Stories and highlights

France study tour

In the April school holidays, 25 French students from Years 10-12 and three NSL teachers—Madame Marsden, Madame Botros, and Monsieur Douglas—travelled to France for a study tour. They spent three days in Paris visiting iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, as well as exploring Rue Cler to experience everyday Parisian life.

France’s high-speed train then took them to Aix-en-Provence, the “city of a thousand fountains,” for a 10-day homestay and language immersion program. The students attended tailored classes at the Alliance Française each morning and participated in cultural excursions to Marseille, Arles, Provençale villages, and the Pont du Gard. Staying with host families helped them practice French in real-life situations. The trip ended with a day in Nice before returning home.

Korean performance contest – 1st prize in art category

"Collaborating with my fellow Korean language students at NSL on this artwork project was a deeply meaningful experience that brought unity to our cohort. Throughout the process, we explored ideas, worked together, and laughed often, leaving behind a creative imprint of our year group. While expressing ourselves through art, we also practiced speaking Korean with our teachers in preparation for our Trials, gaining both confidence and clarity.

The art project offered a grounding moment amid academic pressure, allowing us to reflect, reconnect, and relax. Studying Korean over the past two years gave me a richer understanding of Korean culture, especially its emphasis on harmony symbolised by the red and blue Taegeuk on the South Korean flag — the main focus of our artwork." - By Omaima Noor

"Pass the Baton" Hiroshima Memorial Event in Sydney

On August 16, NSL Language Ambassadors, with Ms Marian Botros and Ms Anna Peers-Hooper, attended the “Pass the Baton: Commemorating 80 Years Since the End of WWII” at the NSW Teachers Federation Auditorium.

Hosted by The Japan Club of Sydney, the event featured Hiroshima survivor Keiko Ogura’s testimony, a reading from The Face of Jizo, a Hiroshima and Nagasaki panel exhibition, a documentary screening of Hiroshima Mother’s Prayer, and an origami crane folding activity—symbols of peace and hope. Our students showed empathy, reflection, and remembrance.

Celebrating Earth Day with Deep Ecology at our school

To celebrate Earth Day, our school hosted Deep Ecology, a unique extracurricular activity where students engaged in hands-on, nature-based experiences combining mindfulness, creativity, and environmental awareness through cooking, planting, and art. Integrating history, science, nutrition, and world poetry, it enriched students’ understanding of the environment. Students participated enthusiastically and wrote reflections in their target language. Feedback highlighted the creativity, playfulness, and immersive nature of the day.

“I loved making pasta and walking barefoot, as well as the art! I really also enjoyed the way everything was immersive and interactive, interconnecting with all subjects”