As part of our 360° curriculum offer, Year 2 pupils took to the water this week for some exciting educational adventures around Mounts Bay with Marine Discovery Tours. Classes 5 and 6 boarded boats at Penzance Harbour and set off on journeys packed with wildlife, history, and hands-on geography learning.
These boat trips gave our pupils a chance to explore the Cornish coastline from a whole new perspective. The young explorers climbed aboard the Shearwater II, before travelling southwest from Penzance towards the fishing village of Mousehole, stopping to admire St Clement’s Isle and the mysterious Mousehole Cave.
As we sailed, pupils used compass directions to describe their route, as well as identifying human and physical geographical features along the coast.
The trip wasn’t just scenic—it was full of wildlife wonders! Pupils were thrilled to spot grey seals sunbathing on the rocks, graceful gannets diving for fish, and even shearwaters gliding over the waves. Resident seal expert, Josh, shared his expertise on grey seals, allowing pupils to see and touch real seal fur and even a seal’s skull!
To the delight of one lucky group, a pod of playful dolphins swam alongside the boat!
“It was amazing to see the dolphins,” said one Year 2 pupil. “They were so fast and playful—it was like they were racing us!”
In between sightings, the pupils kept spirits high by singing traditional sea shanties and learning all about the rich history of Mounts Bay. Stories of smugglers, pirates, and hidden caves captured everyone’s imagination and helped bring our local coastline to life.
Once out past the protective cliffs to the west of Mounts Bay, the sailed were hoisted as we set a course back towards Penzance, with the boat being steered by our seafaring Year 2 pupils.
These trips were a perfect opportunity to bring classroom learning to life through real-world experiences. A big thank you to Marine Discovery and to all the staff and helpers who made these experiences such a success.
It’s safe to say that these boat trips will be one of the standout memories of Year 2!
