Year 6

Penpol’s Got Talent 2017

24th July 2017 by Jacob Woolcock

Last Thursday there was great excitement in the school marquee as the children awaited the arrival of our three very special judges for this years ‘Penpol’s Got Talent. This year the auditions were amazing with children from reception through to year 6 demonstrating that they had the ability and confidence to dance, sing and play a musical instrument in front of a live audience.

Eventually, following four days of auditions, fourteen acts went through to the final. Judging the acts was a very difficult challenge for the three judges but eventually a decision was made.

This year’s winner was Leah who sang so beautifully that it gave the compere, Mrs Ruffell, goose bumps and left the three judges with tears in their eyes.

I liked all the singing and dancing, it was beautiful. – Isabella

I enjoyed watching all of the acts, especially my sisters singing group. – Patrick

I really enjoyed watching and listening to the drummer. He even had light up drum sticks. – Jonash

Speech Day: Computing and ICT Awards 2017

24th July 2017 by Jacob Woolcock

At the end of every academic year Penpol School celebrates the efforts and achievements of our Year 6 pupils with our annual Speech Day awards. These children have won awards relating to Computing this year and it only seems right to say a word or two about why myself and Paul have chosen each winner for these prestigious awards – Mr Woolcock.

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The winner of the
Jacob Woolcock Award for Excellence in Computing
for 2017 is
Harry B

I don’t think I have met a pupil who has as much enthusiasm, imagination, dedication and passion for Computing as Harry does. Since walking up to my desk in Year 5 to show me his idea for an iPhone app that he had made over half term, he has spent a huge amount of his free time learning an entirely new language (Swift) and a professional development program (Xcode) in order to turn his ideas into reality. He has already worked on several different iPhone apps including quiz games and currently his fun ‘Horror Maze’ game.

His complex and detailed ideas for how every aspect of the App should work are simply staggering, as is his ability to create prototypes and fully coded versions of his work to run on his own devices. He has a real talent for coding and I sincerely hope he continues to push himself by learning more and more about software development as the years go on. The world of the future is becoming more and more digital and Harry is going to be at the forefront of it all. He truly is a worthy recipient of this brand new shield. I only hope that when he launches his first big App and the money starts rolling in that he remembers us here at Penpol!

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The winner of the
Penpol School ICT Award
for 2017 is
Morgan P

Morgan has had an exemplary year in Computing and is thoroughly deserving of this Award for ICT. Since September he has truly developed in both skills and confidence on the computers and has become a source of knowledge and support for others in his class and in the clubs he helps run. He is always first to help when somebody is stuck, always first to offer ideas and suggestions and always first to encourage others when they need it. Morgan is a superb role model for all the younger children in Code Club and 3D Printing Club, which he has helped us run all year.

As well as being able to help others, Morgan has an incredible talent for ICT in his own right. His 3D design work has been fantastic this year and he has a great eye for compelling and exciting designs. He particularly enjoys using SketchUp to create his own worlds in 3D. Morgan will be hugely missed here at Penpol next year, but I am confident that his journey with ICT is only just beginning.

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The winner of the
Penpol School ICT Improver Award
for 2017 is
Chloe V

Chloe has had an exceptional year in Computing. She has discovered an ability to think through problems logically, design and develop solutions when issues arise and understands the cause and effect that a particular piece of code can have on her programs. Beyond that, Chloe is incredibly confident using a wide variety of technology to achieve any given purpose. She is happy and capable using MicroBits, Lego WeDo robots, iPads, 3D Printers – just about anything we can throw at her! Chloe has also given a huge amount of her free time this year to help us run our weekly Code Clubs and 3D Printing Clubs (along with Morgan, Harry and others) and is never afraid to help her friends who might be stuck.

Her improvement in ICT over the course of the last year has been fantastic to watch and I am sure she’ll keep it up for years to come. Chloe has a great future ahead of her and her kindness and perseverance will help her achieve great things in ICT.

