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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07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our students continue to inspire us with their creativity, imagination and passion. 🎨 🎭 Join us as we celebrate the incredible talents of our Creative Arts students, whose dedication and gifts reflect the joy of learning and the unique talents God has given each of us. Congratulations to Xavier, Christian, and all of our students, on sharing their creativity with our school and wider community. We are so proud of you! 💙✨
07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Never see a need without doing something about it." — St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop "Lord, grant us the faith, courage, and compassion of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Help us to notice those in need around us and to respond with love, humility, and action. Amen."
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07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our students continue to inspire us with their creativity, imagination and passion. 🎨 🎭 Join us as we celebrate the incredible talents of our Creative Arts students, whose dedication and gifts reflect the joy of learning and the unique talents God has given each of us. Congratulations to Xavier, Christian, and all of our students, on sharing their creativity with our school and wider community. We are so proud of you! 💙✨
07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Never see a need without doing something about it." — St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop "Lord, grant us the faith, courage, and compassion of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Help us to notice those in need around us and to respond with love, humility, and action. Amen."
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From Facebook
What a wild and wonderful day at Our Lady Queen of Peace! Today was Crazy Hair Day, and our students certainly didn't disappoint. From towering styles and bright colours to amazingly creative designs, the classrooms were filled with big smiles and even bigger hair. Thank you to all our families for helping make today so much fun!
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From Facebook
What a wild and wonderful day at Our Lady Queen of Peace! Today was Crazy Hair Day, and our students certainly didn't disappoint. From towering styles and bright colours to amazingly creative designs, the classrooms were filled with big smiles and even bigger hair. Thank you to all our families for helping make today so much fun! What was your favourite look?
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Year 2’s Adventure at Lizard Log! 🦎🌿 Our Year 2 students had an absolute blast yesterday on their excursion to Lizard Log parklands. Our young explorers spent the day rotating through four action-packed activities: investigating animal habitats, crafting bird houses, hunting for critters during bug catching, and learning how to protect our waterways in Water Works—where they discovered how everyday things like dish soap, paint, and sunscreen affect our environment when sent down the drain. It was a day filled with huge smiles, curious minds, and practical ways to care for our planet. Here are some photos from our fun day out!
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Code Camps - Term 3 - enrolments now open After-School Code Camp at OLQP allows kids to hone their coding skills and keep practicing through weekly sessions over the term. Each week students will choose the features they want to build, and advance their problem-solving skills to build these features using code. They will take ownership over their projects and collaborate with their peers to make awesome apps! Booking link to enrolments. Please include this Discount Code SCHOOL15 when you enrol your child to receive a $15 discount.
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We're so excited to share that on Saturday, 4 July, the Art Gallery of NSW announced the winners of the Young Archie Competition. Christian was awarded the Young Archie 2026 winner in the 5–8 years age category! He was absolutely thrilled to receive the award and a little overwhelmed by all the media attention that came with it. We're incredibly proud of him and this wonderful achievement. 🎉🎨 Christian’s winning portrait is titled ‘My daddy’. ‘I have chosen my dad for my artwork because I love him and he loves me,’ Christian said. See all the Young Archie 2026 finalists for free on the ground level of our Naala Nura building until 16 August. #YoungArchie is proudly supported by Presenting Partner @anz_au
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From Facebook
Huge congratulations and best of luck to Year 6 students Elyse, Olivia, and Zara, who are heading to Campbelltown this weekend (4th–6th July) for the Junior State Titles Netball competition! These girls have spent the months training twice a week and competing in carnivals to prepare for this big moment. They’ll be representing their team against the best from across NSW on the first weekend of the holidays. We are so proud of your hard work and dedication, girls! Play hard and have fun!