HALLOWEEN 2025

ANCIENT EGYPT

This year, our Halloween celebration at school revolved around a central theme: Ancient Egypt. The activity was approached from different subjects so that students could explore the topic in a creative, cultural and cross-curricular way. Through classroom work, practical activities and the participation of the whole school community, Halloween became an opportunity to combine language learning, creativity and cultural awareness. 

Art: Egyptian Decoration

In Art, students designed and created their own Egyptian decoration inspired by the central theme of this year’s Halloween celebration. Through this activity, they explored symbols, colours and visual elements connected to Ancient Egypt, producing creative pieces that helped decorate the school and reinforce the cross-curricular nature of the projec

Geography and History: Ancient Egypt in English

In Geography and History, students worked on Ancient Egypt in English, linking this historical content to the central theme of this year’s Halloween celebration. They explored important aspects of Egyptian civilisation such as daily life, beliefs, pharaohs, pyramids and mummies, while also practising subject-specific vocabulary in English. This approach helped students connect historical learning with language development in a meaningful and motivating way.

Technology: Spooky Pencil Cases

In Technology, students designed and created their own spooky pencil cases inspired by Halloween. This activity allowed them to work creatively while following a practical design process. They planned their ideas, selected materials and produced personalised pencil cases with a Halloween style. The final results showed great imagination and gave students the chance to combine artistic expression with hands-on learning.

Halloween Door Contest

As part of the celebration, the school also organised a Halloween door contest. Different groups decorated their classroom doors following the Halloween theme, with special attention to creativity, effort and originality. This activity helped create a festive atmosphere throughout the school and encouraged teamwork and participation among students. The decorated doors became one of the highlights of the celebration.

Workshop: Egyptian Make-up and Decoration

As part of the celebration, students also took part in a workshop on Egyptian make-up and decoration. This activity helped bring the theme of Ancient Egypt to life in a very visual and engaging way. Through decorative elements and character-inspired make-up, students were able to connect with the aesthetic side of Egyptian culture while enjoying a creative and participatory experience. The workshop added a practical and artistic dimension to the overall Halloween programme.

In November 2025, a group of our bachillerato students  travelled to Belgium as part of our international exchange programme. This experience was much more than a school trip: it was a valuable opportunity to build friendships, share experiences and strengthen the sense of connection between students from different countries. The excellent atmosphere, the positive relationships created and the daily contact with another culture made this exchange especially meaningful for our students, who benefited greatly both on a personal and educational level. 

To find out more about this exchange, please visit the International Exchanges section of our website 

In November 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of German students to our school as part of our international exchange programme. Their visit was connected to an Erasmus+ project focused on recycling and environmental awareness, in which our school is also involved.

During their stay, students took part in a range of cooperative recycling workshops and shared activities linked to sustainability, waste management and environmental responsibility. The programme also gave them the opportunity to learn more about how rubbish is sorted and managed in Spain, as well as the importance of protecting natural spaces and promoting greater awareness of environmental issues.

This visit was a very enriching experience for everyone involved, combining language practice, international cooperation and shared learning around an important common topic. The following video offers a brief summary of the exchange experience at our school.

To find out more about this exchange, please visit the International Exchanges section of our website.

Video Summary

fitur de las lenguas

To mark the European Day of Languages, our school organised the Fitur of Languages, a lively and engaging activity that celebrated the cultural and linguistic richness of our educational community. Although this event is usually linked to September, this year we decided to make it coincide with the visit of our German exchange students, which made the experience even more meaningful. They had their own stand to share aspects of their language and culture, while at the same time discovering the many cultures that live side by side in our school. Through this activity, students were able to learn about different traditions, listen to new languages and even pick up words and expressions from one another. The result was a colourful and enriching celebration of multilingualism, inclusion and international understanding. 

December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities 

To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, our students worked together on a giant puzzle in which each piece focused on a different disability represented through pictograms. The aim of the activity was not to focus on limitations, but to highlight the abilities, strengths and value that every person brings to society. Through this shared project, students reflected on inclusion, respect and awareness, while promoting a more positive and empathetic view of diversity. 

