Hello Everyone,

What a lovely afternoon we have had this afternoon, learning all about the rowing challenge of oars of thunder. Thank you so much to the crew, who allowed all of the children to step onto the boat to see the equipment that the crew will be using. In school we enjoyed drawing pictures and writing letters to the crew, to thank and encourage them. We looked at some online maps to find out more about the route that the crew will take. As you can see, some of our children decided to reenact the experience of rowing. 

During our science lessons this week, Penhallow have been learning about the human body, as well as different categories of living creatures. We learnt about the features of mammals, and how different animals can be grouped into categories.

In maths, Year 1 have been learning about making 10 in different ways. We have used different apparatus and different ways to record number sentences. 

In English this week, we have been learning and innovating the story of ‘Orion and the Dark’. We ended with drawing our own story maps and using them to retell our own stories verbally.

This week, the children have chosen their own library books and have taken them home. We will have a regular weekly session every Tuesday, when children can change library books. Please can you make sure that library books are in school every Tuesday.

Have a lovely weekend,

From the Penhallow team.

Landaviddy class have had a fantastic week! We continued our Enquiry, 'What Makes the World Go Around?' by exploring the features of rivers in Geography and investigating what happens to our pulse when we exercise, in Science. We have also been working extremely hard on our handwriting this week!

Today, we were amazed by the Oars of Thunder crew, who will be undertaking a journey across the Atlantic in the next few months...and we were lucky enough to see what they will be travelling in. We had so many questions! 

During English, we have been concluding our character descriptions of Plop form the story 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark'. I have been so impressed with the stamina of the children's writing this week. We have had to use our growth mindsets to stay motivated. Next week, we will finish off our descriptions and then begin our non-fiction unit for this half term.

In Maths, we have concluded our Place Value unit and started working hard on developing our Addition and Subtraction knowledge. Year 2 have been using their number bonds to add and subtract within 20, find fact families and related facts. Year 3 have been busy adding and subtracting 100s, 10s and 1s. 

All of the children have been to the Library this week and chosen a book for pleasure to read at home. This may be a book they read independently or decide to share with their adults at home. Please continue to ensure your child brings in their colour-banded reading book into school daily.

*Year 2 Minibooks will be sent out again next week, as we are working through our new sound 'gn' and will continue this next week.*

Reminder - Wear yellow for World Mental Health Day
Next Thursday is World Mental Health Day and our School Council is asking pupils to come to school in MUFTI and wear something yellow to raise vital funds for Young Minds, https://www.youngminds.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/helloyellow/ and show children and young people they’re not alone with their mental health. A donation of £1 or more to Young Minds will be collected in class

We hope you have a lovely weekend and look forward to seeing you on Monday! 

Mrs Wilkie, Mrs Phillips, Miss Bowden and Miss Colton

We’ve had a busy September in nursery getting to know our new children and making new friends. We started the month talking about ourselves and our likes and dislikes and made collages that reflected our individual personalities.

We introduced the season of Autumn and discussed what we already know and what we’d like to learn. To help extend our understanding we have decorated and sent home Autumn treasure bags so we can collect items and return to nursery to show our friends.

We promoted our British values by using a voting system to choose our children’s interest role play area – the most votes went to a Fire station.

We introduced tooth brushing in nursery to promote good oral health and the children have done a great job keeping their teeth clean.

Giving thanks for a fantastic week...

This week, we have been watching the two new chicks growing before our very eyes! In fact, they have developed their voices so much in order to ask for food that they have moved into the room next door to us (Finnygook) to ensure we have peace for learning! We are eager to see what the next week brings as the next batch of eggs are due to hatch on or around Monday...

As well as being fortunate enough to continue with our extra-curricular Time to Shine cricket sessions with Chris, and ASONE violin sessions with Sally, we have been particularly busy in our core subjects. In English we have completed our drafts of our Brunel biographies and have begun writing them up onto information posters. We have been promoting presentation and handwriting as a school; I think you'll be impressed with the transformation in some of our handwriting already this year. Watch out next week to see some completed biographies, complete with illustrations and images...

In maths we have been persevering with our place value unit. Our focus has been on rounding numbers this week - all the way up to rounding numbers within 1 million! It is a tricky skill to master, but is exceedingly helpful out in the real world to ensure that we can judge 'roughly' how many things we will need for a project, how much 'roughly' shopping will be etc.

Our Religious Education topic for this half term is 'Christianity: What Would Jesus Do?'. This week, we analysed Christian prayers and had a go at writing a short prayer of our own: some giving thanks and some making requests for support for ourselves, or others. We were really impressed with how caring and thoughtful Talland class members can be - a great example of our school values and Issy manners in action.

