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
I was the queen fairy and I was in love with a donkey – Jackson
Our Reception children have embarked on an unforgettable journey to the breathtaking Minack Theatre for a singing, dancing, and performing workshop. The experience was a playful and immersive exploration of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, filled with music, movement, and storytelling.
We went to the Minack Theatre. I was a builder and we also did super heros. We had to save the day – Tristan
Led by the lively and engaging Wenna White, Betty Blue and Ryan Red, the children were transported into the magical world of fairies, kings and queens, builders, and even a donkey! Through song and dance, they brought Shakespeare’s enchanting story to life, stepping into the roles of characters and embracing the spirit of the play.
I was a fairy. We saw the dressing room. We had to collect magic dust. We had to be naughty with it and spread it over the builders and the princess and the donkey ee-or – Esme
The adventure didn’t stop there! As well as performing, the children had the chance to explore the stunning Minack Theatre and its beautiful gardens. They learned about the theatre’s fascinating history and how the remarkable Rowena Cade built it with her own hands. A real highlight was going backstage, where the children got a glimpse of where the performers prepare before stepping onto the famous stage.
I was being the prince – Ava, I was being the queen – Flora, I was being a fairy and I falled in love with a donkey – Georgie
The day ended with a special performance on the Minack’s stage, where the children showcased everything they had learned.
It was a magical and memorable experience for all, sparking creativity and excitement about theatre and performance.
A huge thank you to the Minack Theatre team for giving our children such an incredible opportunity. Who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll see some of them return as future stars of the stage!
Year 3 had an amazing time meeting Vashti Hardy, author of our whole class text Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest! She shared how everyday life and things we love can inspire stories, sparking excitement among the children.
During a creative workshop, Vashti guided them in designing maps of imaginary worlds to inspire their own stories. Their creativity shone as they sketched forests, rivers, castles, and futuristic cities!
The children also asked Vashti questions about her books and writing process. By the end, they were eager to read more of her work and start their own storytelling adventures.
A huge thank you to Vashti Hardy for such an inspiring visit!
A Week of Wonder: Classes 3 & 4 Make Science Sparkle!
What an incredible week it’s been for Classes 3 and 4 as we’ve dived into a whirlwind of fun and fascinating experiments! From making our own rainclouds to cleaning up shiny pennies, and even creating explosive fizzy pops — we’ve truly been hands-on with Science!
We’ve been busy predicting, observing, and recording every step of our exciting experiments. But that’s not all! We even grew our very own rainbows! 🌈 It’s been a week full of colour, creativity, and curiosity — a Science adventure like no other!
Here our some of memories from this week:-
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…
On Thursday, 6th March, Penpol celebrated World Book Day with a day full of collaboration, creativity, and a shared love of reading.
Children and staff, from Nursery to Year 6, were invited to dress as a character from one of their favourite books. The school was filled with a host of Hogwarts students, a few ‘wimpy’ kids, some magical Matildas, a couple of gangster grannies, and even half a pack of crayons!
The day was filled with excitement, and there was a real buzz around the school as both children and adults shared their favourite stories. ‘Book bingo’ took over the library, while book reviews and recommendations were exchanged across the school and between classmates.
In the afternoon, pupils explored our outdoor spaces in search of hidden surprises. Scattered around the school were photos of familiar faces, and children worked together with their reading buddy classes to navigate the area. Using orienteering maps, they set off on a mission to discover the favourite books of staff.
If you weren’t able to find them all, don’t worry! They will remain up around the school grounds until the end of the week, or you can take a look below!
On Tuesday 4th March, we were absolutely thrilled to welcome the incredibly talented Maia Walczak, an award-winning children’s book illustrator, author and artist from Cornwall. Every child at Penpol had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a workshop that truly sparked their creative writing.
Before Maia’s visit, each class explored Maia’s work and created their own vibrant portraits in her distinctive style! Maia was absolutely blown away by the children’s’ incredible creativity and effort!
Maia captivated the children as she shared the fascinating journey behind her books. She revealed what inspired her to write her stories, walked through the planning process and showed them the beautiful final products of her hard work. Her visit not only brought her books to life but also perfectly complemented the writing process we teach here at Penpol. The children were inspired and their imaginations soared as they took part in a fun and engaging hands-on activity.
We were so inspired by Maia’s books that we’ve created a wordless book section in our school library to celebrate her work! A big thank you to Maia for sharing her incredible talent with us – it was truly an unforgettable experience.
Click here to see Maia’s website if you would like to have a look at her books.
