Teamwork was the key when St Paul’s Catholic College, Greystanes students joined forces with Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary, Greystanes students to research a true Australian mystery.
The investigative task was to examine the disappearance of 70-year-old, Paddy Moriarty, from the Northern Territory town of Larrimah. Paddy and his dog vanished mysteriously in December 2017, instigating an extensive police search.
St Paul’s Literacy Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator Frances Violi said students addressed a key question and gained knowledge through inquiry, allowing them to explore learning in a real-world context.
“This project provided students with opportunities to build confidence, work collaboratively with others, communicate effectively and use technology to consider a real problem,’’ Mrs Violi said.
“The learning intention opened possibilities to problem-solve creatively, plan and develop time management skills.”
Students were allocated four 50-minute lessons to complete the task.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary Year 5 teacher Rita Haddad said students considered audience and purpose when writing scripts, context and setting to reflect authenticity and were careful to justify predictions with aptly chosen references.
“Students were also expected to maintain engagement by collaborating on music, sound effects and cinematic techniques to provoke suspense and mood,’’ Mrs Haddad said.
“Year 8 and Year 5 students were highly engaged during the entire process, delving into the research, asking questions, hypothesizing and applying information.”
Both teachers agreed the project was a success for all the students because they found the task meaningful.
“The older students acted as mentors to their younger colleagues, strengthening leadership and interpersonal qualities and enhancing their own sense of satisfaction as learners,’’ Mrs Violi said.
“On the other hand, Year 5 students gained insights into secondary education, polished literacy skills and built confidence in communication.’’
As a result of this project, all the student groups were given a choice to either create an iMovie clip to demonstrate what they think happened to Paddy Moriarty on the day of his disappearance, or to appeal to the public to help find Paddy.
The completed iMovie clips will be showcased at school assemblies later in the year.
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17 Jun 2026
From Facebook
The Feast of the Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph is celebrated on the first Wednesday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a private Catholic devotion honoring St. Joseph's purity, humility, and fierce fatherly love for the Holy Family.
17 Jun 2026
From Facebook
OLQP is taking part in the ICAS Assessments again this year! If your child would like to participate, please check your Compass notifications for information about the available assessments and instructions on how to register. Please note that participation in ICAS is optional and registration must be completed by families before the closing date. ⏰ Registration closes Monday 27 July at 11:59pm.
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17 Jun 2026
From Facebook
The Feast of the Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph is celebrated on the first Wednesday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a private Catholic devotion honoring St. Joseph's purity, humility, and fierce fatherly love for the Holy Family.
17 Jun 2026
From Facebook
OLQP is taking part in the ICAS Assessments again this year! If your child would like to participate, please check your Compass notifications for information about the available assessments and instructions on how to register. Please note that participation in ICAS is optional and registration must be completed by families before the closing date. ⏰ Registration closes Monday 27 July at 11:59pm.
12 Jun 2026
From Facebook
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
We currently have a large amount of lost property, including jumpers, lunchboxes, drink bottles and other items that have not been labelled. A bucket containing these items has been placed at the front gate, outside the office. We would appreciate it if parents could please take a moment to look through the items and collect anything that may belong to their child. We kindly ask that all clothing, lunchboxes and drink bottles are clearly labelled to help ensure lost items can be returned to their owners. Please note that any unclaimed items will unfortunately need to be disposed of. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
09 Jun 2026
From Facebook
Our school choir performed beautifully at the 10:30 am Mass on Sunday at OLQP as the parish celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to Mrs Kuchta and Mrs Grella (former OLQP staff member) for their dedication and guidance. The choir’s angelic voices truly uplifted the congregation and added a special sense of reverence and joy to this sacred celebration. Well done to all the students and leaders involved. We are so proud of you!
05 Jun 2026
From Facebook
Our Little Disciples lunchtime group enjoyed making decade Rosary beads while learning about the special role of Mary in our faith. Teaching children to pray the Rosary helps them grow closer to Jesus through Mary’s loving guidance and encourages a lifelong connection to prayer. We are proud of our students for embracing this beautiful Catholic tradition and deepening their faith.
04 Jun 2026
What Your Child Really Learns in the First 100 Days of School
One moment your child is holding your hand at the school gate and before you know it, they're walking in confidently, greeting friends by name, carrying their own bag, and coming home full of stories about 'assembly' and 'sport'. Here’s what to expect in their first 100 days of Kindergarten.
31 May 2026
From Facebook
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. We all can have God in our lives if we open our hearts to the possibility, and families are an especially potent way to bring, keep, and reinforce God in our hearts. God may not be as literally present as the visitation between Mary and Elizabeth, but the essence of that reunion can still spark within us a joy and inspiration from our own families that matches Mary’s and Elizabeth’s Godly proclamations.
29 May 2026
From Facebook
28 May 2026
From Facebook
"Come and join us for a fun and inclusive AFL program exclusively for Our Lady Queen of Peace students. We welcome boys and girls of all abilities to our 4-week program, where participants will learn and develop the basic skills of AFL through fun, safe, and inclusive activities each week. Each participant will also receive a GWS GIANTS AFL Auskick Pack stacked with footy goodies! Location: Daniel Street Park Please note: Students must make their own way to Daniel Street Park. AFL staff will not be walking students from the school to the oval." Registration Links: Auskick (Kindergarten–Year 2): https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/52907a Superkick (Years 3–6): https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/d57af9
28 May 2026
From Facebook
Little Inventors School Holiday Program “Invisible Forces” is on these July school holidays at OLQP Primary School on 16 and 17 July. This fun and engaging hands-on, activity-based STEM workshop will give children the chance to explore the invisible forces around us through exciting experiments and engineering challenges, including electromagnetism, gravity, static electricity, aerodynamics and structural forces. Children will build, test, experiment and discover like real scientists and engineers while learning through play, curiosity and creativity. OLQP families can use the code “OLQP” for a special discount. Register here: https://littleinventors.com.au/services/
