Dear ISW Families,
I hope you are all enjoying a well-deserved break and finding time to rest, recharge, and enjoy some family time. As we look ahead to Term 2, I wanted to share a few exciting updates from our school community—and one important calendar change that families will need to note.

AGIS Leadership Conference

Last Friday, the ISW Leadership Team travelled to Potsdam for the AGIS Leadership Conference. This was the first time ISW has taken part in this important event, and I am delighted to say that it was an enormous success.

Over three days, our team joined colleagues from German International schools for inspiring seminars, practical workshops, discussions and plenty of networking. The conference gave us valuable time to step outside the day-to-day pace of school life, reflect on where education is heading, and bring fresh ideas back to ISW.

Our team attended sessions across a wide range of areas, including:

• Mr Tyler explored creative writing and meaningful ways to strengthen student voice.
• Ms Hannah focused on inclusion and language initiatives in education.
• Ms Kasia attended sessions on design, wellbeing and creating learning environments that support students to thrive.
• Mr Marin explored science innovation and different pedagogical styles for engaging learners.
• Ms Birgit investigated the growing role of AI in education.
• Ms Kara and Ms Jacinta also explored literacy and numeracy innovation, improvement and effective approaches to supporting student progress.

For me personally, it was a real privilege to meet and connect with Heads of School from all International schools across Germany. I made many valuable professional connections and learned a great deal through seminars about educational law, the future of AI and technology in schools, future-facing education, and the increasingly important role that wellbeing will play in the years ahead.

The key message was clear: the future of education is not simply about more technology. It is about using the right tools thoughtfully, while keeping relationships, belonging, inclusion, creativity and student wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.
Our Leadership Team will be sharing their learning and practical ideas with staff in the coming weeks. We are excited to see how these conversations will continue to strengthen learning and wellbeing for every student at ISW.

Welcome to New Colleagues

I am also very pleased to introduce two new members of our ISW staff community.

• Mr Alex has joined us as our new IT Lead. He brings extensive experience supporting schools with ICT systems, processes and programmes. Alex will play an important role as we continue to develop our technology provision and ensure that our systems support excellent teaching, learning and communication across the school.
• We are also delighted to welcome Ms Joanne, who has joined our Early Years team as Ms Jo’s Teaching Assistant. Ms Joanne has settled in beautifully with our youngest learners and is already a warm, positive and caring presence in the classroom. And yes, before anyone asks, we now have two Ms Jos in the same room! We are confident the children will manage this challenge far more easily than the adults. Especially now we have 3 x Jos

Please join me in extending a very warm ISW welcome to both Alex and Joanne.

Important: Student-Free Day

Please note an important change to the start of Term 2:

Monday, 26 October will be a Student-Free Day.

This means that students will return to school on Tuesday, 27 October. Families will therefore have one additional day to enjoy the break together—hopefully without anyone discovering on Monday morning that they have packed a school bag unnecessarily.

This decision has been made for an important and exceptional reason. Following ISW’s acquisition by Dukes Education, we are required to move our off-site IT systems from Switzerland to new on-site systems here on our Landstuhl campus.

This is a major project and a very positive step forward for the school. However, it will require all staff to be on campus for the day to transfer systems, update access, move files and programmes, and ensure that everything is working properly for both staff and students.

Our aim is simple: when students return on Tuesday, 27 October, we want them to begin the term with a fresh, secure and fully functioning digital environment. New systems, new access, new possibilities, and hopefully no unexpected password mysteries before 8:30 a.m.!

We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we complete this important work. Thank you, as always, for your continued support as we move ISW forward together.
Wishing you and your families a restful, happy and enjoyable weekend.

Warm regards,

Ms. Jodi

Ms. Jacinta and Ms. Kara - Heads of Primary

It has been a wonderful week of exploring, discovering and learning across our Early Years, Reception and Year 3 classrooms!

Our EYS children have been exploring the sense of sight as part of their “What’s Special About Me?” unit. They have been fascinated by their shadows, observing how they move and change; a wonderful way to encourage curiosity and discovery!

In Reception Red and Reception Blue, the children have been exploring taste and touch, using their senses to investigate and describe different experiences. It has been fantastic to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they learn through hands-on experiences.

Our Year 2 students had a wonderful day exploring Landstuhl as part of their Humanities unit on maps and settlements. As they walked around town, they spotted churches, schools, the town square, car parks and pedestrian crossings, and considered how these places and facilities help people live, work and travel safely. The trip brought our learning to life as students thought about why people choose to live in a particular place and how towns change to meet the needs of their communities.

Our Year 3 students have also been exploring their senses, this time as part of their Self-Care Unit. They have been learning about grounding techniques and how our five senses can help us return to the present moment when we feel overwhelmed, stressed or scattered. Did you know you can use what you see, hear, smell, taste and touch to help ground yourself and reconnect with the here and now? Well, now you do!

Our Year 5 students have begun work on their exciting 3D Martian Shelters as they approach the end of their “Forces on Earth & Beyond” unit. This exciting home project is giving our students the opportunity to put their knowledge into action while showcasing their creativity, imagination and design skills as they plan, design and build their very own Martian shelters. We can’t wait to see their creations when they bring them into school on Thursday 8th October for the official presentations!

Assemblies Are Coming!

We are also delighted to announce that our assemblies will begin next week! We are kicking off the year with Early Years on 1st October, and after the October break, Reception Red will entertain us all on 5th November.

We can’t wait to see our little learners take to the stage and share their learning with our community!

Mr. Tyler - Deputy Head of Secondary

GSL and Making & Moving

September has been a month of listening to feedback from students and parents and making changes where we felt they were needed.

One of those changes was the removal of GSL. Rather than keeping a structure simply because it was already there, we have moved toward clearer Enrichment & Revision and subject-focused support, giving students more purposeful independent study time and making sure that support connects more directly to what they are actually learning.