Dates for your diary next week:
Monday 7th Oct - 1pm Harvest Assembly held in the hall (all parents and carers welcome to attend)
Wednesday 9th Oct - 2.30pm Parent Cafe being hosted by Mr Woolner (come along and have a chat, raise any questions you may have, share suggestions) 
Thursday 10th Oct - Mental Health Awareness Day (Children are welcome to wear something yellow to school)

TALLAND CLASS BLOG 4.10.24

What an 'eggsellent' week we've had in Talland class this week (excuse the pun)! Here's a brief run down of it...

Maths:
Both year 4 and 5 have completed their place value units and have moved swiftly on to addition and subtraction. It's always fun to get your child solving some addition and subtraction problems at home - especially when it comes to money - you can't have them short changing you now (joke)!

English:
The children have written up their instructions for helping a minaturised monster travel through a digestive system. They have been great to read!


Science:
We have begun our experiment to see what happens to an egg when left in a particular liquid for a week. What do you think will happen? Why not ask your child why we used an egg to replicate a tooth...

ART:
We've continued to experiment with white (to tint) and black (to shade) paint. We tried painting a mug this week -  First, the children draw the mug, then we added either black or white to the paint to show elements of where the light was shining on the cup and where is was most shaded. Talland did a fantastic job!

A massive thank you to the Oars of Thunder crew for bringing their rowing boat in to show and talk to the children about. The vessel will be rowed around the Atlantic - what an amazing achievement that will be once they have conquered it! We wish you all the best on your journey!

Attached are the spellings for both year groups next week. 

We hope you have  a spectacular weekend and we can't wait for Monday!

Signing off from Mr. Langley, Mr. Bishop and Miss Colton.

  

Another busy week at Polperro School has seen a visit from George Orwell’s son, Richard Blair, to discuss an exciting upcoming project involving writing, art and nature. The project will start next half term and will culminate in the children presenting their art and writing as part of the annual conference of Orwell Society which is taking place in Polperro in October 2025.

The World's Toughest Row We had an amazing visit today from the crew of Oars of Thunder, who spoke to the children about the World’s Toughest Row by Atlantic Campaigns which brings together teams from all walks of life to take on the unique challenge of crossing an ocean in a rowing boat. The team of four will be rowing more than 3000 Miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda . The race begins in early December 2024, with up to 30 teams participating from around the world. Our pupils will be following the team’s progress during the race with interest. The team (Sally, Kim, Nat and Harry) brought the boat, Oars of Thunder, onto the school field and all of our pupils were lucky enough to go onboard and have a look round.

Wear yellow for World Mental Health Day Next Thursday is World Mental Health Day and our School Council is asking pupils to come to school in MUFTI and wear something yellow to raise vital funds for Young Minds, https://www.youngminds.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/helloyellow/ and show children and young people they’re not alone with their mental health. A donation of £1 or more to Young Minds will be collected in class.

Harvest Assembly and Donations We will be holding a harvest assembly for the children in school on Tuesday 8th October with Reverend Allen. We are collecting donations for the foodbank in Liskeard. If you would like to donate, please send your donation in with your child or bring it to reception where there will be a collection box. There will also be a collection point in the nursery. We will be taking donations to the foodbank at half term.

School Open Morning Do you know anyone looking for a school for their Reception age child in September 2025? If so, please pass them the attached information regarding our open morning on 13th November, 9:30 – 11am. 

Spooky Discos we will be holding Spooky school discos on Thursday 24th October, the last day of this half term. Tickets are on sale in the office and cost £3. The disco for Reception, Year 1 and year 2 will be from 3:15-4:15pm. Pupils should bring a change of clothes and will be able to change after school. KS2 (years 3-6) children should go home at the usual time of 3:15pm and then return to school for their disco which will be from 4:30-6:00pm. Please find attached a poster for this event and the FOPS Quiz which will be held on Friday 15th November.

We Are Music (WAM) Pupils from year 3 to year 6 are welcome to attend the WAM music ensemble, led by Mrs Butlin, at Looe Community Academy (Music Department) on Monday’s 4pm-4:45pm term time. The first two sessions are free then it is £3 per week. To book a place please email wam@cmst.co.uk if your child is interested.

Have a lovely weekend

Mrs Hillman

What a brilliant start to Y2 the children have made!

We started by discussing the rules every day in the first week so that we are really clear on what is expected of us.
Lots of us are already earning certificates for showing our school values in different ways.

In our English work, we have been looking at 'The Diary of a Wombat' and picking out the features of diaries.
We linked this to our 'Great Fire of London' topic and finished the unit by writing a diary of 'Maureen' the rat, who was an eye witness in the Great Fire. 

