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
On Tuesday 2nd October and Wednesday 3rd October 2024, Classes 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?’
Pupils enjoyed a 5-minute boat ride across the water to the island as they didn’t fancy the long swim.
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 heartbeat in your chest!
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. 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.
Year 1 have been to Gwithian beach for part of our 360° Curriculum to explore NATURE ART!
As part of our ART lessons, Year 1 children went on a fun trip to the beach to create artwork inspired by the artist Andy Goldsworthy. They explored the beach and collected natural materials like shells, pebbles and seaweed. Using these items, the children made their own special art pieces, arranging them into patterns, shapes, and sculptures just like Goldsworthy does.
This activity helped them to channel their Penpol value of CREATIVITY while working with nature, and they learnt how to make art from things they found around them. The best part was that their artwork was temporary, just like Andy Goldsworthy’s, and they took photos to remember their beautiful creations!
Year 1 went on an exciting blackberry walk to hunt for the juiciest blackberries, ready to add the perfect touch to our apple and blackberry crumble! After gathering our tasty ingredients, we got busy chopping, mixing and baking to create our scrumptious treat. Once the crumble was ready, we couldn’t wait to taste it – and everyone agreed, it was absolutely delicious!
But the fun didn’t stop there! In our English books, we wrote step-by-step instructions on how to make our apple and blackberry crumble, sharing our cooking skills with others. We also used our Design and Technology books to evaluate how well our crumble turned out.
What a tasty and creative way to learn!
On Wednesday 25th September, Penpol School celebrated European Day of Languages for its 7th time. We are so fortunate to have so many languages being spoken as either a first or second language by our students. Penpol’s multi-lingual community was the inspiration behind this year’s new ‘Mini Europe’ language long, which echoed around the hall and classrooms during the afternoon’s singing assembly:
When walking down the halls of Penpol School
I heard a lovely song being played
It celebrated the languages our students know
And the value that all of them play
This was followed by 7 different verses in the languages spoken by students at Penpol School which reflects the breadth of languages we have at our school.
In addition, the French café was a firm favourite among students and staff. Like last year, KS2 students were invited to sample a French breakfast in Class 9 with Mr Emery and his year 4 group. Each class enjoyed singing in French and were then able to order from KS2 students, learning the basics such as ‘Bonjour’, ‘s’il vous plaît’ and ‘merci.’ KS2 students then put their French linguistic skills to the test to then host their KS1 reading buddies in their classroom.
Finally, at the end of the day, Bettens had KS1 enthralled with a reading of ‘Goolan’ to celebrate the Cornish language.
A huge ‘Meur ras’, ‘diolch yn fawr,’ ‘merci,’ ‘gracias,’ ‘dzien dobry,’ aciu’ and ‘obrigado’ to all of those who helped to make the day a huge success! Until next year!