Announcing Music in the Marquee 2017

5th May 2017 by Jacob Woolcock

The last two years have seen sell out performances at our annual Music In The Marquee concerts from the brilliant Bradley Johnson and the fantastic Little Chix. I’m delighted to say that this July we’re going bigger and better than ever before, with an incredible four-piece band.

For our 2017 event I’d like to introduce you to the countries top Coldplay tribute band, YELLOW! Yellow are a four piece band from Portsmouth who formed ten years ago to celebrate and perform the music of Coldplay. The group all play their own intruments and manage to recreate the energetic and dynamic Coldplay sound whilst engaging audiences across the country. This July they’re making the trip down to Hayle especially for us. The band are a close group of friends and their friendship and passion for live music shines through on stage.

On Saturday 8th July the band will treat us to two sets of live music with the first offering a look at Coldplay’s recent dance-pop sound including hits such as ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’, ‘Something Just LIke This’ and of course, ‘Paradise’. Later on in the evening the band will return to the stage for a second time to treat us to a set of more classic coldplay songs including ‘Yellow’, ‘Sky Full of Stars’ and ‘Viva La Vida’. We’ll also have more music on the night with talented local support and plenty of chances to get the children dancing!

Just like in previous years the event will raise money for the Penpol Friends Association and will also feature a fully licensed bar, soft drinks, and food for everyone to enjoy. I hope you’ll agree that Music in the Marquee 2017 is already shaping up to be a phenomenal night of entertainment.

Tickets are on sale now from reception: £8 for adults and £5 for children.

See you there!

Penpol Pupils go on a Virtual Reality Expedition with Google!

26th April 2017 by Jacob Woolcock

On Tuesday Penpol School had a very special visit from Google who had some exciting new technology to show off to the children.

Google Expeditions is a new project designed to introduce primary school children to Virtual Reality in the classroom. Mark from Google bought 60 Google Cardboard headsets to Penpol along with 60 smart phones and tablets to get the system set up and running. Throughout the day every class, from Year 1 to Year 6, had the chance to get some hands on time with the technology by going on a virtual school trip!

Led by their class teacher, the children were transported virtually around the world to unusual and exciting destinations including the Amazon Rainforest, underwater deep sea diving, onto the vast icy planes of Antartica and even into outer space to see the Moon and Earth from a whole new perspective. The excitement amongst the children was electric, with loud gasps every time the teacher took them to a new location to explore.

Virtual Reality works by taking a 360 degree photo of a location and then using special software to make the viewer feel like they are in the middle of the action. With the Google Cardboard and attached smartphone the children can then explore their surroundings simply by moving their head. The classroom disappears and they are taken on an incredible school trip.

You can learn more about Google Expeditions here: https://edu.google.com/expeditions/

Throughout the day we took as many photos as possible to remember this amazing event, so please enjoy a selection of them below…

Penpol Year 6 pupils are ‘Hands On’ with carpentry!

29th June 201825th November 2016 by Mark Pollard

This term we have introduced our Year 6 pupils to the exciting world of woodwork and carpentry.

As part of our vocational and creative curriculum, each Year 6 child is being given the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to design and make a wooden bird box.

Before building their bird boxes, the children learnt how to use Technical Drawing skills to produce detailed, three-dimensional and scaled plans of the bird boxes they intended to make. This is quite a tricky process because it involves precision measurements and drawing using t-squares and setsquares.

However, the children have worked very hard and produced some very impressive drawings.

To help make the bird boxes, John Meardon has kindly offered to come in each week and share his expertise in carpentry.

He has been guiding the children on how to use tools safely and teaching them the skills they will need to successfully make their bird boxes. He has also given some really good tips, especially when it comes to the trickier parts of putting the boxes together.

The children have carefully followed their designs using a measuring tape and square to mark out the timber needed for their bird boxes.

Between cutting, hammering, drilling and sanding, they have worked together and produced fantastic looking bird boxes.

