Our final full week has come to an end, and what a week it has been! 

This week we were excited to receive a letter from the King! Last half term, we wrote persuasive letters on plastic pollution to King Charles, and we couldn't believe we had a response. His majesty enjoyed reading our letters and was impressed by our passion for protecting Cornwall's beaches from pollution. 

We painted our clay pilchards this week, thinking carefully about the colours we chose. These will be making their way home next week. In History, we have enjoyed learning about Polperro and explored diary extracts written by children from the 1850s. We learnt about their daily lives and compared this to the present day. We have also enjoyed our PSHE lessons this week, which have been very informative. Not to forget the fun we had on Tuesday making chocolate rocks!

In English, we have been busy writing our narrative inspired by the short film 'The Man on the Moon'. I have been blown away by the focus and determination of everyone, when writing their stories. Well done! 

Congratulations to Brody, Dexter and Emma for being chosen as Landaviddy's People of the Week and a big well done to Anya who has now moved on to her Bronze club!

Polite Reminder: Please ensure that your child brings in their colour-banded and library books back in to school, ready to be returned over the summer holidays.

We hope you have a super weekend and look forward to seeing you on Monday, for the final few days of school before the summer. 

Mrs Wilkie, Mrs Phillips, Miss Bowden and Miss Colton

17.7.25

As we end our final full week in Years 3 and 4, we certainly haven't slowed down!

On Monday, Daymer enjoyed their 'End of Project' party at St Anne's, with heaps of food and smiles all round!

We were also treated to the Brunel's Got Talent auditions - well done to those who have made it through to the Finals next Monday!

On Tuesday, we enjoyed the Year 6 Leavers Assembly and wow! What a great show it was!

On Wednesday, it was Music of the Afternoon! It was sadly rained off but here's a video to enjoy of the performances in the hall! Exceptional talent all round, I'm sure you'll agree!

On Thursday, we had our class reward time at Longstone Park - that was great fun!

And on Friday, we were not only in awe of some EGGS in Science but we were treated to some more transition time in our new class with our new teachers! Wow!

What a week! 2 more days til the summer...

w/e 10.7.25

We've had a wonderfully busy and productive week in Year 3 and 4 - even with the soaring temperatures!

The children have shown real resilience and maturity in coping with the heat, staying positive and focused in their learning.
Here's a snapshot of what we've been up to this week...

English - Non-Chronological Reports
In English, we've been diving into the world of non-chronological reports. The children have been learning to use generalisers such as most, some, and usually to make their writing more informative and formal. We've also been focusing on using clear subheadings to organise our ideas and are in the process of planning our own reports, which we're excited to begin writing next week.

Geography - Where Does Our Food Come From?
In Geography, we've been exploring the journey food takes to reach our plates. From tropical fruits to locally grown vegetables, we've discussed the different climates and countries that produce the food we eat, and the impact of food miles. It's been a great way to link our geography skills to everyday life!

Maths - It's Time to Tell the Time!
Year 3 pupils have been practising telling the time to the nearest five minutes, both on analogue and digital clocks. We've been using real-life contexts to help the children understand why time is such an important skill. Year 4s have been consolidating their time knowledge too - keep an eye out for time-related challenges at home!

Science, Computing & Online Safety
In Science, we've continued exploring teeth and digestion, while in Computing, we've had important discussions around online safety - understanding how to stay safe and responsible when using the internet and digital devices.

PE - Rounders in the Sun
Despite the heat, PE has been a highlight this week. We've been developing our skills in rounders, practising batting, fielding, and team strategy. The children showed great sportsmanship and determination - well done all!

Art - Abstract Flowers
Our stunning abstract flower art continues to blossom! The children have been inspired by famous artists and have created some truly beautiful pieces. Be sure to take a look at the photos - their creativity is really shining through!

Music, French & More
In Music, we've been rehearsing for music of the afternoon which takes place on Wednesday afternoon-we hope to see you all there! French lessons have included learning new vocabulary and simple conversations. We've also been weaving in PSHE and topic discussions throughout the week - it's been full of variety!

