Jack Emery

On Wednesday 8th October, Penpol School celebrated European Day of Languages – a brilliant opportunity to recognise and embrace the many languages spoken across our school community.

The children came dressed in bright, colourful outfits inspired by their favourite national flags, filling the corridors with a spectacular sea of colour and pride. Throughout the day, pupils immersed themselves in a variety of cross-curricular activities, each designed to highlight the beauty and diversity of languages spoken across Europe.

A highlight of the day was undoubtedly Monsieur Emery’s Café, where students had the chance to order food in French. Every year, it’s wonderful to hear the children practising their French with such enthusiasm — confidently greeting each other with “Bonjour,” “s’il vous plaît,” and “merci.” Beyond the words themselves, the real magic lies in appreciating other languages and finding joy in trying them out together.

In true Penpol fashion, music played an important part in the celebration. During assembly, pupils joined together to sing wonderful songs from around Europe, showcasing both their enthusiasm and their growing appreciation for different cultures and languages.

European Day of Languages continues to be one of the most enjoyable and meaningful events in the Penpol calendar. It provides a valuable reminder of how language can unite us and helps every child to take pride in being part of such a diverse and inclusive community.

A heartfelt “merci,” “gracias,” “diolch,” “meur ras” and “obrigado” to everyone who helped make the day such a fantastic success!

This year, Penpol was once again transformed into a world of wizardry and wonder as students took part in an unforgettable Harry Potter-themed experience. From spellbinding potion lessons to thrilling Quidditch matches, the day was filled with magic, mystery, and a touch of mischief!

The morning began with an intriguing Potions lesson assignment set by none other than the formidable Professor Severus Snape. Students eagerly took on the challenge before heading into a hands-on practical session led by Professor Emery and Professor Lestrange, where they concocted their own mystical mixtures.

Creativity was in full force as students designed their very own dragons, complete with detailed descriptions of their magical abilities and unique characteristics. From fire-breathing beasts to shimmering, winged serpents, each dragon was as impressive as the next!

For those with a competitive streak, the excitement continued with a fast-paced Blooket Harry Potter quiz, testing their knowledge of the wizarding world. This was followed by a thrilling scavenger hunt, where students searched high and low for hidden magical creatures scattered throughout the grounds.

Of course, no Harry Potter event would be complete without a Quidditch match! Cheers and laughter echoed across the field as students took to their broomsticks (or at least, their running legs!) in a fierce but friendly competition to score goals and catch the all-important Golden Snitch.

With wands at the ready and imaginations soaring, Penpol’s young witches and wizards embraced the magic of the day, proving once again that the spirit of Hogwarts is alive and well! A huge thank you to all the staff and students who made this enchanting day so special.

To celebrate all of the fantastic learning which has been going on, Year 4 celebrated a Harry Potter ‘dress up’ day on Tuesday 26th March. The school playground was abuzz with spells and charms, the favourites being ‘expeliarmus’ and ‘wingardium leviosa.’

                       
This term, Year 4 have been immersed into the world of Harry Potter, reading Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone. They have absolutely loved their Whole Class Reading sessions on this book and have really excelled at retrieving key information to help explain their understanding of the book.

In PE, our students have been delving into the enchanting world of Quidditch. Under the guidance of Mr. Stanlake, our PE coordinator, in their inaugural Quidditch session, our budding Witches and Wizards embarked on their maiden voyage into the intricate rules of this bewitching game. Ever since their inaugural session, the students have eagerly embraced the complexities of Quidditch, reveling in its magical challenges. 

In English, they have described Hogwarts using adventurous adjectives, similes and metaphors to really showcase the magic that conjures up Hogwarts castle. In addition, they have also experienced a Potions lesson with Professor Emery and Professor Peck.

This involved concocting a potion, deciding upon its magical value and then advertising their potion to the masses.The students were incredible and bowled us over with their enthusiasm and flair for writing this term. Their persuasive posters and adverts were of spell-binding quality. Check out the pictures of the students and teachers having an incredible time below!

Year 4 have been learning about the Romans this year and held a special day to celebrate. Everyone dressed up in their finest Roman attire, including the Year 4 teachers!

To begin with, the Year group were greeted by Marcus Quintonius, a high ranking legionnaire, who gave the children an insight into Roman army life. Focussing on the Roman invasion of Britannia, students learned about the different equipment, roads and forts used by the Romans which made them such an impressive force.

Next, both classes were thrown into the melee and had to use their best codebreaking skills in order to crack a hidden location written by the emperor himself, Julius Caesar. The hidden message revealed one of Rome’s greatest engineering feats in the Roman empire – Hadrian’s Wall.

As well as playing classic army card games, such as Roman Rummy, both classes got to experience what it was like to march like a Roman. Led by Roman Legionary Marcus’ booming commands, Classes’ 9 and 10 both marched up and down the playground, to embed their understanding of Roman commands. Next, the students practised forming the defence shape, which is the ‘testudo’, or the tortoise. This proved an effective barrier against incoming missiles aimed by the teachers.

It cannot be overstated the time and preparation which went into the costumes and shields, as well as the facepaint and hairstyles. The students looked sublime and the Roman visitor was impressed by how well Year 4 embraced the day!