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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.”
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The Penpol Times

Lighting Up Our Learning: A Christingle Celebration of Light and Love

This week, year 2 has been learning about a very special Christmas tradition – Christingle. As part of our lessons on Christian celebrations, we explored the meaning behind this beautiful tradition, which is celebrated by Christians all around the world during Advent and Christmas.

The word Christingle comes from two words: “Christ,” who Christians believe is the light of the world, and “tingle,” which refers to the orange shape used in the celebration. We discovered that the orange represents the world, while the candle placed on top is a symbol of Jesus being the light that shines in the darkness. We also learned that the red ribbon wrapped around the orange stands for the love of Jesus.  Some Christians believe the sticks with sweets or fruit represent all the gifts we give to others at Christmas, whilst others believe they represent God’s creation of the four seasons.

Learning about Christingle has been a wonderful way for us to understand the Christian message of peace, love, and giving.

Year 1 Gets Active: Mastering Hockey Skills in Invasion Games!

Here’s Year 1 having a blast developing their competence and performance through exciting invasion games! Recently, we’ve been focusing on hockey, learning how to control the ball and work together as a team. It’s been fantastic watching the children practice their skills, improve their coordination, and have lots of fun along the way.

Here are a photo of Year 1 in action, showing off their hockey moves and teamwork during these energetic games!

Festive Fun: Penpol Panthers’ Santa Run

The Penpol Panthers Bring Holiday Cheer with Their First Santa Run!

The holiday spirit was alive and kicking as the Penpol Panthers hosted their very first Santa Run on December 10th. This festive event saw students, staff, and parents donning Santa hats and reindeer antlers, as a blur of red and white soared through the streets of Hayle.

The Santa Run, which the school plans to make an annual tradition, combines the joy of the season with a love of running. Organised by the school’s running club, the Penpol Panthers, this inaugural event was a smashing success. Over 50 participants laced up their trainers to take part in the spirited dash down to the King George V Memorial Walk.

The Panthers ran a distance according to their ability, ensuring that everyone—from seasoned runners to casual joggers—could join in the festivities.

“It’s amazing to see everyone come together for such a fun event,” said club leader Mr. Pearson. “The Santa Run isn’t just about running; it’s about building community, staying active, and spreading a little holiday magic. We can’t wait to do it again next year!”

The event was made even more joyous with many a well-known Christmas song booming from Mr Stanlake’s boombox-backpack!

Here’s to a successful first Santa Run and to the Penpol Panthers for making this holiday season unforgettable! We can’t wait to see what next year brings.

YEAR 1 – LONDON’S BURNING!

Our Year 1 children have been enthralled with our Great Fire of London topic. Today recreating their own Great Fire of London – LONDON IS BURNING!

Both Class 3 and Class 4 have been combining their History and Design and Technology skills to design and build their own models of houses from the 1660s. They have explored how homes were constructed during this time, learning about the materials used—such as wood and thatch—that made the houses more vulnerable during the fire. They built models that reflect what homes in London might have looked like – with some amazing HOME creations too!

This project has not only deepened their understanding of a key historical event but also encouraged creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Cracking the Code: Year 6 Builds Brilliant Morse Machines!

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!

YEAR 1 HAVE BEEN DESIGNING AND BUILDING GREAT FIRE OF LONDON HOUSES!

As part of our exciting Great Fire of London topic in Design and Technology, Year 1 children have been busy designing and building their own houses! They’ve explored what homes looked like in London during the 1660s and learned how the materials used at the time contributed to the spread of the fire.

Using their creativity and problem-solving skills, students have designed houses, considering how to make them strong and safe. They’ve used a variety of materials, from cardboard and paper to paint, to build models of their houses. This hands-on project has not only helped them understand history but has encouraged teamwork and also explored our Penpol value of CREATIVITY, all while having fun learning about the Great Fire of London!

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS TAKE OVER YEAR 3!

Earlier this week, Year 3 dressed up in their finest Ancient Egyptian attire for a day celebrating their Ancient Egypt topic.

 

To start the day, the children showed off their dance moves to the song Walk Like an Egyptian.

 

Throughout the rest of the day, the children completed their own booklets filled with Ancient Egyptian activities, explored non-fiction books, and made their own papyrus.

There were lots of excellent costumes, and the day was enjoyed by all! Well done, and thank you, Year 3 (and parents!).

 

Year 5 and 6 Pupils Shine in High Performance Program

Last week, some of our most talented sportspeople from Year 5 and 6 were invited to attend a strength and conditioning session at a local CrossFit gym. These pupils were selected to take part in the Penwith PE Cluster High Performance Program, an initiative recognizing their exceptional achievements in their chosen sports both within and outside of school.

The group included a diverse mix of athletes—from swimmers to runners, footballers to golfers. During the session, they learned not only how to improve their physical strength but also about the importance of maintaining a healthy body to handle the physical demands of their sports.

A huge well done to all participants for representing our school with such dedication and enthusiasm! 💪🏅

A fort-ified effort!

This half-term, our Year 2 pupils have been learning all about castles and embarked on a building project that even Henry VIII would have admired. Every foreman needs labourers, so what better opportunity than to collaborate with their learning buddies from Classes 14 and 12?

With guidance and teamwork, the Year 2 pupils transformed their designs into impressive castles, showcasing their newly gained knowledge. From the importance of battlements for defense to creating a working drawbridge, their projects brought history to life in the most creative ways.

Well done to our budding architects and their fantastic learning buddies for such a royally impressive effort! 🏰✨

Year 5 Trip to Carn Euny and Penlee House and Museum

On Wednesday 13th November, Class 12 delved into the history of the Penwith area by visiting Penlee House and Museum and Carn Euny Stone Age settlement. In the morning, we participated in a Stone Age workshop, learning lots of information and taking on the role of historians and archeologists. As historians, we studied artefacts and handled replicas which helped us to understand more about the life of a Stone Age human. Inside the museum, we investigated artifacts that have been discovered in the Penwith area.

“I enjoyed the treasure hunt in the museum.” Noa

“It was great when we got to handle the replicas.” Noah

“Making the coin badge was really great, and I liked that I got to take it home.” Lucy

After lunch, we ventured down some narrow country lanes to the ancient site of Carn Euny village. After exploring the village and discussing how and why these people lived here, the children tackled a question that has been baffling archeologists and historians: What is a fogou (an underground, dry-stone structure found on Iron Age or Romano-British-defended settlement sites in Cornwall).