Happy New Year! 
This half term our big question is 'What do you find where the land meets the sea?' We have been learning the names and positions of the continents and oceans and have re-capped the countries that make up the United Kingdom.
We have started to learn about an abstract artist called  Alma Thomas. Through her work we have learnt about primary and secondary colours. We have also tried to create pictures in her style.
In maths we have been learning to read, write order and compare numbers to 20.

Hello Everyone,

We have enjoyed working with clay this week in Penhallow, as part of our learning about the artist and sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. We chose objects to make imprints into clay, and then used them to make patterns on finger pots that we had made. We are looking forward to finding out how they have dried next week, so that we can paint them.

During our English lessons we continued to use the text; ‘Field Trip to the Moon’ by John Hare to inspire our writing. Year 1 have written some superb recounts, all about their trip to the Moon, while Reception have been busy writing labels, captions and even some onomatopoeia words, after watching a clip of a rocket taking off. They thought of some fantastic vocabulary and used their knowledge of phonics to write their own words.

We have been enjoying our new rocket role play area, and have been busy writing space log books, painting different planets and preparing for journeys into space. We have also used different construction materials to make additions and inventions for the rocket. 

It is now the Chinese New Year, so this week, we have also learnt about the story of the great race, as well as finding out about some of the traditions involved in Chinese New Year. Reception have managed to write a list of some of the animals that were involved in the race.

Have a lovely weekend! 

From the Penhallow team.

Fun, fitness and beating heart

A wonderful beginning to the week. The children experienced fun and fitness through the attendance of a Parkour group. Parkour is a movement activity that promotes health and fitness whilst teaching young people to master their bodies and minds. The children were all full of smiles and enthusiasm as they practised moving their bodies over equipment and climbing on frames. 


To link to the fitness, the children learned how to create an algorithm for a Micro:bit - a mini computer. They created a small beating heart by including instructions and a repeated pattern. Their understanding of computer programs is amazing.

The children have finally completed their first draft of their own version of Hansel and Gretel. Instead of a witch, they have included a Yeti to link with the Class' theme of life in the Alps. They are really enjoying this piece of work and will re-edit their stories next week to ensure the writing contains all the correct capital letters, full stops and figurative language.

During maths, the children have finally grasped the idea of adding and subtracting simple fractions. The new unit covers multiplying numbers using the grid and column method.





Best wishes, Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry, Mrs Walters, Mrs Payne and Miss Rowlands.

Year 5 Assembly
A special well done to Year 5 for their out of this world assembly yesterday. We had singing, dancing, facts and a quiz (congratulations to the winning group of parents – not that it was competitive)! Despite some outer space interference with our IT systems, the children showed great resilience, courage and performance skills. To finish off the week, Year 5 were mesmerized by the space dome experience, whilst Year 6 spent time in the dome experiencing the journey of evolution.

Fire Evacuation
Today, we held our unannounced fire evacuation. We did this during break time when the majority of our classes were outside. The children responded to this very calmly, given this was a different practice to one when we are all inside. We will be holding our lockdown practice before half term. I will write again following this practice to let you know.

Maths Coffee Morning Workshop
Earlier in the week, Mr O’Dwyer hosted a coffee morning and maths workshop. Attached to the email sent home today, you’ll find slides of his interactive presentation.

Trust Visits
On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of joining other Trust leaders for a visit and learning walk at St Cleer school. These visits are always useful to see another school in action and share expertise across the Trust. Next Tuesday morning, we will be hosting our visit, where Trust leads and the Headteacher of Looe Primary will be joining us in a learning walk throughout our school.

Year 6 Stay and Learn – Friday 7th February
Next Friday, after drop off, Year 6 will be hosting their Stay and Learn session, where Year 6 families are invited to join their children for a shared learning experience. This event will focus on creative writing, helping children discover the joy of writing in a fun and engaging way. There will be teas, coffees, and exciting games to enjoy. Should the car park become busy at drop off, parents/carers of Year 6 can use the staff car park in the morning.

Farewell to Mrs Jess Valter
It’s with very mixed emotions that I let you know that Mrs Jess Valter (Year 2 TA and Breakfast Club TA) will be leaving us at the end of this half term. Jess has found making the decision so hard as, in her own words, appreciated the experience here at school and will really miss the staff and the supportive, collaborative atmosphere. Jess’ contribution to the school has been immense both in class as a TA, an HLTA, out in the playground and community, and of course rustling up tasty breakfasts in Bridge Kids. Jess has been offered an amazing new opportunity in the hospitality industry, and we wish her the very best!

Year Group News
Attached to the email sent home today (and posted on the Class pages of our website), you’ll find your child’s fortnightly Year Group News, which highlights some of the teaching and learning from the last couple of weeks and what’s coming up next. Do take a look to see what’s been happening.


