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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.”

Drama at the Minack

On Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd February, our Year 2 classes braved the elements as they ventured to the historic and magical Minack Theatre for a theatre tour and drama workshop.

 

After a long and hilly minibus journey, we arrived at a windy clifftop overlooking the beautiful Porthcurno beach. We then descended the 100+ stone steps to the wonderful outdoor theatre space below. The children were treated to a VIP tour of the theatre, including the backstage and dressing rooms, whilst learning about the rich history of the Minack.

The very welcoming and incredibly talented Minack Theatre staff led a series of fun drama games, before we split into groups to learn and rehearse the infamous tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Year 2 pupils then made history by becoming the latest in a long line of great actors to perform on this historic theatre stage. Their performances of Jack and the Beanstalk were thrilling, funny and most importantly filled with joy! Accompanied by wild winds, squally showers and even bursts of brilliant sunshine, the children enjoyed a truly authentic Minack experience.

 

We are very excited to take this experience back into the classroom and let it inspire our very own Jack and the Beanstalk-inspired stories next week!

Magic on the Mount

On Tuesday 26th September and Thursday 5th October 2023, Class 5 and 6 embarked upon magical and memorable trips to St Michael’s Mount as part of their Autumn Term topic, ‘Who’s the King of the Castle?’

Class 6 were originally due to visit the mount on Wednesday 27th September, but with a severe weather warning, a ‘Black Flag’ day was announced and the island was closed to all visitors; this was a first-hand lesson in the challenges that face a tidal island. However, we were lucky enough to reschedule for the following week, when the weather was better and the seas much calmer!

Storm Over St Michaels Mount Cornwall Painting by Jean Walker - Pixels

Pupils enjoyed a short walk through the historic village of Marazion before taking the 5-minute boat ride across the water to the island.

We were greeted at the harbour by Kerry Rice, the Education Officer for St Aubyn Estate, who led us on a magical journey through time as we explored the historic beauty of St Michael’s Mount.

 

On the short but steep hike up the Mount, we discovered the ‘Giant’s Well’, where Kerry captivated the children’s imaginations with the legend of Cormoran the Giant. We learned about the story of a tyrannical giant who once lived on the mount and how he was defeated by a local boy called Jack.

Further up the Pilgrim’s Steps, children discovered the Giant’s Heart within the cobbled path. Legend has it that if you place your toe on this magical stone, then you can feel Cormoran’s heart beat in your own chest!

“I can feel it! It’s got a different rhythm to my heart beat!” one pupil remarked.

Finally, we reached the castle at the top of the mount, where the stone fortifications, battlements and canons immediately brought this period of medieval history to life. Kerry taught us the chronology of the mount’s use through time, going back over 3000 years from early Bronze Age artefacts, to its use as a monastery, to the castle’s construction following the Norman Conquest of Britain.

As we explored the inside of the castle, children discovered an abundance of fascinating artefacts scattered throughout the castle’s intricate maze of rooms and buildings, including a mysteriously large leather jug and the entrance to a hidden chamber, where a 7-foot skeleton was once discovered!

After descending the steep and uneven path back down the mount, we had certainly earned a good lunch… followed by delicious ice creams! One final treat was in store, as Kerry treated led a wonderful drama activity in which they acted out the story of Cormoran the Giant – complete with an authentic blast of a horn from Kerry!

By the afternoon, the tide has dropped out, revealing the beautiful cobblestone causeway that connects the island to the mainland. We walked back along the beach and enjoyed the minibus journey back to school, minds full of the history and magic of St Michael’s Mount.

Sleeping with the Sharks

To top off a school year filled with adventure, excitement and challenge, Year 2 pupils embarked upon an incredible opportunity to ‘sleep with the sharks’ at Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium.

Following a joyous minibus journey up the A30 and across the Tamar Bridge, we arrived at the aquarium, which is located on the beautiful and historic Sutton harbour. Here, we were greeted with a warm welcome by the National Marine Aquarium staff.

The next stop on Year 2’s marine voyage was an ‘Inventafish’ workshop, in which pupils explored some fascinating ocean artefacts (including the jaw of a tiger shark, a giant turtle shell and a sawfish rostrum!) and learned about the adaptive features of a host of sea creatures. We discovered that both the turtle’s protective shell and the humpback whale’s baleen (the comb-like filter-feeding system) are made from keratin – the same stuff that our fingernails and hair are made of!

 

  

The pupils were then tasked to ‘inventafish’, using their creative imagination and prior knowledge of ocean animals to design, draw and write about a fictitious sea creature. We had venomous deep-sea creatures with octopus legs, petrifying bioluminescent lures and 30 foot-tall sea monsters that live by the light of the moon!

   

Following the workshop, we were treated to dinner in the aquarium’s Waves Café, which boasts a panoramic view of Sutton Harbour. The café with filled with excitement and glee and the pupils enjoyed their dinner and watched as the fishing ships pulled into the harbour.

 

After dinner, we were walked down to the Eddystone Reef Exhibit. This is the largest single viewing panel in the UK, but it’s also home to a stunning array of local sharks, rays and many more amazing ocean animals… It would also be our bedroom for the night!

We were incredibly lucky to be guided on a twilight tour of the aquarium – a fascinating chance to see what the fish get up to at night! The expertly knowledged and entertaining aquarium staff led a series of workshops and activities: we went on a treasure hunt for coral fish, learned about the complex biology of coral and met Cooper, the resident humphead wrasse, whose species can grow almost the size of a small car in the wild!

 

With beds made and pyjamas on, the children were treated to an ice cream while they watched Finding Dory on a big screen in front of the Eddystone Reef tank. We were then lulled to sleep under the moonlight tank, accompanied by the relaxing sound of water circling through the tanks.

