On Friday 13th February, The English School Sport Programme was given a rare and exciting opportunity: a behind-closed-doors visit to the England U15 Men’s National Team training camp, held in Cyprus ahead of friendly fixtures against Cyprus and the USA.

Our student-athletes were able to observe an elite-level training session at close range, gaining first-hand insight into how some of the world’s most promising young footballers prepare, train, and perform. The session was a powerful demonstration of the professionalism and structure that underpin international youth football.

A Glimpse into Elite Preparation

The England squad featured youth players from some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, including Manchester City FC, FC Barcelona, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC. Watching these players train offered our students a unique perspective on the technical quality, intensity, and discipline required at the highest level of the youth game.

Equally impressive was the strong support network surrounding the team. The session was backed by a multidisciplinary performance team including sport psychologists, nutritionists, sports doctors, and position-specific coaches. Students were able to see how modern football development goes far beyond the pitch — combining physical, mental, and tactical preparation into a fully integrated system.

Learning Up Close

Members of our Sports Programme were invited onto the field during the session, allowing them to observe drills from close proximity and better understand the structure and objectives behind each exercise. This immersive experience enabled students to analyse training detail, communication styles, and coaching interventions in real time.

At the conclusion of the session, our student-athletes had the opportunity to interact with England players and coaching staff. In an unforgettable moment, they even participated in brief passages of play alongside members of the England squad — an experience that brought inspiration, motivation, and a tangible connection to elite sport.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Experiences such as this highlight the value of the English School Sport Programme in exposing students to high-performance environments. Observing and engaging with elite youth athletes reinforces the standards, habits, and mindset required to excel — not only in sport, but in any field requiring dedication and resilience.

We extend our sincere thanks to the England U15 Men’s National Team staff for facilitating such a memorable and educational experience for our students. It was a day that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on all who attended.

On Tuesday, 24th Feb, our school students, Aanvi Tandon & Sophia Cagnetti, were invited to represent Junior Achievement Cyprus at a discussion hosted by the Commissioner of Gender Equality, Ms Josie Christodoulou. The topic of discussion was “Women in Science – when equality boosts innovation”.

The event was attended by leading Women in STEM, in Cyprus. The students effectively voiced their perspectives and emphasised the importance of Cultural shift and Community support in bridging the gender gap when it comes to STEM education. They also talked about the role models who have helped them dream bigger and move forward with confidence.

Both girls have been given an offer to do job shadowing for a day with the commissioner during the summer break.

The students were accompanied by Antigoni Komodiki, CEO JA Cyprus and Ms Richa Tandon, during the event and the discussion.

On 11 February, our school proudly participated in the Pancyprian Swimming Competition in Larnaca with a team of 14 athletes, all of whom represented the school with determination and excellent sportsmanship.

Our swimmers delivered a series of very strong performances across a range of events, with several athletes achieving top placements and bringing home medals. The team earned an impressive five medals in total, including two Gold Medals and three Bronze Medals.

Medal Winners and Top Placings

• Panayides Anna (Year 6) – 800m Freestyle – 1st place (Gold Medal)
• Feraios Harris (Year 4) – 200m Breaststroke – 1st place (Gold Medal)
• Galatopoulos Antonis (Year 4) – 100m Breaststroke – 3rd place (Bronze Medal)
• Nearchou Maria (Year 4) – 200m Freestyle – 3rd place (Bronze Medal)
• Georgiou Sophia (Year 4) – 200m Individual Medley – 3rd place (Bronze Medal)

Other notable performances included:

• Paraschou Nicolas (Year 2) – 200m Freestyle – 4th place
• Mannaris George (Year 1) – 50m Backstroke – 5th place
• Serrurier Marinos (Year 4) – 50m Backstroke – 5th place
• Zubakov Nikita (Year 3) – 50m Backstroke – 6th place
• Pantziarou Eleni (Year 5) – 50m Freestyle – 8th place

Full Team Performances

• Stynos Antoniadis (Year 1) – 50m Freestyle – 36,59
• Neofytidi Eleanthi (Year 1) – 50m Freestyle – 33,96
• Loizou Melina (Year 3) – 50m Freestyle – 32,84
• Kyriakides Andreas (Year 4) – 100m Freestyle
• Pantziarou Eleni (Year 5) – 50m Freestyle – 34,09 (8th place)
• Zubakov Nikita (Year 3) – 50m Backstroke – 1,21 (6th place)
• Mannaris George (Year 1) – 50m Backstroke – 1,18 (5th place)
• Serrurier Marinos (Year 4) – 50m Backstroke – 1,15 (5th place)
• Paraschou Nicolas (Year 2) – 200m Freestyle – 2,26 (4th place)
• Galatopoulos Antonis (Year 4) – 100m Breaststroke – 1,09 (3rd place, Bronze Medal)
• Nearchou Maria (Year 4) – 200m Freestyle – 2,21 (3rd place, Bronze Medal)
• Georgiou Sophia (Year 4) – 200m Individual Medley – 3,12 (3rd place, Bronze Medal)
• Panayides Anna (Year 6) – 800m Freestyle – 10,01 (1st place, Gold Medal)
• Feraios Harris (Year 4) – 200m Breaststroke – 2,36,20 (1st place, Gold Medal)

