International School of Nanshan Shenzhen

The 18th ISNS Chinese Cultural Week was more than a celebration—it was learning, culture, and community in action.

🌸 Spring Temple Fair: Our campus became a vibrant Eastern Arts & Leisure Fair! From hands-on activities to stamp collecting, students from K–12 explored traditions, dressed for the Year of the Horse, and radiated pride.

🍜 Food Fair: A heartfelt thank you to our parent volunteers and Sodexo! Your dedication turned the fair into a symbol of partnership and care. 🫶

🎭 Cultural Shows: From EY to MSHS, students owned the stage—showcasing language, creativity, and confidence. Tradition met identity in every performance.

Thank you to every teacher, student, parent, and staff member who made this week unforgettable.

🎶 Celebrating Musical Learning! Our PYP students transformed the stage into a vibrant showcase of creativity and collaboration at our annual “informance.” More than a performance, it offered a window into their musical journey!

From scarf dancing and storytelling to percussion, xylophones, recorder, and ukulele—our young artists shone brightly. The event highlighted the beautiful progression from K2 to Grade 5, showcasing student agency in selecting instruments, designing soundscapes, and even writing original lyrics.

A huge thank you to our amazing PYP Performing Arts Team and all the families who joined us! ✨

Informance

Last two days to vote for ISNS! 
ISNS has been shortlisted in 5 categories for the GBA School Awards 2026 and one of the awards is in the running for the Public Choice Award-Strategic Planning Award
Voting closing at 11:59pm Feb

Thank you for supporting our students, teachers, and the ISNS community!

From Fantasy to Form: A Cross-Grade Collaboration

It started in Grade 4 with stories ✨. Students reimagined chess through themes of Chinese Culture, Halloween, and Christmas, sketching bold characters full of personality.

Those ideas were handed off to our Grade 8 designers, who used Fusion 360 to turn imagination into digital models. Through feedback and refinement, they added magnets and prepared for 3D printing.

Then, back to Art class. Guided by the original color concepts, we brought each piece to life with acrylic markers—dragons, ghosts, and festive figures emerged in vivid color.

The result? Three unique, playable fantasy chess sets—a testament to mentorship, collaboration, and interdisciplinary learning.

Last weekend, as we host the ACAMIS Chess Tournament, these sets will be on display 🏆. They show that at ISNS, chess is not just about strategy, but also creativity, innovation, and shared journeys.

Where imagination meets precision, and learning leaps off the board.

STEAMEducation CrossGradeProject EdTech CreativeLearning

Tech Week 2026 was a blast! Our school community came together to celebrate incredible tech learning and student-led innovation.

Our amazing students took the lead, showcasing how technology fuels creativity, problem-solving, and big ideas across all grade levels.

From activity fairs and assemblies to hands-on demos, the energy was electric!

A highlight was the Phoenix Arcade, where Grade 10 students presented their original video games, created through a collaboration with the Shenzhen-based game design school, ARTDiCO.

Thank you to everyone who participated, presented, and visited. You made Tech Week unforgettable!

The grade 3s got some help from the grade 8 Lang and Lit students with their autobiographies.  
Grade 3 has been learning how to write clear paragraphs. The grade 8s came and read the grade 3 autobiographies  and gave the feedback on their stories. 
The grade 8 students also worked through a checklist with the grade 3 students to make sure they covered all the elements.  

Grade 10 students recently completed a project designing and building mousetrap cars. Applying their knowledge of dynamics and current kinematics studies, they used concepts of forces and motion to create efficient cars. The project fostered strong student agency, as each group made independent design decisions, tested their ideas, and refined models based on performance. The creative variety of results demonstrated what students can achieve when they take the lead, highlighting the value of hands-on, inquiry-driven learning.

A magical surprise in K2 today! 🌟

After outdoor play, our two-year-olds came back to find a baby phoenix visiting our classroom! There were so many giggles, gentle pats, and wide-eyed wonder. 🥰

When it was time to tidy up, our phoenix friend needed help. Our little ones jumped right in! They put toys in her wings and helped carry them to the bins. Then they showed her how to sort by giving her one toy at a time—so much teamwork!

We love seeing their caring hearts and problem-solving minds grow every day. 💖

🚀 Robotics News! 🦾

ISNS is so proud to announce that two of our MYP Robotics teams have qualified for the ACAMIS National VEX IQ Finals in Shanghai! 🏆

Last weekend at the South Regionals, our students showcased incredible skill in coding, engineering, and teamwork.

🔥 Fierce Phoenix (Grade 7: Ethan, Eva, Harry) secured their spot with a high-score performance!

🌟 Rising Phoenix (Grade 6: Suyan, Yiyang, Olivia) won the prestigious Inspire Award, qualifying automatically!

This is our FIRST YEAR in the VEX Robotics program, making this achievement even more special. We are bursting with pride and can’t wait to see our Phoenixes soar in Shanghai next month!

Go Phoenix! 💙🧡

Grade 9 students engaged in a project-based learning activity focused on designing and building a ride using plastic tracks. The task challenged students to apply the principle of energy conservation, considering how gravitational potential energy is transferred into kinetic energy as an object moves along the track.
Students took ownership of their designs, experimenting with track height, slopes, and curves to ensure smooth motion while maintaining enough energy for the ride to function as intended. 
The project showcased strong student agency and creativity, highlighting how hands-on design tasks support conceptual understanding when students are given the opportunity to explore, test, and refine their ideas.

Music on Fourth is a unique platform where ISNS students showcase their talents in an informal and inviting atmosphere. Every Friday during lunchtime, students embrace the opportunity to perform for their peers, whether it's playing the piano, singing, or even dancing. This informal setting provides a perfect stage for students to build confidence and refine their stage presence. It's a weekly celebration of creativity and skill that both students and teachers eagerly anticipate, fostering a vibrant community that appreciates and applauds the diverse artistic expressions within our school. Join us every Friday for a musical journey that resonates with talent and peers. If you are in grades 6-12 and interested in showing your talent, you're welcome to contact Mr Boyd at [email protected]