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Chris Coyle-Chislett

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secretary@penpol.cornwall.sch.uk

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01736 753472

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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.”
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The Penpol Times

Coral Coders Compete at Culdrose!

This week our team of Year 5 students visited RNAS Culdrose in Helston to take part in the FIRST LEGO League Cornwall finals.  They have been working hard for the past few months creating a LEGO robot which can complete missions using code they’ve written, as well as solving a real world problem through their Innovation Project.

The competition proved a fantastic chance to celebrate all of their hard work and gave them the opportunity to share this with the judges and students from other schools.  In fact, the Coral Coders were up against 26 other teams on the first day of the Cornwall regional finals.

So, let’s dive in and see how they got on…

Innovation Project

A good innovation project is all about finding a real world problem and designing a solution to help make the world a better place.

The Coral Coders immediately hit on their problem, Coral Anchoring.  They explained that this is what happens when a ship drops its anchor and then pulls on it as it stops moving, thereby dragging up coral and damaging the precious seabed.

The solution the students settled on was to create a different shape anchor which wouldn’t drag across the seabed as much, thereby greatly reducing the amount of coral getting damaged.

“I liked the bit where we presented to the judges because we got to present the robot and anchor designs and we got to ask each other questions too which was really fun.”

– Massimo

The team put together a compelling presentation to share their project which they confidently delivered to the group of judges.  Despite being their first time sharing this project outside of school, they came out buzzing with confidence and enthusiasm as the judges had really enjoyed their ideas and energy.

27 points

out of a total of 40

The judges agreed it was “brilliant to have identified a unique problem” and that they “created an excellent solution”.  They also loved seeing the physical prototypes of their anchors in real life.

Overall the judges were really impressed with what they described as a “slick, well rehearsed and well planned presentation”.

Robot Design Presentation

The second half of the judging session focusses on the students sharing their Lego Robot and discussing the way they built it and how they learnt to code it. 

As a first year team there was no shortage of things to talk about here and to try and cover as much ground as possible the team decided to do an ‘interview-style’ presentation where they asked each other questions about the robot and the journey they’d been on.

This proved highly effective and allowed the children plenty of opportunity to share their highs and lows of coding – from the missions which work every time to those which are much more troublesome – as well as all of the fun they’ve had along the way.

“When we were talking to the judges I kinda felt nervous but actually it was fine and as soon as we started talking I didn’t feel nervous anymore!”

– Charice

24 points

out of a total of 40

The feedback from the judges on their Robot Design presentation celebrated their “clear strategy, which was broken down into clear tasks” and suggested that further explaining how the code works would be a good place to develop for next time.

Robot Games

In the Robot Games you are given three opportunities to get your best score possible – giving each robot (and team member) a chance to warm up in the high-pressure environment at RNAS Culdrose.

The Coral Coders however were cool as cucumbers for their first match, with all five of the robot engineers launching their missions with control and precision – no mean feat!  And more still, the continued for all three of the Robot Games runs.

“I think the robot games was really difficult, especially when the last code seemed to break the whole system! It was really difficult to fix but we did it! And the whole thing was crazy fun!”

– Sorrel

As the matches went on the scores steadily climbed too, as the robot completed the different missions they had programmed it to do.  Whether releasing the shark, raising the ship mast or dropping the unknown sea creature, the robot moved with precision at all times.

“I found the robot building really fun, as was trying to program it.  It was definitely hard, but super interesting doing the Robot Games!”

– Dexter

160

Round 1

170

Round 2

175

Round 3

Robot Games

The Coral Coders achieved the second highest score of the day in the Robot Games with a fantastic score of 175 points.

“I loved having a go with the Virtual Reality stand.  It doesn’t matter if you win or not in the competition it’s about having so much fun”

– Resola

BBC Spotlight

If this wasn’t enough excitement for one day, three of our students were asked if they’d be happy to talk with a BBC reporter for Spotlight News! 

Without hesitation all three said yes and I’m delighted to say their interview made it onto Spotlight news that very evening! 

You can watch their interview on the right.

Reception Celebrate Science Week

What an exciting Science Week we’ve had in Classes 1 and 2! The children have loved getting hands-on with lots of fun experiments.

I liked everything! I planted flowers and gave them seeds and water – Hugo

We started off by making magical potions with baking soda, glitter, and food colouring—then added vinegar to create amazing fizzy explosions!

