Penpol Primary School

Visit to Langage Farm BioDigester

6th June 202315th May 2023 by Jacob Woolcock

Today was very exciting – a trip to Langage Farm (just outside of Plymouth) to meet Ewen McClelland for a guided tour of their Food Waste Recycling facility. We learnt where the food waste comes from and saw it’s journey from being unloaded from the back of a lorry (in the smelliest room in the world!) right through to becoming clean Methane Gas which is then used to power two generators to create electricity.

We got to explore the whole processing plant, including standing on top of a giant tank which contained many, many tonnes of biodegrading food waste!

Nursery Admissions Policy

15th May 2023 by Chris Chislett

Penpol School Nursery Admissions Policy

Radio Cornwall: “Cornish school’s Innovation Project earns them a trip to America”

1st June 202312th May 2023 by Jacob Woolcock

Ada, James and Ethan were interviewed (live on air!) by Julie Skentelbery to hear how their Food Waste project has earned them a place in America, as well as discussing what going to America would mean to these students.

You can listen to their interview here.

BBC Spotlight: “Students Race Across the World with LEGO”

3rd June 202311th May 2023 by Jacob Woolcock

Today we were joined by BBC Spotlight, who came to visit us at Penpol to learn about our Food Waste project and how we’re fundraising to get to America. They interviewed us and filmed lots of clips of our Robot in action.

The program aired on TV and we received lots and lots of donations from people in Cornwall though our GoFundMe page straight afterwards – thank you everyone!

We’ve been invited to represent Great Britain in an International FIRST LEGO League Final in Massachusetts!!!

1st June 202310th May 2023 by Jacob Woolcock

This morning we broke some very exciting news to the Penpol Pumpkins – and filmed their reaction! They thought they were reading lines off the screen to make a video for the Council, but that wasn’t quite the whole story.

Here they are discovering the very exciting news!

Year 5 Residential at the Mount Batten Center

24th June 202310th May 2023 by Nic Stanlake

Last week the majority of Year 5 headed on the Train to Plymouth for a three day residential; not content with the one mode of transport we then headed across Plymouth Sound on a ferry. The Mount Batten Centre is a Water-sports centre based right on the water front. Here we spent the week orienteering, bell boating, giant SUPing, climbing and abseiling.

Rafting

The children set off in their white water rafts on to the calm waters of Plymouth Sound where they had to work together in teams to paddle and steer around the buoys to race each other in a friendly race. They then had the opportunity to jump in, a real challenge for some but one in which the children accepted.

Climbing

We had the opportunity to take advantage of the onsite climbing and bouldering wall. Again an activity that required strength, flexibility and teamwork as the children were responsible for ‘spotting’ and belaying their friends and class mates.

Bell Boating

The bell boating was quite leisurely. That was until we payed a game where you had to drop your paddle between the two boats and crawl to the back to catch it before we paddled off without it!

Abseiling

It was on the abseiling and ladder that many children felt uncomfortable but many a fear was conquered. The still images of the ladder do not show how violently it wobbles as you try to climb it! The sheer nature of the ladder meant that every run the children climbed was a huge step in conquering the fear of heights some possess. The abseiling was not only fun and exciting but provided the opportunity to look over over the sound to Barbican and beyond. The abseiling was the firm fan favourite amongst the children.

SUP

The giant stand up paddle boards should be renamed to ‘ the giant sit on paddle boards’ as standing and balancing with 7 to 8 other people was neigh on impossible but boy did the children give it go! The paddle boards again required a huge amount of team work as well are core strength.

Beach Clean

One evening we went for a wander and stumbled upon a small beach; here the children decided to perform a beach clean. This was particularly pleasing as in class we have been studying the topic of conservation and the dangers of plastic pollution. We found lots of different things which we disposed of safely as well as some shells and sea glass to bring home with us.

Orienteering

After the extensive work we have undertaken learning how to orienteer at school, this was a walk in/near the park. The children needed to use their map reading skills to find some clues. These clues were then work different amounts of ‘Mount Batten Money’ which the children exchanged for different materials to protect and safely bring an egg down to land from the balcony- here we had differing levels of success.

School residential are a wonderful way for the children to show a slightly different, more relaxed side to themselves. The provide a wonderful opportunity to spend a night or two away from family, some for the first time and try lots of different things they would maybe never have done before. Residentials are brilliant and this one was no different.

Keep Dancing! – Danceathon 2023

5th May 20234th May 2023 by Jono Peck

On Thursday 2oth April, the Penpol School community came together for an afternoon of dancing to raise funds for Shelterbox. This all began following the devastating earthquakes in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria in February this year. Our Year 6, as well as many of us, were upset by the event and wondered what we could to to help those families in need. We knew that Shelterbox, a Cornish based charity, was directly helping those families in these areas by providing emergency shelter and so decided that this was the perfect charity in which to raise funds for – https://shelterbox.org/turkey-earthquake/

Led by Y6, on a perfect sunny afternoon, all pupils across school danced in the style of Wake and Shake for 30 minutes non-stop on the KS1 and KS2 playgrounds. Parents, Guardians, family members and friends, as well as Penpol Staff, also joined in to make it a real community event. It was fantastic to see everybody smiling, dancing and fully embracing the Danceathon. To date, the school community has raised over £1200 for Shelterbox – an outstanding effort! So many of you donated towards this total but a special shout out must go to: Billy (£34); Zach (£40); Ivy (£30); Bobby (£55); Betty (£100); Sully (£31); Sabina (£40); Myla (£90) and Evie (£40) who raised great amounts! Many thanks also goes to Mrs Turner and Mrs Loughlin who led the dances all afternoon!

Kate from Shelterbox then attended Penpol on Friday 21^st April and hosted assemblies for the children to learn about the work they do and where the money will go. They were extremely grateful for the hard work and effort from us all and the money raised (£600 at that point). Kate showed us a message from Dave from Shelterbox who had been in Turkey during the crisis thanking Penpol for our efforts. The money we have raised will support families by helping them with shelter and an opportunity to rebuild their lives. Well done Penpol! Keep dancing!

Year 5 Find Their Way Around Orienteering

1st June 202330th April 2023 by Nic Stanlake

Over recent weeks Year 5 have been learning how to orienteer. Some may say a dying skill with the maps we now have readily available on smart phones and watches but a valuable one none the less. We have been ;earning how to read a compass, grid references and also, most importantly, a map and its symbols.

Through PE we have had the opportunity to practice these geographic skills by racing around our school site to find the permanent control points. The children have loved the element of competition with their peers as well as the freedom to explore the school site.

The culmination of our block of orienteering was a day in the woods. We headed to Tehidy Country Park with our maps in hand and set to work on finding the control points set out around the 250 acre site (we didn’t cover it all though) The children had great fun zipping and zooming around in the hunt of the control points in small groups with their adults struggling to keep pace (no names mentioned!) hence the lack of orienteering photos.

After a well deserved lunch the children set to work building dens; here they had the opportunity to put their first school skills learnt back at Penpol into action with a plethora of different branches and trees to choose from.

In addition to den building we also out the children’s trust and communication skills to the test with a very carefully constructed ‘blind trail’. This consists of a partner leading their blindfolded partner through a boggy wooded section of Tehidy with only a guideline and their voice. Without clear instruction there was a risk of bumped heads on overhanging branches; soggy bottoms from the muddy sections and wet feet from the river crossing.

Year 4’s Term of Magic Extends to St Michael’s Mount!

“Penpol pupils are curious, creative and courageous learners. Our school community believes in authenticity as the foundations of deep-rooted learning. Through our rich and relevant curriculum, we nurture community-minded, forward-facing international citizens of the future.”