International School of Düsseldorf

School may have started a few days ago, but our campus has been bustling for weeks. Our faculty, staff, and Hausmeisters have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare classrooms, refine learning spaces, and ensure every detail was ready to welcome our community back.

Alongside preparing physical spaces, our teachers and coordinators have been meeting in teams and engaging in professional development to deliver an exceptional educational experience.

Our team is ready for another great year of learning, growth, and challenges.

Go Lions!

Starting Grade 1 is a major milestone in a child's educational journey, and at the International School of Düsseldorf, we love celebrating it with the cherished German tradition of the Schultüte (school cone).

Typically filled with sweets, school supplies, and small toys to sweeten the transition into primary school, this year’s tradition carried an even deeper meaning for our community. In a wonderful display of connection, last year’s Grade 1 students hand-crafted these colourful cones for our incoming class.

Learning about and participating in traditions such as the Schultüte helps our international students develop a deeper connection to Germany and the community in which we live. At the same time, having students create these for one another strengthens the relationships and sense of belonging that are so important at ISD.

Handing them out yesterday was a joyous occasion for everyone involved. A heartfelt thank you to our former Grade 1 students for their creativity and thoughtfulness.

We were delighted to welcome our new staff members, introduce them to the vibrant city of Düsseldorf, and wish them a fantastic start to their journey with us.

Congratulations to Ahana in Grade 10 for receiving a Distinguished Award in the World Insights Competition, organised by World Data Lab. Participating as a solo team, Ahana used real-world global datasets to address complex challenges and formulate evidence-based recommendations. Her dedication to analytical excellence and global inquiry exemplifies the values of the International School of Düsseldorf.

Warning: Do not view if hungry :)
A few weeks ago, Grade 1 students wrapped up their Unit of Inquiry, 'Food Brings People Together', by collaborating with their families to create a Grade 1 Recipe Book featuring dishes meaningful to them.
To celebrate the conclusion of the unit, parents joined us in the Grade 1 classrooms to share and sample dishes prepared by our families. It was a wonderful opportunity for students, parents and teachers to experience food from a variety of countries and cultures.
This event beautifully reflected how food connects communities, capturing a special learning experience that truly showcased our school spirit.

To mark their final Spanish class of the school year, Grade 11 students cooked and enjoyed authentic Argentinian empanadas.
Working within a single period, the students prepared simple yet delicious fillings, including green onions with provolone cheese, as well as classic ham and cheese. Alongside refining their culinary skills, they learnt how to traditionally seal the empanadas using the repulgue crimping method. The session concluded with students listening to popular Spanish-language music, blending cultural education with a celebratory end-of-year activity.

To conclude their Humanities unit on the Holocaust, Grade 8 students participated in the annual Stolpersteine field trip. These small brass plaques, created by artist Gunter Demnig, mark the last known residences of victims of National Socialist persecution, serving as the world’s largest decentralized Holocaust memorial.
During the visits, students connected directly with local history by reading the biographies of individuals whose lives were uprooted. To honour their memory, students cleaned the stones and laid flowers in remembrance. This powerful experiential learning opportunity connects our students to the past while paying tribute to the millions of victims of this period, including the approximately 230 individuals from Düsseldorf commemorated by these stones.

Our Grade 11 students are once again supporting Friedensdorf International, with around 20 students actively involved in this CAS project this year.

Following a workshop led by Friedensdorf staff, our students learnt that the organisation relied entirely on donations and that the children receiving medical care in Oberhausen were always grateful for clothes, toys and books. Inspired by this, the team took action at the International Fest and collected donations from across the school.

A special thank you goes to our facilities team, who arranged to transport the donated items to the collection points in Dinslaken. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to and supported this meaningful initiative.