Art – Penpol Primary School

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

23rd March 202520th March 2025 by Clare Sara

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

27th March 202518th March 2025 by Nic Stanlake

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

14th March 202514th March 2025 by Amanda Aspden

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

14th March 2025 by Jess Riches

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!

6th March 20256th March 2025 by Rebecca Best

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

15th February 202515th February 2025 by Nic Stanlake

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

15th January 2025 by Rebecca Best

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!

Cracking the Code: Year 6 Builds Brilliant Morse Machines!

9th January 20259th December 2024 by Bethany Waters

This term, Year 6 pupils embarked on an exciting project that combined history, science, and technology: building their very own Morse code machines! Inspired by the revolutionary invention that changed the way humans communicated in the 19th century, the pupils dived into the world of coding, circuits, and ingenuity.

Before the building began, pupils explored the fascinating history of Morse code. They learned how Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed this groundbreaking system of dots and dashes to send messages over long distances. From its vital role in maritime safety to its use in wartime communication, the pupils were captivated by the story of how Morse code shaped history.

With the historical foundation laid, it was time to get hands-on! Pupils worked independently to design and build functional Morse code machines using batteries, wires, bulbs, and switches. Guided by their science and technology lessons, they learned about electrical circuits and how to create a closed-loop system to power their devices.

They also tackled the challenge of encoding and decoding messages, practicing their new Morse code skills with their classmates.

Super work Year 6!

We Will Remember

11th November 202411th November 2024 by Nic Stanlake

On Monday our Year 6 pupils took break from writing their World War 1 poetry to pay their respects and mark the two-minute silence on Armistice day at the War Memorial in Hayle alongside other members of our community.

The children have been learning lots in class about the sacrifice many service personnel have made on behalf of their countries through their topic of ‘War and Peace’

This has included making poppy crosses to lay in the D-day inspired garden outside of the Passmore Edwards Institute opposite the memorial. They have also sewn their very own felt poppies whilst raising money for the Royal British Legion.

360° – Year 1’S NATURE ART

19th January 20254th October 2024 by Clare Sara

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!

Reception Classes Enjoy Pancake Day Fun!

“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.”