Transition Time
This week, we've had our class transition swaps, giving the children a chance to meet their new teachers and get a taste of what next year might look like - including the new Brunel Shed! It's been exciting and reassuring for the children, helping them feel confident about the changes ahead.

Coming Up - Brunel's Got Talent!
A quick reminder - on Monday, we'll be holding class auditions for Brunel's Got Talent! Children are encouraged to bring in any props or music they might need. We can't wait to see the range of talents in our class - from magic tricks to musical performances, it's always a joyful event.

Thank you, as always, for your support.
Please make sure your child continues to bring a water bottle and hat each day, especially while the warm weather lasts.

Have a lovely weekend!

w/e 3.7.25

Here's a snapshot of the exciting learning that has taken place in our Year 3 and 4 classes this week:

English: Exploring Non-Chronological Reports
We have embarked on our new unit focusing on non-chronological reports. The children have been identifying key features such as clear headings, introductory paragraphs, subheadings, and the use of formal, third-person language. They have also been practicing how to group information into paragraphs and support their points with relevant details and examples.

Mathematics: Fractions and Time
In Year 3, we concluded our work on fractions, reinforcing our understanding of unit and non-unit fractions. We then transitioned into exploring time, learning to read both analogue and digital clocks, including those with Roman numerals. Year 4 students built upon this by delving into 24-hour time formats, enhancing their ability to read, write, and compare times across different clock systems.

Geography: The Journey of a Cocoa Bean
Our geography lessons took us on a journey tracing the path of a cocoa bean from farm to chocolate bar. We examined the stages of cocoa production, the challenges faced by cocoa farmers, and the environmental impacts of cocoa farming. This study linked back to our previous discussions on Fair Trade, highlighting the importance of ethical consumer choices.

Science: Understanding the Digestive System
In science, we explored the human digestive system, learning about the roles of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. The children discovered how each part contributes to the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Religious Education: Significant Christian Figures
Our RE sessions focused on important figures in Christianity and the concept of sacrifice. We discussed individuals such as Abraham, Moses, Ruth, and Mary, exploring how their actions and sacrifices have influenced Christian teachings and values.

Physical Education: Football Skills Development
In PE, the children have been honing their football skills, particularly dribbling and ball control. Through various drills and activities, they practiced maintaining possession, changing direction, and improving coordination on the field.

Art: Inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe
Our art lessons were inspired by the works of Georgia O'Keeffe. The students studied her technique of zooming in on flowers to create abstract pieces. They then applied this approach to their own artwork, focusing on details and experimenting with colour and form.

Reading at Home We kindly encourage continued reading at home, as it significantly enhances learning across all subjects and fosters a love for literature. We always enjoy hearing about your children's current favourite books!

Thank you for your ongoing support.

TALLAND'S CLASS BLOG: ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT - PICTURE OVERLOAD INCOMING...

It's been another memorable week at Polperro School.

On Wednesday, we celebrated our wonderful Year 6 pupils in their emotional Leavers' Assembly. The children shared special memories and highlights from their time at Polperro School, bringing smiles, laughter, and a few tears(!) to everyone in the audience. The day ended on a high with a fantastic Leavers' Party.

Talland Class had an exciting trip to St Michael's Mount on Thursday, where they explored the setting for their Cormoran and the Giant Killer stories. The visit brought their learning to life and sparked some brilliant creative ideas.

Meanwhile, Landaviddy Class were thrilled to receive a reply from King Charles in response to the thoughtful letters they wrote about protecting our seas from pollution.


Next week is a short school week. We are looking forward to seeing you all on Monday (21st July) at the FOPS Summer Fete which starts at 2pm.