Our Making & Moving programme has also started to take shape. Students are working across Maker Studio, Food Lab, Sports & Performance, Walking, Biking & Exploring, Media Lab and Digital Lab.

Within Maker Studio alone, students have been exploring areas such as 3D printing, woodworking, cardboard design and macramé. The aim is not simply to keep students busy on a Thursday afternoon. We want them learning practical skills, planning something, trying it, finding out what works, reflecting, improving and ultimately working towards something they can actually show at the end.

We have also been putting more structure around Making & Moving based on what students have told us they want to learn. Whether a student is in Year 6 or Year 12, we do not want to assume they already know how to measure, design, cook, code, use tools, communicate through media or organise a project. The foundations matter, and from there we can build greater independence and challenge.

Timetables & Routines

Alongside all of this, our older students are settling further into their Cambridge IGCSE, AS and A Level courses, with some already preparing for the October/November examination series.

Across Secondary, we are continuing to refine timetables, support and routines so that they work for the students in front of us, while keeping communication and student voice at the centre of the decisions we make.

There has been a lot happening in a short space of time, but what has stood out most in September is the willingness of our students and staff to adapt, speak openly and keep moving forward together. That feels like a pretty good way to begin the year.

Ms. Kasia - Head of School Specialists

SAVE THE DATE

• December 16: ISW Winter Show - Once Upon a December
• Febuary 19 & 20: SPONGE BOB THE MUSICAL

Performing Arts: The Stage is Set!

We are incredibly excited about our upcoming productions: the Christmas concert "Once Upon a December" and "SpongeBob the Musical"!

Our dedicated teachers, Ms. Maia and Mr. Jo, have already begun working hard behind the scenes. Excitement is running high, and our students are already bringing amazing energy to their rehearsals.

Let’s show our full support to our fantastic Drama and Music teams—watch this space for more updates soon!

ASSESSMENTS

This week the Y9&10 drama class completed their monologue assessment. Each student had to choose a monologue from a published play, develop their character, and present their performance to their classmates. This was the first time using our new theatre room lights for an assessment - so exciting to have these to enhance mood and emotions!

• Emily - Lady Macbeth (Macbeth)
• Reese - Abigail (The Crucible)
• Kailani - Gabbi (Twelve Years Wise)
• Valentina - Abigail (The Crucible)

Ms. Liliana - Head of Coaching, Career and Transitions

ISW SET Meeting: Shaping the Road Ahead

Most of our Year 11 and 12 students have already had their SET (Secondary Education and Transition) meetings. The SET meeting is where students, parents and our team come together to look at overall academic success and, most importantly, to map out the concrete next steps towards pathways, careers and success.

At the heart of ISW and Dukes Education lies a simple belief: every student has a skill set of their own, built on their individual strengths and ambitions. That's why we create highly individualised pathways that let each young person grow into the best version of themselves.

In the meeting, we also share how the school can support overall success and how our coaching program can do its part to get every student to their destination. Families leave with a clear pathway and have decided on their next steps. In the follow-up SET meetings the student and the Career team then look into delivering these steps together.

What's next? Years 9 and 10 are our next stop, so please expect an invitation soon. We look forward to celebrating strengths, opening doors and planning the next chapter together!

Our after-school clubs play a vital role in enriching student life, providing a vibrant extracurricular space where children can explore new passions, build confidence, and grow beyond the traditional classroom.

Led by dedicated teachers and staff, our offerings rotate every term to give students a fresh, dynamic range of activities—from getting hands-on in gardening club and mastering rhythms in piano or Irish dance, to developing discipline in martial arts, creating in sewing, and staying active on the basketball court.

We are always looking for enthusiastic partners to keep our offerings diverse and inspiring; if you are a parent interested in leading a club for an upcoming term, please reach out to Ms. Birgit Ford at b.ford@iw-westpfalz.de.

Looking for a fun autumn activity in the region? Bauernhof Guhl in Gerhardsbrunn is definitely worth a visit this October!

Every weekend throughout October, the farm turns into a little autumn paradise with plenty to see, taste and explore. 🍁

• 🎃 Sunshine Pumpkin Farm – Pick your own pumpkins directly from the field
• 🌽 Corn Maze – Get lost in the corn maze and see if you can find all 10 hidden stations along the way. A fun activity for both kids and adults!
• 🍴 Seasonal food & drinks – On the October weekends, the farm offers a changing selection of food and seasonal specialties, with plenty of pumpkin-inspired treats to enjoy.
• 🐄 Meet the farm animals – Take some time to explore the farm and meet the animals. It’s a particularly nice experience for families with children.
• 🛍️ Farm shop – The on-site farm shop offers products from the farm as well as regional specialties, making it a great place to pick up something delicious to take home.

You'll find all the information in German and English on the website. All signs and information on the farm are also in German and English.

Following a wonderful start to the school year welcoming new and returning families at Orientation Day and our Seewoog Family Meetup on August 14th, Parents & Friends (P&F) is gearing up for Staff Appreciation Day on October 5th! This event is a special opportunity for parents and students to showcase our deep gratitude for the incredible staff at ISW.

Getting involved with P&F is a fantastic way to stay informed, connect with other families, and play an active role in shaping our school community.

How to Get Involved

• Attend Our Next Monthly Meeting: When: October 8th at 8:30 AM Where: In the Chapel
• Connect Online: Stay up to date by joining the P&F WhatsApp Group.

ISW officially joined the Dukes Education family with a memorable SchulFest event. Featuring interactive sessions, stakeholder forums, and formal presentations, the day established a shared vision for our institution’s future. We capped off the evening with a traditional Oktoberfest-style celebration right here on campus grounds—thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us!