The finished products are very impressive and John has commented on how well the children have worked together. He has also complimented the Year 6 pupils on their listening skills, determination and excellent manners.

Woodworking provides children with the opportunity to develop a broad range of practical skills. It enables them to develop eye-hand coordination, their spatial awareness, their sense of precision, and understanding how to use potentially dangerous tools safely.

Hand in hand with these skills goes a wide variety of other concepts such as abstract reasoning, mathematics, problem solving, fine motor skills, respect for tools, and (hopefully) patience!

It also empowers them to become independent thinkers – building confidence, self-esteem, and a range of practical skills that will last them a lifetime!

Surfing’s on the Curriculum at Penpol

29th June 201817th November 2016 by Mark Pollard

We are very fortunate at Penpol School to be situated by the sea next to three miles of glorious beaches and golden sand. In this area of outstand natural beauty, we have some of the best beaches in Cornwall offering fantastic surfing opportunities.

Living next to the Atlantic, however, does come with its own hazards and dangers, especially when it comes to being safe in the sea.

At Penpol School we take beach safety very seriously.

We have a close connection with several of our community partners including the RNLI, Shore Surf and Hayle Surf-Lifesaving Club. These partners regularly present whole school assemblies, discussing the dangers of the sea and encouraging the children to reflect on the importance of beach safety.

At Penpol School we also believe that our children should be taking full advantage of their geographical location and safely enjoying the unique area in which they live. With this in mind, we have made surfing a compulsory part of our curriculum for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.

Teaming up with Shore Surf School and their fully qualified expert surf-instructors, each pupil has participated in five two-hour surf lessons, working towards Level 2 Shore Surf Award.

This has involved meeting various expectations and demonstrating a number of key skills including:

Changing in and out of a wetsuit unaided.
Working as a team and supporting each other.
Perseverance and determination
Knowledge of water safety and recognising hidden dangers
Developing confidence in the water
Catching a wave
Popping to their feet and surfing for five seconds or more
Demonstrating balance and co-ordination.

This is the second year our pupils have taken part in surfing and it has proved to be a great success.

Pupil comments –

I found the past five Thursdays the most enjoyable days of the week and that was because of the surfing – Zehava

I enjoyed surfing very much this year. I think I have learnt so much in the five weeks. I stood up for the first time ever and caught some really cool waves. The instructors were very kind and taught us how to do some impressive tricks – Erin

I loved going surfing this term even though sometimes the waves were huge! We learnt very quickly how to stand up and then how to go faster, as well as slow down on a wave. Soon after this we were taught to turn and dismount safely – Tilly

I enjoyed surfing so much this term that I think we should go again next term. I think surfing should be on the curriculum because we live by the sea and we learn how to be safe in the water – Jake

Penpol School Spelling Bee 2016

29th June 20184th November 2016 by Mark Pollard

Spelling Bee Champion 2016 — Josie from Class 12

On Wednesday 2nd of November the culmination of the Penpol School Spelling Bee took place, with 16 supreme spellers from across Year 5 and 6 making up the competitors after defeating the rest of their class in a sub-competition in their respective classrooms.

After a lengthy battle covering over 600 spellings, which included such tricky words as fluorescent, questionnaire and embarrassment, Josie, from class 12 was the outright winner, narrowly defeating William (also from class 12).

The children in Year 5, though at a disadvantage this year, being a year younger, will be given the same list of words next year and we look forward to another highly-entertaining and closely-fought spelling battle.

Class 12 make Photoshop Collages

14th May 201825th January 2016 by Jacob Woolcock

Over the past couple of weeks the Year 6’s have been making digital collages using scanned in artwork and Photoshop. By creating these works of art the children have been learning about the lasso selection tool, the move tool, layer styles, blending modes, hue+saturation adjustments, the filter gallery and the liquify tool. We’re incredibly pleased with how their artworks have come out, below are just a few examples to give you a flavour of their excellent work.