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Headteacher
Chris Coyle-Chislett

Email the Office
secretary@penpol.cornwall.sch.uk

Telephone Number
01736 753472

Follow us on Twitter
@PenpolSchool

Our Address
2 St George’s Road, Hayle,
Cornwall, TR27 4AH

“Penpol pupils are curious, creative and courageous learners. Our school community believes in authenticity as the foundations of deep-rooted learning. Through our rich and relevant curriculum, we nurture community-minded, forward-facing international citizens of the future.”

Staff Football Team 8 – 6 School Football Team

Thursday afternoon brought about the much anticipated Staff vs Football team football match and a fine end to the season it was.

With both teams kitted, warmed up, mentally prepared and awaiting the whistle, kick off was delayed due to a freak thunder storm. The weather gods are obviously football fans and were rooting for the children as the wet pitch then suited their passing style of play. Unfortunately for them, nobody told the adults as the pre-match favourites raced into an early lead. After some excellent Lampard-esque work in midfield Mrs Smart released Mr Stanlake to race through and finish past the onrushing ‘keeper. With the staff thinking the game was won they foolishly took their ‘foot of the pedal’ and were immediately pegged back as Finn played Ben through who duly fired past Mr Pollard in goal. His shot rocketed past the flat footed goal keeper ricocheting off the far past and nestling in the back of the net.

Some stubborn defending from Mrs Loughlin and the staff team’s mountainous central defender, Mr Woolcock, ensured the score remained level with the children’s attacks being limited to pot shots from distance to which Mr Pollard was equal to if not better. As the game neared its midpoint the teams looked destined to be tied however a quick fire double from the staff ensured this wasn’t the case. Naomi grabbed her debut goal with a very smart left footed finish after being set free my Miss Clarey’s fleet footed midfield play before Mr Stanlake netted his second, must to the disappointment of the mostly child supporting crowd.

 

Credit must go to the School team’s ‘gaffa as his team talk certainly worked. Jake would have been playing beside Jake must have delivered some precise instructions to prevent Miss Nidds and Caroline from running the midfield. Dylan and Jowan began to press higher up the field allowing Ethan and Josh to spread the ball with great joy.  Releasing both Charlie and Ben to grab their first and second goals respectively and continue their season of free flowing goal scoring. With the game now tied at 3 goals a piece it settled into a far tenser affair.

Jake was gutted to miss out with a broken arm but plays this part as manager.

A reshuffle in the staff formation from player/manager Mr Pollard proved to be the breakthrough. Combining Mr Little swapping his whistle for his playing shirt and with the introduction of Lady Turner’s combative style the staff had a very good platform to attack from. From an attacking throw in on the left wing Caroline sent on-loan striker Ethan towards goal where he calmly slotted past the isolated Riley in goal. Nervous that the flood gates had opened Riley began to show the form that has earned him the Golden Glove with smart saves from Naomi, Mrs Chapman and a wayward goal kick from Mr Pollard. However, it wasn’t just the youngster drawing attention to his goal keeping ability. Mr Pollard rolled back the years with a handful of acrobatic saves including a cat like reflex s from Ethan’s deflected effort that would have has the scouts of Plymouth Argyle busily bustling for his signature. It was at this point the game could have swung in the children’s favour but for brave defending from Mrs Chapman and Mrs Loughlin whose competitive streak is mirrored by her son Dylan on the opposing team.

As the game neared its final quarter fatigue began to be an issue for the staff team and the rolling substitutions allowed the children to strike through the disorganised defensive set up on show. First through Charlie as a freak bobble left ‘keeper Mr Pollard red faced and on the look out for grounds man Mr Wells. The children’s jubilation was short lived as a clipped ball straight form kick off was flicked on by the experienced head of Mr Little to allow Ethan, on work experience from St Ives School, to poke past reserve keeper Leo.

The match soon descended from a tactical featherweight bout into a heavyweight slogging match as both teams exchanged dangerous attacks, but excellent goal keeping and resolute defending from skipper Josh and a very brave block from Erin prevented a cricket score. The game needed a spark and it was provided by an attacking run from Mr Stanlake who picked up a short ball from the goalkeeper before setting off on a run that Messi would have been proud of – ebbing and flowing between defenders as if they were banks of sand in the Hayle Estuary – before smashing the ball home at the near post. With the minutes left on the clock the goals began to fly in- 3 in 2 minutes.

First it was Charlie securing his hat trick after a trademark run, using his strength the brush Caroline aside before flashing his shot past the goalkeeper but again they were immediately pegged back by the cultured left foot of Mr Little as he feigned the goalkeeper before rifling high into the net. Next came a rush of blood to the head from Mr Stanlake as he conceded a late penalty for what he claimed was accidental handball. Step up Emmeline, who had the chance to bring her team to within one. Her first attempt was powerful, but straight at stand in keeper Mr Woolcock. However, as the ball rebounded she took a touch and dispatched with power as her shot deflected in off the goalkeeper. 7-6!  Game on. With the children buoyed with the idea of drawing if not winning they continued to attack. Unfortunately for them the ever competitive Mr Stanlake had other things on his mind. A pinpoint pass from Mrs Chapman found Mr Stanlake who controlled and turned before curling into the bottom corner to complete the goal scoring.

