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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.”

Penpol Remembers

This week, our school and wider community came together to mark Remembrance Day, honouring those who served in wars past and present. In the days leading up to November 11th, our Year 6 pupils took part in a range of special activities across different subjects to help us understand and reflect on the importance of remembrance.

In English, children learned the famous World War I poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae. They discussed the poem’s meaning, imagery and the emotions it evokes. Pupils were inspired to write their own thoughtful poems about the brave souls who sacrificed their lives in WWI.

Meanwhile, in Art, pupils created striking pictures of poppy fields, soldiers, and scenes from wartime, showing great care and creativity.

In Design and Technology, children designed and sewed their own red poppies, carefully stitching the petals and leaves to create beautiful symbols of remembrance.

   

   

On Remembrance Day itself, the whole year group walked together to the Hayle War Memorial. We joined members of the local community to take part in a two-minute silence at 11 o’clock. It was a moving and respectful moment as we stood quietly, remembering those who gave their lives for our freedom.

   

Our Remembrance Day activities helped everyone to think deeply about history, sacrifice, and gratitude — and to understand why it is so important to remember.

Spooky Spectacular: Potions Bubble and Spine-tingling Skeletons!

Class 4 had a spook-tacular day full of fun, learning, and imagination! Dressed in their own creepy costumes, the children were already channeling the mysterious and magical wonder of Spooky Day.

Our day began with listening to Funny Bones, which inspired the children to design and make their very own skeletons. Soon after, the class got hands-on with some creepy creativity, building spooky skeletons of all shapes and sizes.

After break, Cornwall became the focus as the children journeyed to mystical and magical lands through a Piskey tale. Inspired by the story, each child used their imagination to create their very own spooky Piskey, bringing their tiny magical creatures to life through drawings and clever ideas.

The day also included a practical maths activity where the children followed a spooky recipe, carefully measuring and mixing ingredients like “half a cup of inky slime” and “a full cup of fairy tears”—proving that maths can be both fun and deliciously creepy!

It was a day full of learning, creativity, and fun, and Class 4 showed that even spooky days can be filled with laughter, imagination, and a touch of magic!

Happy Spooky day – Dydh Euthyk Lowen

War Declared For Year 6!

86 years to almost the day since thousands of children and vulnerable young people were evacuated from cities across the country during World War II, our Year 6 children had a go themselves. As an immersive launch to our Autumn Term topic ‘Wartime and Peace’, the children (and adults!) dressed in period clothing and experienced life as evacuees for the day.

After being met at the gates by two of the newest members of the Penpol Division of the British Forces and our very own Land Girls, they waved a teary goodbye to their parents before heading off to the train station. They were then subjected to a roll call and squeezed into cramped school classrooms — much like the evacuees of 1939 would have been when they departed the trains, albeit with far less jeopardy!

Once settled, the children had the chance to act in character and meet their fellow evacuees, discussing the contents of their suitcases and their preferred destinations. They also explored and played traditional 1940s games before taking some time to research and better understand the process of Operation Pied Piper. Later, they wrote some touching postcards home eve, created some Blitz inspired art and even transported their evacuee selves digitally into a 1939 scene using some clever iPad tricks!

After a ration-free lunch, the children got to grips with the challenges of wartime rationing by trying some home cooking, following a handed-down ration recipe to make delicious scones. Many were surprised to see — and later taste — the limited sugar available during the war!

The evacuation of Year 6 lasted far less time than those of World War II and ended with much greater success. Unlike the wartime generation, all children returned to their homes — none left behind — but not before parents were invited into class to share the day’s work and sample some of the sugar-free scones on offer!

Step into the World of ‘Swop’: A Virtual Author Visit with Lucy Noguera!

Year 1 had an exciting and engaging virtual author visit with Lucy Noguera today, where they had the special opportunity to meet the inspiration behind the main character of her books, Swop!

The children were full of fascinating questions for Lucy, such as, “How long did it take you to write Swop: The Daring Dinosaur Detective?” and “What inspired you to create these characters?”

Lucy took us on a journey through her creative process, sharing insights from the very first spark of an idea to the moment her books were published.

We’re now eagerly awaiting our delivery of Dyslexia-friendly copies, which will be a fantastic addition to our school library’s dyslexia section.

A huge thank you to Lucy Noguera for such an inspiring visit! We’re excited to get started on the special Science detective mission you set for us, linked to our Digging for Dinosaurs topic. We can’t wait to put our detective skills to the test!

 

Here’s a wonderful creative drawing by one of our talented students, inspired by Swop, now proudly displayed in our Class 4 book corner! What a fantastic way to bring the story to life! 🌟📚

Bringing Cornish Legends to Life: Year 6’s Journey to St Michael’s Mount

Tuesday brought not only sunshine but also Year 6’s exciting trip to St Michael’s Mount. In the coming weeks, they will be exploring Cornish myths and legends in English, and what better way to immerse themselves in local folklore than by visiting the very setting of one of the most gruesome tales?

Before making the short walk across the causeway, both classes took a moment to soak in the island’s grandeur from the mainland. They sketched the scene and began using their senses to capture details that would later enrich their descriptions back at school.

Once the tide had retreated, Class 13 made their way across first, arriving with only slightly damp socks before Class 14 joined later. On the island, the children got to work in the newly opened Learning Centre, which we had the honour of inaugurating last year alongside the St Aubyn family.

They began by learning, retelling, and story-mapping the tale of young Jack—a boy courageous enough to take on Cormoran and free the villagers from their fearful strife. This immersive experience will undoubtedly support them when they rewrite the story in the coming weeks, as they can revisit the key actions, vocabulary, and plot points through drama—and trust me, we had some truly terrifying giants!

The children also had the opportunity to explore the quaint village nestled at the foot of the mount. Through completing the ‘Harbour Challenge,’ they gained insight into how people live on the mount today while also uncovering its rich military and royal history.

Reception Children’s Magical Adventure at the Minack Theatre

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!

 

Best Selling Author Drops into Year 3

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!

Creativity in Full Bloom with Author and Illustrator Maia Walczak!

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.

Class 14’s Festival of Maths

Class 14 have fully embraced the enjoyment of our ‘Festival of Maths’ this week. We have spent time embedding our fluency and number skills through a variety of games and activities whilst also finishing our Algebra unit with some hands on missing number problems! This week maths, has not simply been limited to maths lessons; we’ve explored parallel and perpendicular lines in art, written maths inspired stories and used our orienteering skills to support the learning of reading buddies.

I really enjoyed Maths Week because I love giving myself hard challenges to work out- it was nice to do things a little bit differently this week!- Luke

I really liked maths week because there was loads of fun activities to do across the curriculum- Violet

Year 1 Roars with Creativity

Year 1 have been having a dino-mite time developing their art skills, and this term, we’ve been learning about printing! Using bubble wrap, we created fantastic textured prints to make dinosaur scales—how cool is that? The bubble wrap gave our dinosaurs a scaly effect, bringing them to life in a whole new way.

This activity was the perfect way to showcase our Penpol Value of Creativity, as we explored new techniques and unleashed our imagination. What a fun and creative way to bring dinosaurs to life on paper!