PE – Penpol Primary School

Super Swimming Success at Counties for Penpol Swimmers

17th February 2025 by Nic Stanlake

Over the past few weekends, some of our talented swimmers have been competing for their club teams at the County Finals—and it’s safe to say they did incredibly well, bringing home a host of medals!

Congratulations to all involved, but a special mention must go to Florence, who not only collected an astonishing 13 gold medals but also earned more points for her team than any other swimmer, securing a special medal in recognition of her achievement.

These are medals and memories that our pupils will cherish forever—well done, everyone!

Gymnastics at Penpol!

17th February 2025 by Nic Stanlake

The wintry weather of January and February provides the perfect opportunity for indoor PE. Each year group, from Reception to Year 6, undertakes a gymnastics unit where they learn, develop, and refine their skills.

In the first of our two spring terms, our Year 2 pupils take advantage of an additional PE offer, attending three sessions at Penzance Gymnastics Club. There, they experience the sprung floor, high bars, and—most excitingly—the foam pit. Providing access to professional facilities as part of our curriculum is invaluable, especially for pupils who may not have the opportunity to do so outside of school due to social or financial barriers.

For much of KS2, this takes the form of parkour, an athletic discipline in which athletes aim to move from one point to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But then come the obstacles! Our Year 4 pupils have been honing their vaulting and rolling skills—essential techniques for safely controlling falls from height.

Meanwhile, Year 6 pupils have been testing their abilities on the final parkour course, designed to challenge their skills and push them to the edges of their comfort zones.

Footballers represent Penpol at Penwith Festival

12th February 20255th February 2025 by Nic Stanlake

17 of our talented Year 5 and 6 pupils made their way to Mounts Bay Academy to take part in a football festival against 7 other schools. A mixed bag of results but all children returned home with smiles on their faces. These festivals are not about winning they are simply about providing the opportunity for young football fanatics to get out on the pitch and get involved! The boys did exceptionally well and certainly played the game with the right values- the Penpol values of respect, friendship, creativity and integrity!

Hooray for Arrays!

12th February 20255th February 2025 by Michael Pearson

As part of our exciting Festival of Maths week at Penpol School, our Year 2 pupils got moving in maths with an activity called Active Arrays! Combining the physical skills of coordination, agility and teamwork with their enthusiasm for multiplication, the children worked together to create large-scale arrays using cones on the school playground.

Pupils explored the concept of multiplication in a hands-on way, arranging cones into rows and columns to help visualise the number patterns of arrays. This interactive approach helped them grasp this key mathematical concept while staying physically active and socially engaged.

It was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and energy in action—learning really comes to life when we move! Hooray for Arrays!

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

15th January 202515th December 2024 by Rebecca Best

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

16th January 202511th December 2024 by Michael Pearson

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 5 and 6 Pupils Shine in High Performance Program

15th January 202527th November 2024 by Nic Stanlake

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! 💪🏅

Tag Rugby Fun with Hayle U9’s Coach Peter Old’s

15th January 202515th November 2024 by Jack Emery

This week, our Year 4 students had an exciting opportunity to showcase their tag rugby skills under the expert guidance of Peter Olds, Hayle’s Under 9’s rugby coach.

As part of their PE lessons this half term, the children have been learning the fundamentals of tag rugby, including teamwork, agility, and strategy. Their hard work and enthusiasm were on full display during the session with Coach Peter Olds, who provided valuable tips, encouragement, and insights into the game.

The students relished the chance to learn from a professional coach and to put their newfound skills to the test. Highlights of the session included some thrilling tag matches and plenty of laughter as everyone worked together to refine their techniques.

A huge thank you to Peter Olds for taking the time to inspire our young athletes and for making the session both educational and fun. We’re incredibly proud of the determination and sportsmanship shown by all our Year 4 students, and we can’t wait to see them continue to develop their rugby skills.

If your child is interested in joining Hayle Under 9’s Rugby team, please check the details in our picture gallery below:

Year 6 Sports Festival Fun

24th October 202423rd October 2024 by Bethany Waters

Today, 12 pupils from Year 6 participated in a sports festival hosted at Mounts Bay Academy. They split off in to two teams and challenged other schools in both Dodgeball and Bench Ball! Fun was had by all and smiles were worn throughout! A special thank you to Mounts Bay for hosting and to the other schools for some great competition!

Staff 8 – 6 Students

21st August 202425th July 2024 by Nic Stanlake

As is Penpol tradition, the departing Year 6 children had the opportunity to have the last word and take home The Pollard Cup. Unfortunately no one told the teachers. The final score finishing at 8-6 in favour of the more experienced side meant the Pollard cup will remain in the hands of the Penpol Staff team for another year.

The score never does the match justice with it being played in wonderful spirits with many wonderful goals scored. The children should be ex optionally proud of how they performed but it is the teachers who remain undefeated.

Teachers goals were shared out between Mr Emery, Mr Stanlake and Miss Burlington as well as Nay and Mr Curnow on their final day before they depart to pastures new.

Children’s goals were scored by Isaac B, Isaac L, Alfie and Bobby.