In truth it was a game closer than most of the staff had envisaged and played with an exceptional level of sportsmanship, mostly from the children. Well done to everyone involved and until next year, the trophy shall sit proudly in the staffroom.

 

 

Harry has Designed and Coded the ‘Horror Maze’ iOS App!

Since Christmas, Harry has been working on code for his first full iOS app, the Horror Maze game.  He has spent countless lunchtimes, evenings and weekends working on his idea and today (on the last day of term) has got it fully working on a real iPhone!  He has worked incredibly hard, learnt countless new skills and should be very, very proud of what he has achieved.

Here is a short video of Harry talking you through his creation.

Penpol’s Got Talent 2017

Last Thursday there was great excitement in the school marquee as the children awaited the arrival of our three very special judges for this years ‘Penpol’s Got Talent. This year the auditions were amazing with children from reception through to year 6 demonstrating that they had the ability and confidence to dance, sing and play a musical instrument in front of a live audience.

Eventually, following four days of auditions, fourteen acts went through to the final. Judging the acts was a very difficult challenge for the three judges but eventually a decision was made.

This year’s winner was Leah who sang so beautifully that it gave the compere, Mrs Ruffell, goose bumps and left the three judges with tears in their eyes.

 

I liked all the singing and dancing, it was beautiful. – Isabella

 

I enjoyed watching all of the acts, especially my sisters singing group. – Patrick

 

I really enjoyed watching and listening to the drummer. He even had light up drum sticks. – Jonash

Speech Day: Computing and ICT Awards 2017

At the end of every academic year Penpol School celebrates the efforts and achievements of our Year 6 pupils with our annual Speech Day awards.  These children have won awards relating to Computing this year and it only seems right to say a word or two about why myself and Paul have chosen each winner for these prestigious awards – Mr Woolcock.

 

 

The winner of the
Jacob Woolcock Award for Excellence in Computing
for 2017 is
Harry B

I don’t think I have met a pupil who has as much enthusiasm, imagination, dedication and passion for Computing as Harry does.  Since walking up to my desk in Year 5 to show me his idea for an iPhone app that he had made over half term, he has spent a huge amount of his free time learning an entirely new language (Swift) and a professional development program (Xcode) in order to turn his ideas into reality.  He has already worked on several different iPhone apps including quiz games and currently his fun ‘Horror Maze’ game.

His complex and detailed ideas for how every aspect of the App should work are simply staggering, as is his ability to create prototypes and fully coded versions of his work to run on his own devices.  He has a real talent for coding and I sincerely hope he continues to push himself by learning more and more about software development as the years go on.  The world of the future is becoming more and more digital and Harry is going to be at the forefront of it all.  He truly is a worthy recipient of this brand new shield.  I only hope that when he launches his first big App and the money starts rolling in that he remembers us here at Penpol!

 

 

 

The winner of the
Penpol School ICT Award
for 2017 is
Morgan P

Morgan has had an exemplary year in Computing and is thoroughly deserving of this Award for ICT.  Since September he has truly developed in both skills and confidence on the computers and has become a source of knowledge and support for others in his class and in the clubs he helps run.  He is always first to help when somebody is stuck, always first to offer ideas and suggestions and always first to encourage others when they need it.  Morgan is a superb role model for all the younger children in Code Club and 3D Printing Club, which he has helped us run all year.

As well as being able to help others, Morgan has an incredible talent for ICT in his own right.  His 3D design work has been fantastic this year and he has a great eye for compelling and exciting designs.  He particularly enjoys using SketchUp to create his own worlds in 3D.  Morgan will be hugely missed here at Penpol next year, but I am confident that his journey with ICT is only just beginning.

 

 

 

The winner of the
Penpol School ICT Improver Award
for 2017 is
Chloe V

Chloe has had an exceptional year in Computing.  She has discovered an ability to think through problems logically, design and develop solutions when issues arise and understands the cause and effect that a particular piece of code can have on her programs.  Beyond that, Chloe is incredibly confident using a wide variety of technology to achieve any given purpose.  She is happy and capable using MicroBits, Lego WeDo robots, iPads, 3D Printers – just about anything we can throw at her!  Chloe has also given a huge amount of her free time this year to help us run our weekly Code Clubs and 3D Printing Clubs (along with Morgan, Harry and others) and is never afraid to help her friends who might be stuck.

Her improvement in ICT over the course of the last year has been fantastic to watch and I am sure she’ll keep it up for years to come.  Chloe has a great future ahead of her and her kindness and perseverance will help her achieve great things in ICT.