Dates coming up

Monday 3rd February
Children’s Mental Health Week
House Event launch
14:00-16:00 KS2 Netball Skills Festival Wednesday

Wednesday 5th February
Year 1 Shackleton & Seaside Visitor
YR/Y6 Weight and Height Check

Thursday 6th February
Reception and Year 2 Trip to Eden Project
Year 3/4 Trust Dodgeball Competition at Callywith College

Friday 7th February
08:45-09:45 Year 6 Stay & Learn

Tuesday 11th February
Safer Internet Day

Thursday 13th February
09:00 Year 1 Assembly

Friday 14th February
School closed - INSET

Monday 17th – Friday 21st February
Half term break

Monday 24th February
Back to school

This week, as part of our learning based around our focus story 'Goldilocks and the three bears', we have been learning about '3'.

We have been looking at our activities to see if we can find or make 3; some children  have even drawn the 3 bears from our story. Others have made groups of 3 and have found the number 3.

We have noticed that some of our friends are 3 years old, too.

w/e 31.1.25

We've had a fantastic and busy week in Year 3 and 4, packed with exciting learning experiences and opportunities to develop new skills. Here's a look at what we've been up to:

English
This week, the children have been working hard on writing their own stories set in the past. They have demonstrated a range of writing skills, including: Using fronted adverbials of time and place; accurately punctuating speech; maintaining correct verb tenses; creating rich descriptions and characterisation through 'show not tell'. It has been wonderful to see their creativity shine through in their storytelling!

Maths
We have continued our work on multiplication and division. A strong foundation in times tables significantly supports mathematical learning, so please keep practising key facts at home. Quick recall of these facts makes learning across all areas of maths much easier once they are embedded.

History
In history, we have been exploring the Bronze Age. The children learned about: How bronze was made and where it came from in to Britain; the differences in how people found food during the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and today. This has been a fascinating topic already, and the children have engaged well with historical thinking and discussions.

PSHE
This week in PSHE, we have focused on having a growth mindset. The children tackled various challenges in groups, demonstrating perseverance, resilience, and teamwork. It has been great to see their confidence grow as they approached each challenge with enthusiasm.

Dance
As part of our whole year group dance, we have been adding rain elements to our routines. The children have displayed excellent collaboration and creativity, working together to refine their performances.

Art
Taking inspiration from the Stone Age, we ventured outside to find natural materials to use as paint. The children experimented with making their own paint and recorded their findings in their sketchbooks. This hands-on activity really helped them connect with how early humans created art.

Science
In science, we investigated reflective surfaces. The children explored how different materials reflect light and discussed how this knowledge is useful in everyday life.

Special Events 
We've had a particularly exciting week with some special events:

~ St Anne's visit for some of our class - it was National Chocolate Cake Day so we made Krispie cakes with the residents! Yum!
~ Arts Lab Parkour Theatre Performance – The children greatly enjoyed watching a performance representing neurodiversity and even had the opportunity to try out some Parkour themselves!
~ Scooter Workshop – On Thursday, the children took part in a scooter workshop, showing fantastic enjoyment, resilience, and skill development.
~ Tree Planting for the King – Three members of our class proudly represented us by planting a tree for the King in Victoria Gardens.
~ Reading Assembly – We explored the book 'It's a No Money Day', which provided a valuable opportunity for the children to see into the lives of others through 'windows and mirrors'.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

We have lots to look forward to, including:
~ Art Week – A celebration of creativity and artistic expression.
~ Children's Mental Health Awareness Week – Encouraging positive discussions and activities around mental well-being.
~ NSPCC Number Day (Friday) – A fun and educational event focused on maths.

Thank you for your continued support. We are excited for another fantastic week of learning ahead!

Let's Get Moving!

We've had a very active week in Tregantle this week! The brighter weather towards the end of the week has meant that we have had lots of time outside. The children have been really helpful around the garden as we have been clearing out and preparing for spring. The highlight of the week was definitely our scooter workshop with Ashlea on Thursday. The children learnt how to scoot safely and completed an obstacle course going in and out of cones and dodging the  volcanoes! What a fun way to stay active and develop gross motor control. 

TERRIFIC TAMAR TRIP!

We have had a lovely week of learning in Chaipel, topped off with our trip to the Tamar Learning Centre as part of our enquiry into bridge construction.

ENGLISH
We are at the stage of planning our free verse poetry and have compiled some effective poetic devices. Next week, we will be writing, editing and creating our final versions.

MATHS
Y6 have been completing our ratio unit and then multiplying fractions with integers as we further our fractions knowledge and the Y5s have been multiplying a range of numbers using grid and long multiplication methods.

WIDER CURRICULUM
In DT, we have been testing the strength of an unsupported arch bridge by experimenting with height and weight. In Geography, we have been debating on whether mega farms are a good idea and we have some strong opinions!

We ended our week with our trip to the Tamar Learning Centre and it was amazing! We had a tour along the Tamar bridge footpath, learnt how the Royal Albert Bridge was constructed and broadened our knowledge on the different types of bridges and their unique features.

Congratulations to Martha who was our Person of the Week, but really, WELL DONE to all Chaipelers as you did our school proud with your curiosity and responsibility today.

Enjoy your weekend,

Miss Randle, Mrs Clary and Miss Hodge.   

Friday 31st January

This week the children have been working so hard!

