Unfortunately we are having trouble with our phone system this morning. If you need to reach the school please use our backup number of 01736 756915. Thank you.

THE JELLY FRIENDS American blog
penpol_school_logo_for_website_white-slimline copy
Can you help the Jelly Friends?
  • Contact Us

Headteacher
Chris Coyle-Chislett

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

Telephone Number
01736 753472

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 foundation of deep-rooted learning. Through our rich and relevant curriculum, we nurture community-minded, forward-facing international citizens of the future.”
Home
Information
Curriculum
Parents

Michael Pearson

Sea Shanty Concerts: Year 2 Hit the High Cs

Ahoy, me hearties! Year 2 pupils swapped their school uniforms for eye patches, stripy tops, and tricorn hats as they transformed into pirates for a day of swashbuckling fun. The highlight of the day was not one, but two spectacular Sea Shanty Concerts – one performed for other pupils and another for proud parents.

 

The children filled the hall with the sound of the sea, singing traditional shanties, including Wellerman, South Australia and Drunken Sailor with gusto. The pupils worked hard to learn the lyrics, practising both in school and at home.

“It was so much fun being a pirate for the day – and I loved singing to my mum and dad!” said one excited Year 2 pupil.

A huge congratulations to the pupils for the effort and enthusiasm they brought to their performances. Also, a massive thank you to parents for the support and the brilliant costumes!

Dune Discoveries in Year 2

Last week, Year 2 pupils had an exciting trip to Mexico Towans, where they met local land agent and dune expert, Jasmin Appleby. The children spent the day learning about how these special landscapes are formed and why they are so important for wildlife.

Jasmin explained how wind and sand work together to create dunes and why it’s important to protect them. She also showed the children some of the amazing habitats that exist there.

The pupils discovered a variety of plants and animals that live on the dunes. They spotted hardy dune plants and were thrilled to see cinnabar moths and caterpillars on ragwort, as well as burnet moths emerging from their cocoons.

The trip wasn’t just about looking—it was about learning to care for nature too. Jasmin explained how fragile the dunes are and why staying on the paths helps to protect both the plants and the animals that call them home.

The visit to Mexico Towans was an inspiring day of discovery, helping Year 2 understand the importance of looking after our local environment. The children came back full of excitement and new knowledge about this incredible coastal habitat!

Year 2’s High Seas Adventure Aboard the Galeón Andalucía!

On a bright and breezy morning, Year 2 set off on an unforgettable trip to visit the Galeón Andalucía — a magnificent replica of a 17th-century Spanish galleon. The adventure began with an exciting train journey from Hayle to Penzance, filled with chatter and anticipation.

After arriving at Penzance station, the children walked together to the harbour, where the towering masts of the Galeón Andalucía came into view. Everyone was amazed by the size and beauty of the ship, with its tall sails and wooden decks that looked just like something out of a pirate story.

The Galeón Andalucía is no ordinary ship. It’s a faithful replica of the famous Spanish galleons that, between the 16th and 18th centuries, set sail from the Andalusian coast to explore and connect the world. These ships navigated the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, American coasts, and the vast Pacific, serving as vital links between continents for more than 300 years.

Built in Punta Umbría, Spain, with meticulous historical accuracy, the Galeón Andalucía stretches an impressive 55 metres in length and features six decks made from iroko and pine wood. With seven sails covering nearly 1,000 square metres, it is both a marvel of craftsmanship and a floating museum of maritime heritage. Over the years, it has visited ports across four continents — from London and New York to Shanghai and Manila — proudly showcasing Spanish seafaring culture.

During their visit, the children enjoyed a guided tour of the ship, exploring everything from the captain’s quarters to the gun deck and even into the ship’s hold. The tours were led by the galleon’s very own crew: a team of Spanish sailors who live and breathe life on the galleon.

After the tour, our Year 2 pupils delighted locals and tourists at the harbour by performing a cheerful selection of sea shanties. Their enthusiastic singing brought smiles to many faces and added a joyful note to the busy quayside.

It was a day full of learning, laughter, and music — one that will surely be remembered by all. A huge thank you to the staff, crew, and helpers who made the trip possible. Year 2’s voyage into maritime history was truly a treasure!

All Aboard! Year 2 Explore Mounts Bay

 

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!

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fun; Penpol’s Magical Minack Adventure!

Excitement filled the air this week as Year 2 pupils from Penpol School’s Class 5 and Class 6 embarked on two magical trips to the Minack Theatre for a special Jack and the Beanstalk workshop. To make Class 6’s trip even more magical, pupils were dressed to impress as their favourite books characters for World Book Day!

The stunning open-air theatre, perched on the Cornish cliffs, provided the perfect setting for a day of storytelling, drama, and adventure. The children took part in interactive activities, bringing the classic tale to life with their own acting and imagination. They explored character roles, practised reciting and improvising lines and even had the chance to perform on the famous stage!

    

“It was amazing to act on a real stage by the sea!” said one enthusiastic pupil. Another added, “I loved pretending to be the giant – fee-fi-fo-fum!”

The workshop not only sparked creativity but also helped the children build confidence and teamwork skills. A big thank you to the Minack Theatre team for some truly unforgettable experiences on this historic stage!

 

Stay tuned for some Jack and the Beanstalk-inspired stories from the Year 2 pupils…

Hooray for Arrays!

As part of our exciting Festival of Maths week at Penpol School, our Year 2 pupils got moving in maths with an activity called Active Arrays! Combining the physical skills of coordination, agility and teamwork with their enthusiasm for multiplication, the children worked together to create large-scale arrays using cones on the school playground.

Pupils explored the concept of multiplication in a hands-on way, arranging cones into rows and columns to help visualise the number patterns of arrays. This interactive approach helped them grasp this key mathematical concept while staying physically active and socially engaged.

It was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and energy in action—learning really comes to life when we move! Hooray for Arrays!

Sweet Success: Year 2 Make Honey Flapjacks

This week, our Year 2 classrooms were buzzing with excitement as pupils traded pencils for mixing bowls to create their very own honey flapjacks. The sweet smell of honey and oats filled the air as the children took part in this hands-on learning experience, combining cooking with literacy, mathematics and creativity.

The week began with an introduction to reading recipes. In their whole-class reading lessons, the children learned to navigate the instructions step by step, identifying time connectives and command sentences. They practised reading measurements and ingredient lists, connecting their classroom English and maths lessons to real-life scenarios.

Our Year 2 pupils worked in groups to read their recipes, then carefully measured out and mixed the ingredients, before scraping the flapjack mixtures into greased and lined baking tins.

The flapjacks, baked to golden perfection, received raving reviews from children and parents alike. More than just a fun activity, this experience highlighted valuable lessons about following instructions, expressing creativity, and working collaboratively with peers.

After successfully making (and tasting!) their flapjacks, the children have been inspired to write their own recipes… Watch this space for their own oat-standing flapjack recipes!