Maths has been mainly about place value, reading, writing and comparing numbers. We have started each lesson with daily counting in twos, fives and tens.

In History, we have learnt about the events of the Great Fire, why and how it happened. We have compared fire fighting equipment, past and present and also tried to place events on a timeline. We are very much looking forward to the fire brigade visiting us in a couple of weeks so that we can learn about how fires are dealt with nowadays.

This week Year 5 have engaged in a variety of enriching activities across Maths, English, and History. Here’s a look at our recent learning experiences:

This week in Maths, students focused on enhancing their skills in addition and subtraction.

Addition Techniques: We concentrated on adding multi-digit numbers that included exchanging. Students practiced breaking down numbers to simplify calculations, which fostered a deeper understanding of place value.

Subtraction Strategies: We explored various techniques for subtraction, including number lines and the traditional column method. Students were encouraged to ensure proper alignment of numbers to minimise errors.

Practical Application: Through engaging word problems and interactive games, students were able to see the relevance of addition and subtraction in real-life contexts, reinforcing their learning in a fun way.

In our English lessons, we came to the end of a creative writing project inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Story Development: Students were guided in crafting traditional narratives, focusing on key elements such as setting, character development, and plot structure.

Creative Expression: We emphasized the importance of vivid descriptions and character motivations. Students worked on developing unique plots that incorporated themes of adventure and conflict.

Some of the final drafts are now proudly displayed in our corridor for the rest of the school to enjoy.

In History, students continued their exploration of Ancient Egypt, enhancing their understanding of this fascinating civilization.

• Timelines: We focused on creating timelines to visualize significant events in Ancient Egyptian history, such as the construction of the pyramids and the reign of notable pharaohs. This activity helped students understand the chronological order of historical events.
• Research Projects: Students conducted research on various aspects of Ancient Egyptian life, including religion, daily activities, and technological advancements. Each student selected a topic of interest, which culminated in informative presentations to the class.
• Developing Historical Skills: Through these activities, students began to develop skills in critical thinking and analysis, essential for any historian.

This week has been marked by significant learning and growth in Year 5. Our focus on addition and subtraction in Maths, the creative exploration of narratives in English, and the deep dive into Ancient Egyptian history have all contributed to a well-rounded engaging week of learning!

Following Instructions

Another busy week has flown by! The highlight has definitely been our English lessons which have focused on instructions. The children carefully followed the instructions to make Paddington's favourite snack - a marmalade sandwich! They were absolutely fantastic at using the instructions to carry out each step and Paddington kept a watchful eye on their progress! It was agreed that the best part of all was eating the yummy marmalade sandwich at the end!
We are all looking forward to planning our own instructions for making a different sandwich next week.
 

Trips, Residentials & Experiences
Year 6 all had a fantastic evening last Friday, playing games, eating a fish and chip supper, watching a film and managing a few hours of sleep! Thank you to all the staff involved for providing this opportunity for Year 6 – we all had a great time. Next up, we have the Year 3 Sleepover in November – please see the email sent home yesterday for further details of how to sign up. We have an exciting range of trips and experiences planned for all year groups throughout the year. Check out the email sent home today for more information.

SEND Coffee Morning – Wednesday 9th October from 08:30
Mr Smith and Mrs Clayson will be organising a half-termly coffee morning with a focus on different Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) themes. They will also be joined by other guests, such as autism advisors, family support workers and the mental health support team. Their first coffee morning is next Wednesday 9th October, particularly relevant for our Nursery and Reception parents (although everyone welcome). Claire Harris, a specialist Early Years Inclusion worker will be attending and Mrs Yates will also call in to answer any questions.

Coffee Morning & Shared Reading Workshop – Friday 11th October from 08:30
Next Friday after drop off, Mrs Reeve is also hosting a coffee morning and sharing some tips on helping your child with reading at home. Everyone is welcome! We look forward to seeing you there. For both coffee mornings, just come along to the office after drop off, and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Well done Salvador!
Salvador ‘Braved the Shave’ for Macmillan Cancer Support. Thank you to all of his sponsors and cheerleaders. He has raised an impressive £235 and will donate his long hair to The Princess Trust. Everyone is very proud of you, Salvador!

Harvest Food Collection for Wadebridge Foodbank
Thank you for the generous donations ready to send on to the Wadebridge Foodbank. Your kindness will help those in need of food and toiletries and is very much appreciated.