All our athletes gave their very best for the school, and we congratulate each and every one of them for their excellent effort, commitment, and team spirit.

On 13 February, our school proudly participated in the Pancyprian Badminton Competition in Nicosia with a team of 10 athletes, who delivered an excellent set of results and represented the school with great determination and skill.

Our athletes achieved outstanding performances across the competition, with the school reaching the final stages in almost every category.

The results were as follows:

• Round of 32: Demetris Iasonos, Marcos Giorgos Michael, Ioannis Shekkeris, and Michaelia Votsi
• Round of 16: Konstantinos Georgiou and Paris Socratous
• Quarter-final: Mariza Zembyla
• Final / Silver Medal (2nd place): Lydia Adamou and Christos Petsas
• Final / Gold Medal (1st place): Nicolas Maroudias

These achievements are a reflection of the students’ hard work, commitment, and competitive spirit. Every athlete performed exceptionally well and made the school proud.

Congratulations to all our participants on their fantastic effort and success.

Our Junior Boys Volleyball team proudly represented the School in this year’s Nicosia Schools Volleyball Competition, showing strong teamwork, commitment, and real enthusiasm for the game.
Although the team was knocked out in the second phase, they delivered a solid overall performance and made the School proud with their attitude on and off the court. Over the past three months, the boys trained consistently and even committed to extra days of practice—an effort that speaks volumes about their dedication and passion for volleyball.
With continued training, we look forward to even stronger results next year. Most importantly, the team built unforgettable memories together through sport, hard work, and shared determination.
Students who represented the School

• Odysseas Graves (3R)
• Andreas Savva (3G)
• Karlo Lazic (3Y)
• Osman Ataoz (3J)
• Derem Uluerli (3R)
• Georgios Panagiotis Paraskeva (2R)
• Pavlos Symeonidis (2R)
• Alexandros Vrakas (2R)
• Vassilis Rologis (1W)
• Panayiotis Papafilippou Mannaris (1R)
• Andreas Pashias (1J)

Three of our students have recently enjoyed outstanding success in international robotics, competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge Netherlands qualifier.

On Saturday 17 January 2026, the competition took place at KSG de Breul in Zeist, bringing together teams from across Netherlands and beyond. Representing Cyprus through the Epiteugma robotics programme, our students demonstrated impressive teamwork, creative engineering, and real confidence under pressure.

Giorgos Lioudakis (4B) competed with 13906 Epiteugma Revved Up, ranking 1st (Winning Alliance) and earning the Innovate Award (1st place) —a fantastic double achievement reflecting both strong on-field performance and standout innovation.

Constantinos Pashias (4Y) competed with 28379 Epiteugma Mouflon Bots, securing Finalist Alliance (2nd place) and winning the Think Award (1st place), recognising high-quality engineering process and problem-solving.

Maria Christodoulou (3G) competed with 32881 Epiteugma Gladiators and received the Design Award (2nd place). For a rookie team in their first season, this is a remarkable result and a real credit to their dedication and preparation.

Congratulations to Giorgos, Constantinos, and Maria for representing Cyprus with such distinction. We are proud to celebrate student success beyond the classroom, and we look forward to seeing how these young innovators continue to grow through STEM and robotics.

Photos: published with permission.

The European University Cyprus, as the coordinating institution, in collaboration with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, The English School Nicosia, La Salle Buen Consejo (Spain), and the universities of Münster (Germany) and Mary Immaculate College (Ireland), cordially invites educators to participate in a series of intensive online professional development seminars entitled:

“Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in STEAM Education for Civic Engagement and Social Justice from the Early Years.”

These seminars are organized within the framework of the Erasmus+ co-funded project “Data Science Education in STEAM for Civic Engagement and Social Justice from the Early Years (DataScEd4CiEn)”. The project aims to empower educators with the knowledge, pedagogical frameworks, and innovative teaching resources needed to support students aged 9–15 in developing data science competencies. Through interdisciplinary approaches, participants will explore how data science can serve as a powerful tool for addressing real-world challenges related to civic engagement and social justice.

