A Night to Remember: Honouring Our IB Graduates of 2026
On Friday, 29th May, we celebrated the IB Graduation, marking the end of an important chapter for our 58 graduating students. Our graduates are taking the next big step in their academic journeys, with university destinations including King’s College London, UCL, Oxford, Edinburgh, Manchester, Maastricht, Utrecht, Amsterdam, IE University in Madrid, and Trinity College Dublin.
Students arrived and headed to the sports hall, where they slipped into their gowns and put on their caps. The ceremony officially began with a short introduction from our Executive Director, Martin Harris. This was followed by a meaningful speech from Sam Moinet, our guest speaker and founder of Bora Education. Matt Tompkins, Director of Dukes Portugal, also shared inspiring words of encouragement with the graduates. During the ceremony, students were consistently honored for demonstrating essential values such as curiosity, empathy, resilience, and responsibility. Students also took to the stage alongside a former student, delivering speeches that reflected on their experiences and offered words of encouragement to the graduating class.
Music also played a special role in the celebration. During the musical interlude, students performed well-known songs, including On Top of the World, creating a magical atmosphere as audience lit up the room with their mobile phones, swaying along to the music.
Everyone eagerly awaited the presentation of diplomas, which proved to be the standout moment of the night. As each graduate crossed the stage, their intended university destinations were publicly announced, reflecting the diversity of their aspirations. They will soon branch out globally across diverse disciplines, from engineering and medicine to the arts, history, and philosophy, while a few have chosen to take a gap year before continuing their studies.
Mia, our IB Coordinator, who had been deeply involved in organising the event from the outset, shared heartfelt and humorous anecdotes about both students and teachers.
After the ceremony, students gathered on the football pitch for the traditional group photograph before letting their graduation caps fly in a symbolic toast to good luck. The celebration continued with cocktails as guests gathered to commemorate the significant milestone. We would like to wish all of our graduates every success and happiness as they embark on this exciting new chapter of their lives. Congratulations to Class of 2026. We are immensely proud of your accomplishments and excited to witness your future endeavours.
Summary of our last events
LAST TWO WEEKS RECAP
PRIMARY ART EXHIBITION
Our wonderful Primary Art teacher, Lucy Ketchlove, organised the Primary Art Exhibition. The exhibition was open to parents and staff and featured a wide range of ceramics, paintings, and sculptures. The students’ artwork explored a wide variety of subjects, notably animals and family. We were blown away by how creative and successful they were, especially considering how young they are.
IB SURF TRIP
The IB1 Surf Trip was an incredible experience and the perfect way to end the school year. We had a blast riding the waves, and the weather was glorious during our getaway to Figueira da Foz. It’s a beautiful seaside town known for its amazing sandy shores and rich surf vibe. A huge thank you to Lucy and Mia for taking such great care of all the students.
DUKES SPORTS DAY
We had an incredible day at Sharing School taking part in the Dukes Sports Day. A huge thank you to all the PE teachers who accompanied and supported our students throughout the event. We are proud to share that we brought home several trophies, including five silvers and two golds. Hats off to everyone who participated for displaying such incredible commitment and team spirit. Well done to the winners on your remarkable victory.
PRIMARY CONCERT
Primary students came together in the auditorium to celebrate the Primary Concert. They performed beautifully on stage, singing together with great enthusiasm and confidence, while proud families and staff cheered them on. A special thank you to Madalena and Andreia, our Music teachers, for all their hard work and dedication in making this wonderful event possible.
A GRANDFATHER´S STORY
One of the Grade 6 student's grandfather visited the Portuguese class to share his experiences of the events at Lisbon Airport on the night of 24–25 April 1974, offering students a unique first-hand perspective on the Carnation Revolution. This "living history" lesson brought the topic to life beyond the textbook, and the students' curiosity and thoughtful questions reflected their enthusiasm throughout the session.
LISBON STORY CENTRE
On June 1st, the Grade 9 and Grade 7 Portuguese Language students took part in a field trip to the Lisbon Story Centre. Through an interactive and immersive experience, students revisited some of the most significant moments in Lisbon’s history, exploring key events from the city's past while developing their Portuguese language skills.
LEARNER LED CONFERENCES
This month, it was an absolute joy to open our doors and welcome parents into our classrooms to explore our Early Childhood and Primary students' final projects. Families enjoyed wandering through the Primary Art Exhibition and dropping into a music class, getting an up-close look at everything their children have created and learned this year. We always cherish these moments to connect and share the joy of learning together!