Christmas Activities

Christmas also brought a creative and collaborative atmosphere to our school through a series of festive workshops in which students made greeting cards in English and Spanish, together with a variety of Christmas crafts. These activities were led by the school’s peer mediators team, in collaboration with the Department of Coexistence, and became a wonderful opportunity to combine creativity, teamwork and language learning. Beyond the final products, the workshops helped create a welcoming and positive environment in which students could express themselves, enjoy the spirit of the season and use both languages in a meaningful and motivating way. 

inventions that changed the world

As part of the Technology area, students worked on the project Inventions That Changed the World, creating different infographics to present inventions that have had a major impact on everyday life and on the development of society. Through this activity, they not only explored the importance of technological progress, but also practised research, selection of key information and visual communication in English. The final infographics showed both creativity and critical thinking, while helping students reflect on how innovation has shaped the world we live in today.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 

To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, students worked on a project focused on the achievements of important women in the scientific world. Using a presentation prepared as a starting point, they created posters about different female scientists, learning about their lives, discoveries and contribution to society. This activity helped raise awareness of the role of women in science while also encouraging research, creativity and the use of English in a meaningful context.

saint valentine's day

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, students created postcards with kind messages and short phrases in English for their classmates and loved ones. These cards were later distributed around the school, helping to spread positive feelings, friendship and affection throughout the day. The activity provided a simple but meaningful way to use English in a real context while promoting kindness, respect and a warm atmosphere across the school community.

germany exchange

La movilidad de nuestro alumnado a Alemania constituyó una experiencia de gran valor educativo, lingüístico y personal. Durante ocho días, nuestros 15 alumnos y alumnas de 4.º de ESO, acompañados por dos profesores del centro, participaron en un programa de actividades culturales, lingüísticas y medioambientales diseñado junto al centro socio. A lo largo de la estancia, el alumnado pudo integrarse en un contexto real de comunicación, convivir con estudiantes de otro país y tomar parte en talleres y propuestas de trabajo centradas especialmente en el reciclaje, la sostenibilidad y la concienciación medioambiental.

Este intercambio permitió desarrollar de manera muy significativa la competencia comunicativa en inglés del alumnado, al poner en práctica la lengua en situaciones reales de convivencia, aprendizaje y colaboración. Del mismo modo, favoreció el crecimiento personal del grupo, la apertura a otras culturas y la creación de lazos de amistad y colaboración duraderos entre estudiantes de distintos países, reforzando así la dimensión europea e internacional de nuestro centro.

Cabe destacar, además, que esta movilidad pudo realizarse de manera totalmente gratuita para el alumnado gracias a la financiación concedida a través del Programa de Competencia Comunicativa de la Junta de Andalucía, lo que ha permitido garantizar la participación de los 15 estudiantes seleccionados y reforzar el carácter inclusivo, formativo y transformador de esta experiencia.

Si quieres saber más sobre este intercambio, visita el apartado de international exchanges, donde podrás encontrar todos los detalles y actividades relacionados con esta actividad. 

english debate tournament Junta de Andalucía

Four of our students took part in the English Debate Tournament organised by the Regional Ministry of Education of Andalusia, representing our school in a demanding and enriching academic experience. In this edition, students debated whether the United Nations and other supranational organisations are still effective tools for resolving the political conflicts of the 21st century, a topic that invited them to reflect on international relations, global governance and the role of institutions in today’s world.

Although our team did not win the competition overall, the experience was extremely valuable from both an educational and personal point of view. Our students had the opportunity to improve their public speaking skills in English, strengthen their ability to build and defend arguments, and gain confidence in a formal debating context. In addition, we are especially proud that one of our students, Hugo Vicario, was awarded the Regional Ministry of Education of Andalusia’s prize for Best Speaker of the tournament, a recognition that highlights his outstanding performance and the high level of preparation shown by our team. Participation in this event also served as an important first step and a very useful preparation for the other debate competitions in which our school is taking part throughout the year.

reception of belgian students

As part of the second stage of the exchange, our school had the pleasure of welcoming the Belgian students to our centre, where they took part in a rich programme of cultural, linguistic and educational activities. Their visit provided an excellent opportunity for all participants to continue strengthening the links created during the first mobility, while sharing experiences, improving communication in English and discovering everyday life in a different educational and cultural context. Throughout the programme, students enjoyed a wide range of activities that encouraged cooperation, intercultural understanding and meaningful language use, making this visit a highly valuable experience for everyone involved.

if you want to know more about this exchange, visit the section International exchanges

trip to gibraltar 

As part of the work carried out by the English Department and the Bilingual Programme, our 1st Bachillerato students visited Gibraltar in order to experience British culture first-hand in a real and meaningful context. This activity gave students the opportunity to go beyond the classroom and engage directly with the language, customs and atmosphere of a place with a strong British identity.