On Tuesday, school will finish for pupils at 1:30pm. Please collect your children from the main gate, whichever year group they are in, as we will be saying a special goodbye to Year 6.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Hillman

This is the final full week of the academic year! It seems like only yesterday, we were welcoming the children back in September! We have had a full final week to finish this term. Before we even got to school on Monday, we were celebrating our winning entries at the Liskeard show! You may have seen the art and crafts that we entered at the weekend, and we were delighted to bring home not one but two first-prize rosettes for the third year in a row! Congratulations to all the children! On Monday, the weather (mostly) played ball for our sports day. The children had a great time trying the different games and activities, finished with the tradition that is the Year 6 Round-School Run! Thank-you to everyone who was able to come and cheer the children on! Tuesday saw the whole school have a great day at Hidden Valley. The children loved the maze and the mansion and worked hard at solving the puzzles. Thank-you to the PTFA for funding the coach and keeping the cost of the trip down. Their support for activities and fund-raising is invaluable and we thank their members for their continued support of the school. We were all star-struck on Wednesday with Class 2's amazing performances of "I'm an 11-year-old - Get me out of here!" The children have worked tirelessly - learning lines, positions and the songs and it all came together for two brilliant performances. We have some understudies step in last-minute and were amazing. Thank-you to the children for their hard work and to everyone who supported with learning lines and costumes. I am still processing the video of the performance, but this will be available on request next week. Finally, this afternoon as you read this, the children will be enjoying the summer disco! An opportunity for them to celebrate their successes this year and look forward to the summer as well as, in some cases, the next steps on their journey to secondary school. A reminder that, along with the leaver's assembly for Year 6 on Monday, next week the children can be collected for the holiday on Tuesday at 1.30. Can you please let us know if you are unable to collect your children at this time. Have a fantastic weekend and we're looking forward to seeing the children on Monday for the final few days.

As we come to our final full week of the year, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. If you are moving on from WPA, we wish you all the very best for the future. If you are returning after the summer, we look forward to seeing you again in September for another full year of learning and enrichment. We may be approaching week 8 of this term, but energy levels have been (just about) high enough for a bumper week. We've had Transition Day; various Year 6 events; Year 5's brass performance this morning and still a summer fayre this afternoon..what a way to (nearly) end the year!

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to our wonderful staff team. They really do give above and beyond. We are all so lucky to have such a dedicated, hardworking and caring team. I wish them all a very restful and deserved break.

Finally, a special mention to our Year 6 children who are transitioning to secondary school. After a fantastic production earlier this week, as well as the mid-week dance-a-thon, raising over £2000, they still have the Prom this evening; leaver's trip on Monday; leaver's assembly on Tuesday and the final parade out of school. Year 6, you are more than ready for the next step and we wish you all the very best for Year 7. We know you will continue to shine and take up all the many opportunities that will come your way.

Year Group News
To see more of the learning that has taken place recently, take a look at the fortnightly year group newsletters on the class pages of our website.

Last day of term - Tuesday 22nd July
Our car park can get a lot busier than usual at pick-up on the last day of term. You may wish to park off site and walk down. Wadebridge School have kindly agreed to allow parents to park in their car park that afternoon, as they are closed on Tuesday.

Please collect your children at the following times on Tuesday:
• 12:30 Nursery
• 13:00 Year 6 Parade - Year 6 will be cheered on their way out of school by all the children and staff. Year 6 parents (and any other parents wanting to join in) are invited to gather on the field (access via the side gate used for Sports Day) to watch.
• 13:20 Reception, Y1, Y2
• 13:30 Y3, Y4, Y5

Please note Bridge Kids After School Club won't be running; Breakfast Club running as normal.

Donations of Games/Puzzles/Small World
Do you have any good quality puzzles, Lego or small world items you could donate to school? If so, we would make very good use of them - please drop off at the office, thank you.

Hugs After School Bake Sale
Thank you and congratulations to Joe, from Year 5, for running the after school bake sale this week in support of The Hugs Foundation. You helped Joe raise a very impressive £166.50 for Hugs.

Congratulations Miss Lake/Mrs Bone
Yesterday the Year 1 team and children surprised Miss Lake with a pre-wedding extravaganza! We all send our very best wishes and congratulations to Miss Lake for her wedding during the summer break.

Become an MP for the Day
Please see below for a message from our MP, Ben Maguire.

I'm inviting young people across North Cornwall to take part in a new competition: MP for the Day.