AE CUP
This month we had the pleasure to participate in the AE Cup, a closed tournament for our youngest lions! From our U6 team to our U11 the players had an absolute blast and made both us coaches and their families incredibly proud! Who knows if they'll be playing on this exact field in a few years!
PORTUGUESE CULTURE MONTH
During Portuguese Culture Month, our school community united to honor Portugal through a variety of engaging activities, including the let's Discover Portugal challenge, a Portuguese-themed dress day, a special Portuguese lunch menu, and the Sardine Design Competition. Students and staff also enjoyed taking photos as Camões, the renowned Portuguese poet, or as a traditional sardine at the School Park entrance.
LISBON MATH CHALLENGE
On 11 June, Grade 7 students took part in the Lisbon Maths Challenge at International Sharing School Lisbon. The event highlighted math skills, collaboration, and creativity through engaging individual and group challenges. Congratulations to Kate for achieving second place in the Pacioli's Puzzles Challenge. Kiyaara and Maya were also awarded medals in Hypatia's Hunt.
A letter from our Intern
By Tim van Oers,
Meet Our Intern, Tim. We'll Miss Him!
Hello United Lisbon Community!
I am 20 years old and originally from Roelofarendsveen, a close-knit town in the Netherlands. I moved to Lisbon in September as part of an Erasmus exchange programme and loved the city so much that I decided to stay longer. Since February, I have been completing my internship at United Lisbon, and I will be here until the end of July.
I am currently in my final year at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, where I study Sports Management and Business. As part of my studies, I am also conducting my thesis research at the school, focusing on the impact of movement-based learning on students' concentration levels.
As part of the Physical Education department, I support daily PE lessons, particularly with the Early Years students. I also assist with the Sporting CP Football Academy sessions, accompany students to sports tournaments, and will be helping with the Summer Camp in July. Being able to combine my passion for sports with practical experience has been incredibly rewarding.
One of the things that has stood out most during my time here is how welcoming the United Lisbon community is. The staff, students, and parents have made me feel at home from the very beginning, and I am grateful for the support and kindness I have received.
As I approach the final months of my internship, I look forward to continuing to learn, completing my thesis, and contributing to the school's sports programme. I hope to meet many more of you over the coming weeks, whether during PE lessons, on the football pitch, or at Summer Camp.
Thank you for making my experience at United Lisbon such a positive and memorable one!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Secondary Water Days
Open to all Secondary Students
15 June & 16 June
Short Film
Festival Week
Open to students in Grades 6–12
15 -19 June
G4 & G5 Disco
Open to students on Grade 4 & 5
23 June
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES
JUNE
16 June | 2:00 PM – Primary Talent Show
17 June | 3:30 PM – Secondary Final Year Art Exhibition
17 June | 4:00 PM – Online Webinar
18 June | 8:30 AM – Parent Book Club
18–22 June – Portuguese & English Book Fair
19 June – KG Graduation (8:30 AM) & G5 Graduation (9:30 AM)
23 June – G4 & G5 Disco
25 June | 3:30 PM – G8 Graduation
26 June – Last Day of School (Half Day) – Whole-School Assembly with Parents at 11:30 AM
Summer Programme
29 June – 24 July – Summer Camp
Join our Online Webinar on 17th June at 16:00, a one-hour session designed for families interested in learning more about our school across all year groups. This is a wonderful opportunity to discover what makes our community unique and gain valuable insights into life at United Lisbon International School.
The session will begin with opening remarks and a short presentation from our Head of School, who will share the mission, vision, and educational philosophy that guide our community. Following this, our Admissions Team will provide an overview of the school, explain the admissions process, and outline the next steps for families considering joining our school.
Throughout the webinar, families will also have the chance to engage directly with our team through a live Q&A session, where you can ask questions and receive personalised answers.
Did You Know...?
Two United Lisbon students are participating in a volunteering trip to Cambodia as part of an initiative organised by one of the Dukes schools.
Two of our United Lisbon students are participating in a volunteering trip to Cambodia for one of Dukes Schools.
This collage was created by our Grade 2 students. Can you identify everyone featured? They are influential figures who have made a positive difference
Be sure to keep an eye out for our next newsletter on 29 June