We made bubbles with baking powder, fruit colouring, glitter and vinegar. It made bubbles and exploded! – Ava

We also used Skittles and water to create beautiful rainbows and were amazed as the colours spread across the plate.

When you put the water on, the rainbow came – Ciara

I liked the skittles. The hot water made the rainbow come – Tristan

I like when the potions exploded! – Eryn

As part of our ‘Growing’ topic, we’ve been busy planting sunflowers, cress, and beans, learning all about what plants need to grow strong and healthy.

We put some water and dirt and seeds in it – Oaklyn

We also explored floating and sinking by testing different objects from around the classroom. The children made their own predictions before putting them to the test—there were lots of surprises!

The carrot was sinking and the pen was floating. The pencil was floating too! – Reuben

Our rain cloud experiment was another big hit! We watched in fascination as drops of colored water fell through the ‘cloud.’ We were also amazed by the Coke and Mentos reaction and had so much fun making our very own erupting volcano.

 

To round off the week, we visited the school’s science fair, where we got to see what other classes have been investigating. It’s been an exciting week full of discovery, and we think we have lots of future scientists in the making!

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!

Exploring the Wonders of Science: Year 1 Learners Dive into Discovery During Science Week!

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:-

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fun; Penpol’s Magical Minack Adventure!

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…

World Book Day 2025

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!

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.

Reception Classes Enjoy Pancake Day Fun!

Our Reception classes had a fantastic afternoon celebrating Shrove Tuesday with some exciting pancake-making activities!

I love pancakes they’re yummy yum yum – Zuri

I love pancakes, I like syrup on mine – Noah

We began by discussing how to make pancakes, identifying the ingredients we needed, and carefully writing our own step-by-step instructions for making them.

Next, we followed our instructions, measuring out the ingredients and carefully mixing them to create the perfect pancake batter.

Flipping the pancakes was so much fun – Jackson

Once the pancakes were cooked, we moved on to the best part – tasting and enjoying our delicious creations! We enjoyed them with lemon and sugar, and they tasted amazing.

We also had a go at tossing the pancakes, which was great fun! Some of us managed a perfect flip, while others ended up with a few giggles along the way. We used the slightly well done pancake as the one to have a go at flipping!

We need butter and eggs and flour and milk to make the pancakes – Shea

As part of our learning, we discovered that Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins, and people traditionally eat pancakes to use up ingredients like eggs, milk, and flour before fasting.

They were yummy – Darcie

It was a wonderful afternoon full of learning, laughter and of course, tasty pancakes!

Reception Classes Get Growing! 🌱

Our Reception classes have been busy little gardeners this term, getting their hands dirty and learning all about how plants grow! As part of their learning, the children have been outside planting a wonderful selection of herbs, fruits, and flowers.

The flower needs sun and rain to grow, seeds make the flowers grow – Luca

So far, they have planted mint, oregano, thyme, strawberries, primroses, a gooseberry bush, and a raspberry bush. The children have been carefully watering their plants, checking their progress, and learning about what they need to grow strong and healthy. They have explored how sunlight, water, and good soil help plants to thrive, developing their understanding of the natural world around them.

The roots grow so that it doesn’t make the plant fall over. The stem helps the flower stay up. It needs to catch the rain and sun – Jackson

Alongside planting, the children have been using their senses to explore different textures and scents—smelling the fresh mint leaves and feeling the soft petals of the primroses. They have also been observing changes in the plants over time, sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to ask questions about what they see.

And the growing doesn’t stop there! Over the next few weeks, we will be planting peas, beans, and sunflowers. The children will be keeping a close eye on their plants to see whose can grow the tallest—what a fantastic way to bring a little friendly competition into our learning!

When the seeds start to grow they germinate – Eliza

Thanks so much to Hayle plants for the very generous donations of plants and we would like to say a big thank you to Eleanor, Poppy’s Mum for supplying mounds of compost and containers.

I planted some seeds in the garden and I made a bean stalk and it growed beans and I growed an apple tree. I planted the seed and it growed orange flowers everywhere in the garden – Christopher

Through these hands-on experiences, the children are developing important skills such as patience, responsibility, and a deeper appreciation for the environment. We can’t wait to see how their garden grows!