The idea is simple - I want to hear what matters to them. Entrants can submit a short video (60 seconds or less) saying what they'd do if they were in charge for a day. Serious, bold, creative or funny - all ideas are welcome! I can't wait to hear what young people have to say!

With best wishes / Gans gorhemynadow a'n gwella,
Ben Maguire MP Member of Parliament
North Cornwall ES Livrel Weriniethor a-barth Kernow Gledh

Bridge Kids - ParentPay Booking System
Look out for an email next week with all the necessary information on how to book. We are just awaiting ParentPay to add the functionality to the system.

Vacancies - Breakfast Club Assistant and Lunchtime Supervisor
We are currently advertising for these two positions. Take a look on our Vacancies page for further details.

Wishing you a very restful and enjoyable summer break.
With very best wishes,
Chris Wathern 

Today the children thoroughly enjoyed watching two performances by Squashbox Theatre. Craig created Squashbox Theatre in 2007, a solo artist he creates quirky and inventive shows incorporating puppetry, storytelling, natural history, live music and comedy. Craig performed 'Wonderful World' and 'Myths and Monsters' for the children today and they were captivated.

It is thanks to the PTFA's fundraising and your generous donations that we are able to provide experiences like this for the children.

Chaipel have had a very D.T heavy week this week. We designed some functional gears using a range of different materials before selecting the one most fit for purpose. We then investigated how pulley systems work and created a system which could 'tidy up the floor of our classroom'. Verity and Elsie did an amazing job and created a pulley system that accurately fitted the design criteria.

Y6s have been working hard on their Leavers' assembly: we have had a couple of run-throughs this week and it is going to be a real tear-jerker! 

In other news, Sean has been in for our last Orwell Project art lesson where we created cards out of our creations to sell at the exhibition in the Autumn. The project has taken us on an incredible journey and the children are really proud of what they have achieved!

Congratulations to ARIA for being our Person of the Week; displaying our school values and being a role-model to her peers.

That's all from Team Chaipel: Miss Randle, Mrs Clary, Mrs Hodge and Miss Colton.

Hello everyone!

In this warm weather, we have managed to have 2 swimming sessions this week, which has helped us to cool down, as well as practicing techniques used for different swimming strokes. 

On Monday, we spent some more time with next year's Reception children who will be joining us in September. We also enjoyed a transition day on Tuesday, and had a taste of what it will be like to be in Year 1, or Year 2 in Penhallow next year. We discussed our favourite moments of being in Reception or Year 1 this year, and thought about what we would like to get better at next year.

Another highlight of this week, has been learning about the artist and designer Orla Kiely. We found and used different objects for printing with paint and rollers, looked at different patterns that have been created by the artist and sketched our own Orla Kiely designs, ready to print next week. 

Have a lovely weekend!

From The Penhallow Team

On Saturday 12th July, we held an open morning to show off our fantastic Early Years provision to prospective families. Over the two hours we were visited by multiple families whose children had the opportunity to explore the many wonderful delights of the classroom and outdoor area with their parents and carers. We were thrilled with the turnout and hope we will see all these families join Harrowbarrow in the future. A huge thank you to the Class 1 team for efforts in putting on this event and thank you to the PSA members who provided refreshments.





Music
Well done to all our junior children for their end of year performance last week. They had a lot to learn in a very short space of time and did an amazing job at learning words for the songs, the script and then all the dance and actions. Thank you to families who helped with costumes and, of course, thank you to Rachel Lane for her efforts to put the show together - it is a huge job. As you know, Rachel will be leaving at the end of term. It is fair to say, when we reflect on what she does for the children, Rachel is irreplaceable. Several parents have asked what is happening with music provision at the school next year. Abi Flashman will be the subject leader for music and we will continue to provide peripatetic music lessons through Harvey (guitars), Julie (brass) and Josh (piano). If you are interested in your child learning to play an instrument, please contact the school office. We also hope to continue the relationship Rachel has established with the Cornwall Music Service, who provided flute lessons to all our junior children this term through teacher Sally Butlin. These lessons culminated in Class 3 and 4 performing brilliantly to their parents and carers on Friday morning. Rachel has also had a teaching commitment which we have covered from September. I will be teaching both Class 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Ati Charlesworth will become fulltime, teaching Class 2 on Wednesday afternoons. Other provision delivered by Rachel will be considered in September, once we have had time to reflect on our capacity to deliver some of these things.

