturity to assess risks in new, unfamiliar situations. Indeed, in the IB programme children learn to be safe risk takers. Health and safety is a collective effort. When students learn to look out for their classmates’ physical and emotional well-being, they foster a school culture built on empathy, respect, and mutual support. Understanding health—from digital safety to physical habits—gives students the tools they need to protect themselves and sustain their own performance, ensuring they remain healthy enough to pursue their passions.
We are proud to see our students embracing these principles daily. Whether they are designing a more efficient layout for our outdoor space or practicing safe laboratory protocols, they are learning how to build a better, safer world. Today we practised our response in the unlikely event that there might be an intruder or attack on our school. Such events are horrific to consider but being prepared for them can help to save lives. The students did very well and responded in a mature and sensible manner to this challenge. Many thanks to our amazing Operations team for supporting us behind the scenes every day.
Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing the values of safety at home.
This week we can report some great successes in Mathematics competitions. It has been a banner month for our mathematics department! From international stages to local competitions, our students have demonstrated incredible talent, logic, and dedication.
We are thrilled to announce that Polina in Grade 11 recently returned from representing Cyprus at the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) 2026.
The EGMO is a premier international competition designed to challenge the top female mathematics students from across the globe. Competing at just 16 years old, Polina earned an Honourable Mention for her performance, notably securing a perfect score on the first problem of the Olympiad. Representing one's country at this level is a rare honour, and we congratulate Polina on this world-class milestone.
The excellence didn’t stop there. We are also celebrating the results of the Math Kangarou, one of the largest and most beloved mathematical competitions in the world.
Our students took the challenge head-on, showcasing their problem-solving skills and "outside-the-box" thinking. We are proud to share that The Island School students brought home a staggering 20 medals this year!
Whether they were tackling the rigorous proofs of the EGMO or the clever puzzles of the Math Kangarou, our students have made us proud. We look forward to seeing where their logic and curiosity take them next.
Congratulations to Zoom, Niko and all our Maths teachers for supporting the children in these endeavours.
In addition to Maths, one of our Diploma students participated in the Nordic Baltic Physics Olympiad. The competition is held in Tallinn, Estonia and gathers students from Nordic and Baltic countries with guest countries also invited. This included students from Brazil, Georgia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Lithuania, Vietnam, China, Norway, Ukraine and Cyprus. Competing against more than 120 participants Vlad in Grade 11 achieved 4th place, earning him a gold medal.
This week the second group of Class 8 Waldorf also presented their projects with a wide variety of interesting topics having been thoroughly researched. The students presented with confidence and the evening was a success. A big thank you to Andree and the Waldorf secondary team for making this happen.
On Monday a group of students in MYP returned from an amazing trip to Paris. They took in all the major sites in Paris such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and also had a brilliant visit to Disneyland. I think they also got to practise their French speaking skills too! Well done tp Aleksei, Mary and Lara for organising and accompanying this amazing opportunity for our students.
Tonight we are looking forward to another fabulous production orchestrated by our amazing Performing Arts Faculty (many thanks to Vasia, Vais and the whole team). The production of the play Alice in Wonderland by Lewis based on the book by Lewis Carroll at Ypsonas Theatre starts at 7pm and promises to be a wonderful experience. We wish the students lots of luck with their performance.
Please remember that tomorrow is a public holiday so there is no school. The 1st of May is Labour Day in many countries to celebrate workers' contributions to society. This is our theme for next week!
Finally please can I remind you on a final health and safety note that students should now be bringing a hat and water bottle to school and wearing sun screen now the weather is getting hotter. Many thanks for reminding them to do so..
I wish you all a very enjoyable (and safe!) long weekend