The professional development program is designed for primary and secondary school teachers as well as teacher educators, with a particular focus on the meaningful integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) within STEAM education.

Eligibility and Participation

Who can apply: Primary and secondary school teacher of any discipline. No prior experience with advanced technological tools is required.

Certification: Participants who attend all three training sessions will receive an official certificate of participation.

Participation Fee: The programme is offered free of charge.

Language of Instruction: All sessions will be conducted in English, given the international consortium of participating institutions from five countries.

Programme Overview

First Session – 2 February 2026, 18:00-20:00

• Foundations of Data Science Literacy in STEAM Education: Exploring how data science techniques can be used to investigate complex societal issues and social justice topics within STEAM contexts.
• Data-Driven Approaches to Civic Engagement and Social Justice: Integrating data science into STEAM curricula to prepare students for a data-driven society.

Second Session – 9 February 2026, 18:00-20:00

• High-Quality Ready-to-Use Educational Materials: Developing guiding questions, identifying suitable datasets, data cleaning and exploration using digital tools such as CODAP.
• Classroom Applications Across Europe – AI and Machine Learning: Ethical data science education for active citizenship, with practical strategies for introducing AI and ML concepts in schools.

Third Session – 5 March 2026, 18:00-20:00

• Digital and AI Tools for Teaching Data Science: Implementing the DataScEd4CiEn approach in the classroom and aligning it with curricula. Participants will exchange ideas and experiences within an international professional learning community.

Registration

For more details about the project “Data Science Education in STEAM for Civic Engagement and Social Justice from the Early Years,” please visit the project website: https://datasc4ed.euc.ac.cy/

On 23 January, the Economics Society welcomed Ms Marilena Maroudia, Director and Founder of M Brace Ltd, who delivered an inspiring talk on “Journey Through Skills and Education: Preparing for the Real World.”

Ms Maroudia highlighted the importance of combining academic learning with social and communication skills, and spoke about persistence, exploring different career paths, and the value of professional qualifications. She also emphasised how strong presentation and communication skills can make a real difference in the workplace, encouraging students to reach for opportunities across a range of occupational fields.

The session also touched on the realities of setting up a business, including legal considerations, registration processes, and the role of networking in growth. Students learned about how virtual assistants can support firms, particularly in the early stages of development.

The talk concluded with an engaging Q&A, leaving students motivated to think ambitiously about their futures as leaders and entrepreneurs.

The English School U15 Girls’ Football Team has enjoyed a breakthrough month, recording their first two wins of the season and showing clear signs that the group is beginning to click.

The first victory came in emphatic fashion away in Limassol, where the team produced an outstanding attacking performance to beat AEL Limassol 5–1. It was the kind of result that doesn’t just add three points — it injects confidence, rewards hard work on the training ground, and reminds everyone what this squad is capable of when things come together.

Their second win was even more dramatic. In a tightly contested match against Kids Soccer School on Sunday, The English School edged a thrilling 3–2 victory, sealed in the final minutes by a moment of real quality. With the game on a knife-edge, Nayia Stephanou stepped up and delivered a stunning free-kick goal that proved decisive — the sort of strike players remember for years, and the sort of moment that can define a season.

These wins have come at an important time for a team in transition. This year’s squad includes more than ten new Year 1 players, stepping up and learning quickly in the demanding U15 category. Alongside them are three Year 4 stalwarts who have been part of the team since 2022, providing experience, stability, and leadership when it matters most. That blend of fresh energy and established resilience is now starting to feel like a real strength.

The early part of the season was always going to be a learning curve. Adapting to the intensity and physicality of the U15 level takes time, especially for a group with so many new faces. But after an initial period of settling in and finding rhythm, the team looks ready for the next step.

With confidence building and momentum finally on their side, The English School U15 Girls are now focused on pushing on in the second half of the season — not just to collect results, but to keep growing as a unit and show what this new chapter of the team can become.

Well done to our team members: Maria Christodolou (GK), Stella Anastasi, Leni Solomou, Despina Panayides, Kyveli Matsi, Nayia Stephanou, Emily Nicolaou (C), Popi Koumenides, Sotia Theocharides, Hara Mavrommati, Maria Nicolaou, Mia Michaelides, Erica Tingerides, Alexandrea Iness Lteif, Melina Antoniou, Andrea Gavriel, Charitini Iosif, Anna-Maria Michaelidou, Christina Agathocleous, Irene Andre Xenophontos, Amelie Christodolou and Carolina Iacovou