Staffing
Rachel Lane has been a feature of Harrowbarrow School for a long time and we will miss all she contributes. She has built a reputation for music provision at the school, which you would be hard to find in many similarly sized schools in Cornwall. We thank Rachel for many years of dedicated and passionate music teaching on top of all the other things she has done during her time at the school. We wish Rachel all the very best for the future.
Next year, we are able to increase our support staff provision across the school, which is always welcomed as teaching assistants play a vital role working with all children as well as those who require additional support. I am delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah Marley to the posts of teaching assistant and lunchtime supervisor from September. As a qualified teacher, with a background in STEM and environmental projects, Sarah's appointment will add a lot of additional expertise and we welcome her to the team. She will mostly work in Class 3 and Class 1.

Pupil Progress
Whilst academic outcomes in maths and English are only one way of measuring the impact a school has on children's education, they are an important indicator. This year, the children have risen to the high expectations of staff and performed strongly in many areas. I am pleased to share some of the highlights below.

EYFS: percentage of children securing a Good Level of Development - above the national average
Year 1 Phonic Screening Check: percentage of children passing this check - above the national average
Year 2 Writing: percentage achieving the expected level - above the national average
Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check: the average score for the cohort was above the national average
Year 6 Reading: percentage achieving the expected level - above the national average

Thank you to all the staff and children in achieving these fantastic results.

As we edge towards the end of term there are still some exciting events to look forward to:

14 - 18.7.25: Year 6 residential to Brecon Beacons
14.7.25: Choir to sing to Harrowbarrow Luncheon Club
21.7.25: Infants to sing to parents/carers in the covered playground (we will using this occasion to say a final farewell to Rachel Lane and present her with some gifts so please feel free to join us)
21.7.25: Year 6 leavers presentation in Class 4
22.7.25: Last day of term for pupils - please note school finishes at 1.30pm

Lappa Valley

We had a super time today at Lappa Valley! Have a look at some of the pictures below! In particular, thank you to Mrs Hood, Miss Marjeram, Miss Smith and the Polperro staff for all your help too!

This week, we have enjoyed Music lessons with Mrs Butlin and creating our clay pilchards in Art. We will be painting these next week! 

On Tuesday, we had our transition day. Year 3 had a wonderful time in Talland and are eager for their move to Year 4 in September. In Landaviddy, we reintroduced the expectations for next year as Year 3, had a go at portrait painting and created our peg and tray labels. We cannot wait for what Year 3 will bring. 

We hope you have a lovely weekend and look forward to seeing you next week!

Mrs Wilkie, Mrs Phillips, Miss Bowden and Miss Colton

Blisland Triumph at Harrowbarrow Cricket Match!

Blisland Primary is celebrating a fantastic sporting achievement after winning a cricket match against Harrowbarrow Primary School! On a sunny afternoon, nine pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 travelled to Harrowbarrow to take on their Year 6 cricket team in a friendly but competitive match.

The team showed great determination and teamwork throughout the game. There were some brilliant moments with the bat, with several players scoring confidently and showing excellent technique. However, it was Blisland's superb bowling performance that truly secured the victory. Each player bowled with focus and accuracy, keeping Harrowbarrow's batters under pressure and limiting their scoring opportunities.

The sportsmanship, encouragement and team spirit on display made us incredibly proud. It was a great example of how our pupils rise to a challenge and support one another.

A huge thank you goes to Mr Smith and Mrs Pengelly for coaching the team and organising transport to the match. Their support helped the players feel confident and prepared. Well done to all the players who took part-you represented Blisland with pride and showed real sporting excellence. We're looking forward to more cricket success in the future!