After an early rise, we packed our bags and headed back up to the Waves Café for a buffet breakfast of toast and cereal. Before leaving, the pupils enjoyed a scour of the gift shop, buying a range of thoughtful gifts for themselves and others, which I’m sure will be cherished as fond memories of a wonderful aquarium adventure!

What an incredible experience and a huge effort from pupils, parents and staff alike to make it happen. A massive thank you to the National Marine Aquarium for hosting an unforgettable sleepover!

Local Beekeeper Creates a Buzz in Year 2!

On Tuesday 21st February, Year 2 were visited by Tamsin Harris, who has been a beekeeper since 1998 and currently keeps 109 hives in the local area. Tamsin has extensive knowledge and experience in the craft of beekeeping and also runs her own business, ‘Bee Special’, which produces a wide range of products from her hives, including beeswax candles, furniture polish, candle rolling kits, balms and salves.

Tamsin Harris of Bee Special had a selection of honey and beeswax items for sale.

Tamsin delivered an interactive workshop with the children, in which they learned about the different roles of bees within a colony. This involved the children dressing up as beekeepers, Queen bees, baby bees, worker bees, cleaner bees, guard bees and hive-fanning bees!

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The children then explored a virtual hive, layer by layer and frame by frame… The eagle-eyed were able to spot the infamous Queen bee amongst her workers!

To top off the day, pupils had the exciting opportunity to design and make their own honey flapjacks, using a selection of delicious local honeys.

 

 

Year 2 Explore Christianity and Islam

This term, Year 2 pupils have been learning about Islam and Christianity through their enquiry questions…

Who is Muslim and how do they live?

Why does Christmas matter to Christians?

In order to learn from religious experts and make connections between these different religions, Year 2 embarked on an all-day outing to Truro Cathedral and the Carnon Downs Islamic Community Centre.

The festive season started early in Truro Cathedral, which was decorated with a truly magnificent Christmas tree, stood some 20ft tall!

The children enjoyed a Christmas workshop, which involved collaging angel Christmas cards. Each pupil was then given a decorative star, on which they wrote the name of a person who is special to them. These stars were later hung upon the cathedral’s Christmas tree.

 

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We were then taken on a magical tour of the building, learning and acting out the Nativity of Jesus along the way. Children were enthralled by the story, which developed their understanding of why Christmas is important to Christians.

   

After enjoying our lunch in the Cathedrals choir vestry, we continued our religious journey to the Carnon Downs Islamic Community Centre. This is the only masjid (another word for mosque) in Cornwall. One of the centre’s aims is to educate Muslims and Non-Muslims, both young and old, about the true teachings of Islam; “Peace”.

One of the masjid’s Imams, Mohammad, gave us a warm welcome into the beautiful building. Children demonstrated their respect for others’ beliefs and practices by taking off their shoes before entering the centre. Mohammad then enlightened us with an introductory presentation on Islam; he explained the Five Pillars of Islam, demonstrated passages of the Quran in Arabic and answered some very insightful questions from our pupils about their beliefs and practices.

“Why do Muslims pray?”
“Do Muslims celebrate Christmas?”
“Do you believe in Jesus?”

We were then taken on a tour of the masjid by one of their volunteers, Abdul-Bari, who showed us the washroom and prayer rooms. Our visit was wonderfully concluded with an Adhan (an Islamic call to public prayer). The children watched with wonder and fascination as Mohammad and Abdul-Bari demonstrated their daily prayer, facing east in the direction of Mecca.

Following this trip, Year 2 pupils wrote some wonderfully detailed recounts of the visits to these religious buildings, demonstrating the impacts of the experience.  They have continued the pursuit of their enquiry questions in English lessons, in which pupils have been making connections between Islam and Christianity by discussing and writing about the similarities and differences of their beliefs and practices.

A Giant Adventure for Year 2!

On Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th October, Year 2 enjoyed two truly incredible trips to St Michael’s Mount as part of this term’s topic, ‘Who’s the King of the Castle?’ 

They were lucky enough to travel by boat from Marazion beach across to the Mount, which made the journey that bit more magical. Upon arrival, pupils were fascinated to stand in the footprint casts of royalty, including the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

On the short but steep hike up the Mount, pupils discovered both the Giant’s Well and the Giant’s Heart. They particularly enjoyed looking out from the battlements and imagining defending the castle with canons! 

Various tour guides supported their learning about the historic castle, as pupils undertook a treasure quest and discovered fascinating artefacts throughout the building – including the story of a 7ft giant, whose skeleton was discovered in one of the chambers!  The children were absolutely immersed in the history of the castle and applied all of their wonderful learning about castles from topic lessons this term.  

After lunch, pupils enjoyed a leisurely walk back to the mainland along the cobblestone causeway. The day was topped off with some fantastic sand castle building – with a spectacular view of St Michael’s Mount in the background for inspiration. 

Class 9’s Lost Words

This week, Year 4  immersed themselves in The Lost Words, a book of poems and illustrations inspired by the rich wonders of British wildlife. Each lost word is saved through speaking or singing a spell to conjure back these creatures into our hearts. 

Inspired this book of spells, pupils wrote their own poems to express their adoration for the humble plants and animals of their local environment.

Dandelions, daisies, mushrooms and moss; robins, magpies, seagulls and sunflowers; herons, holly, willow and oak. 

Children created beautiful watercolour paintings of their lost words, upon which they wrote their acrostic poems.  

Pupils demonstrated some spell-bounding performances around the school grounds, conjuring creatures and plants with their wonderful poems and songs.

“Enter the wild with care, my love

And speak the things you see

Let new names take and root and thrive and grow” 

The Lost Words Blessing

 

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