 

 

 

Music in the Marquee 2017

Music in the Marquee has fast become one of the most popular nights of the year at Penpol, with this year proving no exception.  Following in the footsteps of Bradley Johnson (2015) and Little Chix (2016), for our 2017 event we were delighted to welcome Yellow, one of the countries top Coldplay tribute acts, into the marquee.

 

The night itself started off with a superb warm up set from local singer Tom Briggs, who played a selection of enjoyable covers including plenty to get the children dancing.  Tom played an upbeat acoustic set and warmed the marquee up with his infectious tunes and personality.

Following Tom was a big surprise, the incredible DJ Flo-Selecta.  Flo played some cracking tunes throughout the evening, in between each act.  With a huge array of dance and pop classics everyone was on their feet and dancing – children, adults and even teachers!  It’s hard not to enjoy yourself when you’re surrounded by hundreds of people all singing along to every word!

Finally, the main act took the stage, much to the delight of the audience.  Yellow played two hit-filled sets covering Coldplay classics new and old.  A lively and energetic performance ensued, with the audience singing along and waving glow sticks in the air for the classics and jumping around dancing for the newer hits.  It really was a fantastic atmosphere!  Not only did Yellow play two sets on our stage, they also spent nearly 40 minutes outside the marquee signing posters for their fans!  A queue snaked halfway around the netball court with children wanting autographs and photos with their new found musical heroes!  Yellow kindly signed everything passed their way, posed for countless photos and didn’t stop smiling and laughing with the children throughout.  A true joy to witness.

Music in the Marquee will be back next July, but for now you can enjoy the highlights video above which was filmed and edited by Miss Clarey as well as a selection of photos in the gallery below taken by Martin Thomas from Gigsnapper.  And if you’d like to find out any more about Yellow you can find their website here.

Here’s a gallery of photos from the evening, kindly taken for us by Martin Thomas.  Click on a picture to see it bigger and try to spot yourself!

Feadon Farm

The reception classes had a wonderful Gruffalo experience at Feadon Farm.

The children firstly heard the Gruffalo story to introduce them to the types of animals they would be likely to meet in the British countryside. They got the opportunity to meet some of the local wildlife.

My favourite bit was holding the baby mouse, it was cute – Piran

We met the friendly foxes Todd, Meadow and Copper. The children learnt some interesting fox facts, fed them some treats, were able to stroke them and some lucky children even had a kiss on the nose from Todd.

A fox kissed me on the nose. I stroked him – Maisie.

I liked the ferret, it went in James’ hat and it did the hula because its body was bendy – Sabina

The children met corn snake and learnt about how we have 3 different types of snake in the UK all with their own way of killing and eating their prey.

I had a corn snake on my head, it was good for a hat – Harvey

We also met an eagle owl called chunk, a barn owl and even some very fluffy baby barn owls. We learnt how they hunt for food and had the opportunity to see them fly up close.

I held an eagle owl and a barn owl. The barn owl was white. The eagle owl was called Chunk. I liked the baby owls best – Felix

I stroked a reindeer, his feet clicks when it walks because they can hear other reindeer – Amelia

The children were really excited to finally meet the Gruffalo, he was shy and hid in the woods. We did manage to get a friendly wave from him as he was more scared of us than we were of him.

I saw the Gruffalo, he was hiding in the trees – Jenna

We also met some hedgehogs and learnt all about how they have reduced in numbers in the last 20 years from 36 million to 1 million. We learnt how to become more hedgehog friendly and how to make homes for and feed hungry hedgehogs in our gardens.

I liked the hedgehog because he had prickles on his back – Safi.

Feadon farm is fun, fascinating and an unforgettable experience for the children. The wildlife experts, Gary and Kirsty where incredible. Their enthusiasm and knowledge made the whole experience so interesting. With its hands on approach, Feadon Farm is one of the best educational and fun school trips we go to year after year.

Year 5 Tackle Tag With The Cornish Pirates

Over recent weeks the Year 5 children have been braving all weather conditions to learn and improve their tag rugby skills under the watchful eyes of a professional coach from the Cornish Pirates. The children are midway through their 6 week block of weekly coaching sessions which will cumulate in a community festival with other schools from the Penwith Area at Mounts Bay Academy.

They have spent the first few weeks learning the basic concepts of tag rugby, a sport that requires a host of different skills from catching and throwing to teamwork and communication. From these sessions the children are learning and improving these skills which they will be able to transfer into different sports as well as the classroom.

Its great fun and lets me practice passing skills so I can be just like Jack Nowell! – Jowan

I started playing tag rugby this year in school, I have really enjoyed it and hope to carry it on next year. -Freya

 

As a footballer it is such a good opportunity to learn a new sport with a coach from a professional Rugby team! – Freddie

I have really enjoyed the games we play with Sam, like stuck in the mud with a ball and hot potato as we started to learn the skills required for tag rugby -Lola

From a teachers point of view, it’s been great having Sam in to coach as the children have really enjoyed it, it has also allowed me to pick up some fantastic coaching tips. Links with local clubs are very important to us so hopefully it is something we can continue to do with the Pirates- Mr Stanlake