In English this week , we started a new story called: Christopher Nibble! Christopher is a guinea pig who loves eating dandelions BUT they run out!

The children have really enjoyed learning this story. They explored the structure of a story by learning the beginning, middle and end. They sequenced the pictures and wrote key words to match the pictures.

In maths this week we have been exploring 6,7 and 8! The children have used ten frames to represent these numbers and have been AMAZING! We have also continued to learn/sing/chant our 2’s, 5’s and 10 times tables.

In phonics we have explored two diagraphs this week: ai and ee. The children’s reading is progressing so well and during phonics lessons Miss Hughes is always so impressed.

The children have been exploring gardening and mini beasts this week. They have matched vegetables to Christopher Nibble’s garden, dotted, painted and coloured gardening pictures, made minibeast from pipe cleaners and so much more!

Today we were lucky enough to have a community visitor in class that explained all about Chinese New Year. Ava spoke to us about what the celebration means to her family and what they do to celebrate it. She then showed us how to make the most beautiful Chinese lanterns. As Eva came into see us all of our activities were based around Chinese New Year! It was so much fun.

Have a wonderful weekend

The Foundation Team 

Spring 1 

We have had another amazing week in Canute class this week.

All of the class have been making fantastic progress in their phonics lessons, showing determination and enthusiasm for their learning.

In English the Year 1's and 2's have been completely engrossed in their story writing for 'George and the dragon'.  We have had some gruesome sentences, super similes, perfect punctuation and lots of excited chatter.  

In maths our reception children have been exploring mass and capacity.  They have been measuring, balancing and problem solving using a range of resources.  Year 1 have been continuing to focus on numbers to 20 and this week they have been comparing quantities, using number lines and reading numbers.  Year 2 have been completing their unit of work on money, finding change and solving problems with more than 1 step.

We are so lucky to have Mrs Butlin working with us and this week we were all having a go with the ukuleles, playing a rhythm and we also sang some great songs.

In history we have been finding out about castles.  We created a timeline to show how castles have changed over time, designed our own castles with as many defenses as possible and we have started to create some 3D models.

In our outdoor learning this week we were very busy getting our playground garden spring ready.  The children were weeding, planting and clearing.  We planted a pear and an apple tree and  discovered an old friend 'Tuna' in our pond. Our reception children have worked hard to make bird boxes to add to our rejuvenated garden.

We were all very happy to welcome Miss Northcott back to our class this week to complete her teaching placement.  She will be with us for the next 7 weeks.

Next week is Children's Mental Health Week and we look forward to seeing lots of you in school next Friday at 2pm.

We hope you all have a lovely weekend and the sun continues to shine.

Mrs Andrew, Mrs Fernie, Mrs Hicks, Miss Talbot, Miss Northcott

We have been busy organizing many trips and activities for the upcoming terms including Chaipel Class's trip today to the Tamar Bridge  as part of their DT learning.  Why not look at their class blog for more information and the other class blogs to see the learning across the school that has been taking place. 

Children’s Mental Health Week 3-9 February We will be taking part in Children’s Mental Health Week next week. The week’s focus is Know Yourself, Grow Yourself, with the aim to encourage children and young people across the UK to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them. As parents and carers, you play an important role in your child’s mental health. There are free resources here which you may wish to look at beforehand. https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/resources/#families

As part of Children’s Mental Health Week, we will be spending next Friday morning outside when staff and pupils will be taking part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch; toasting marshmallows and listening to stories around the fire in the school garden; practicing yoga and enjoying art activities involving nature. Children should come into school on Friday in warm clothing with a waterproof coat and wellies or old trainers. They should bring their uniform in to change into in the afternoon. If it rains, we will do wellbeing activities inside but will still go outside for the birdwatching.

RNLI MUFTI Day Thank you for sending your children in yesterday in something blue or sea-themed. We raised £74 for the RNLI in recognition of the Oars of Thunder’s success in the World’s Toughest Row.

Family Worker Drop-Ins, Thursday 6th February, 9-11 am Reminder that the Early Help Hub will be holding Family Worker Drop-In Sessions in our school from 9-11 am on 6th February 2025. If you would like to be able to talk in confidence, just pop along, they will be here to help and support you. They will be happy to discuss and advise on issues concerning your family for example, how to better understand your child’s needs & behaviours; positive parenting and how to keep your child safe; how to better understand the importance of routines for your family. To book a 30-minute slot, contact the school on secretary@polperroprimary.co.uk or call on 01503 272249.

Upcoming dates Reminder that Friday 14th February is an INSET day and half term is 17-21 February.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Hillman

Where has the month of January gone?
We are delighted to bring you the latest edition of The Brunel Bulletin, your go-to source for all the exciting news, updates, and achievements happening within our school community. Whether it’s celebrating pupil successes, sharing upcoming events, or showcasing the incredible work of our staff and pupils, this newsletter keeps you connected and informed. As we end another week filled with learning, growth, and creativity, we invite you to join us in celebrating the vibrant spirit that makes our school truly special. Let’s dive in!