During the trip, students took part in a gymkhana around the city, designed to encourage observation, interaction and cultural discovery. Through different challenges, they interviewed local people, looked for symbols and landmarks, and paid attention to everyday details in the streets that helped them understand British culture more deeply. In this way, the activity combined language practice with active learning, since students were able to use English in authentic situations while reflecting on the cultural elements that make Gibraltar such a unique place.

At the end of the activity, the winning team in the gymkhana received a small prize with soft toys and gifts related to the UK, which added a fun and motivating element to the experience. Overall, the visit was a highly enriching opportunity that brought together language learning, cultural awareness and active student participation, while also helping students build confidence in using English outside the school environment.

valle short story contest 2nd edition

Our school recently held the 2nd Valley Short Story Contest, an initiative organised by the Languages Department to encourage creativity, writing skills and the use of English beyond the classroom. Students from 4th ESO, 1st Bachillerato and 2nd Bachillerato took part in the competition, writing original short stories in English on the theme of time travel. The contest gave students the opportunity to develop their imagination, improve their written expression and share their ideas in a challenging but motivating context. The winners and runners-up were recognised in a special prize-giving event, celebrating both their effort and the high quality of the stories presented. This activity once again highlighted the importance of reading, writing and creative thinking as part of language learning in our school.

anglo saxon easter

To celebrate Anglo-Saxon Easter, our school organised a series of Easter workshops in which students took part in creative and cultural activities linked to this traditional celebration. Through these workshops, they were able to learn more about Anglo-Saxon customs and symbols associated with Easter while enjoying a practical and engaging experience. The activities helped bring language and culture together in a meaningful way, creating a festive atmosphere at school and giving students the opportunity to explore another important tradition from the English-speaking world.

winners of the national debate tournament in english

One of the most remarkable achievements of this academic year was the outstanding success of our debate club, whose students were crowned Spanish national champions in the English debate tournament organised by Fundación Cánovas. This competition brought together teams from across the country and gave our students the opportunity to demonstrate their speaking skills, critical thinking and ability to defend ideas in English in a highly demanding academic environment.

Our school’s performance was truly exceptional, as both of our teams reached the final, with one of them winning the national title. This achievement reflects the strength of our debate project and the high level of preparation, effort and commitment shown by our students throughout the year. Beyond the result itself, this success highlights the educational value of debate as a powerful tool to develop communication skills, confidence, teamwork and intellectual curiosity. It also became a source of great pride for our whole educational community and attracted attention from the media.

Revista Lugar de Encuentro – El IES Valle del Azahar, de Cártama, rompe moldes y conquista el nacional de debate en inglés

Guadalhorce.net – Recepción a los estudiantes del IES Valle del Azahar ganadores del torneo nacional de debate escolar en inglés

reception of Czech students (Erasmus+)

As part of their Erasmus+ programme, a group of eight Czech students aged between 8 and 16 visited our school to learn more about the way key competences, and especially digital competence, are developed in our educational context. During their stay, our students guided them around the school in English and explained how we work in different subjects and projects. In turn, the Czech students gave a presentation about their city, their school and their daily life, which created a very enriching opportunity for cultural and linguistic exchange.

They also had the chance to attend some of our lessons and to take part in a recycling workshop led by our Technology teachers, where they worked together creating benches with recycled materials. All these activities were carried out in English, which made the experience especially valuable for our students, who were able to put into practice everything they had learned in a real and meaningful context. Overall, the visit was a highly fruitful collaboration that combined language learning, cultural exchange and hands-on work in a very positive way.

Ancient greece shields

As part of the bilingual History programme, students worked on the study of Ancient Greece, exploring some of the most important aspects of Greek civilisation and its lasting influence on history and culture. Through this project, they learned about key elements of Greek society, with special attention to the distinctive identities of Sparta and Athens.

As an integrated learning product, students designed and created their own shields inspired by Greek imagery, using symbols and visual elements connected to the world of Ancient Greece. This activity allowed them to combine historical knowledge, creativity and the use of English in a meaningful way, while producing a final outcome that reflected both their learning and their interpretation of the topic.