Eco Council
Did you know your child can borrow a litter picker from school to help keep Wadebridge tidy? Just ask your class teacher or Mrs Harrison to borrow one (not forgetting to return after use). If you’re able to take any photos of your child in action helping to keep our environment tidy, please email them to aharrison@wadebridgeprimary.co.uk and we can add them to our Eco Council display. Thank you for your help.
From the Eco Council

Year 3 Jaguar Adoption
Last year our current Year 3s hosted a Rainforest Cafe as part of their Year 2 wider curriculum learning and to raise money and awareness. They explored the effects of climate change and deforestation on the rainforest. Thank you to the parents and grandparents for attending the Rainforest Cafe and helping them raise money. As a year group, they voted to adopt two jaguars from the WWF as well as donate funds to plant trees. Today in our Celebration Assembly, both Year 3 classes were presented with their adoption packs, which included their new class mascots (names to be confirmed...) The jaguars join our two adopted orangutans that are safely being looked after by our Year 4s. We look forward to doing the same again with our current Year 2s and adding to our animal collection!

House Points
Congratulations to this week’s winners, Cormorants. For a third week running, Swans have the most overall points, but their lead is narrowing:

Swans – 1358
Choughs – 1000
Cormorants – 997
Puffins – 910

FOWPA Bake Off and Cake Sale – Monday 21st October (Hall)
All children are invited to get creative and bake cupcakes, cookies or traybakes for a HUGE bake sale in the school hall on Monday 21st October from 3pm. Each home-baked entry needs to be dropped off at the school hall on Monday 21st October after drop off in the morning. Please label all plates/boxes/containers with name and class, so these can be returned to your child’s classroom. Each entry MUST come with an ingredients list for allergens…PLEASE REMEMBER WE ARE A NUT FREE SCHOOL…and without the list we sadly cannot sell your yummy bakes! The winners of each year group will be presented with a certificate and commemorative tea towel in assembly by Mr Wathern. All of your yummy bakes will be sold at the end of the school day. Please feel free to donate what you see fit during the sale. All children and parents/carers are welcomed, and all proceeds go towards FOWPA fundraising initiatives for WPA. Let’s get creative…HAPPY BAKING!
From FOWPA

Cornish Winter Fair and Prime Stock Show
The Cornish Winter Fair and Prime Stock Show will be taking place at the Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday 23rd November. It is always fantastic to see the wonderful entries from children at our school on display. If your child would like to enter, the entry information and children's classes are listed below.
Entry closing date is Monday 4th November 2024
Please send entries to: Wadebridge Prime Stock Show, The Showground, Wadebridge. PL27 7JE
Tel: 01208 814489
Email: livestock@royalcornwall.co.uk

7 Years and Under (On 23rd November 2024)
165 4 chocolate crispies
166 An animal created from a pine cone/s
167 A paper plate mask

11 Years and Under (On 23rd November 2024)
168 4 butterfly buns
169 A Christmas tree decoration, to be hung
170 A miniature garden (standard seed tray size)

Hall for Cornwall Colouring Competition
HfC are running a colouring competition with the chance to win tickets to see the Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. The winner will be selected week beginning 14th October. For your chance to enter, further information has been sent home via email.

Dates coming up next week
Monday 7th October
Year 4 Swimming

Tuesday 8th October
Year 6 Swimming

Wednesday 9th October
08:45 SEND Coffee Morning with Mr Jonathan Smith and Mrs Donna Clayson
Year 1 – Mark's Ark Encounters (experience in school)
Year 3 Swimming

Thursday 10th October
Year 5 Swimming

Friday 11th October
08:45 Coffee Morning & Shared Reading Workshop with Mrs Paula Reeve
Nasal Flu Vaccinations

Have a fantastic weekend! 

All Things Orange...

This week in Lantic Class we have been very busy making marmalade sandwiches to help us with our instruction writing.  The children really enjoyed making them however, some were less keen when eating them!!  Paddington must have a different palate than the children...

In Science, we helped astronauts as we discovered they wear nappies!!  We needed to find out what was the most absorbent material - we found that cotton wool was slight better than sponge at soaking up water.

During history, we learnt how the Great Fire of London started.  We discovered that it was over 350 years ago (long before Mrs Stevens and Miss Sleep were born!) in 1666 in our capital city, London.  It started when a spark from the Bakery oven lit up the wooden buildings along Pudding Lane (it had been a hot summer and the buildings were built very close to each other).  We also experimented creating flames using chalks in our art lesson today.

In Guided Reading we sequenced how to make a jam and peanut sandwich after watching a video where we saw how important it is to make sure the instructions are VERY clear.

And what we've noticed is lots of our learning is orange based! The colour not the fruit... 

It has been another great week for Daymer class!

On Monday, half of the class went to St Anne's to celebrate Active Aging Week! They joined in with some chair yoga and stretched their brains with a tricky quiz! It was great fun!

We celebrated National Poetry Day 2024 by taking part in a Guinness World Record attempt for the world's largest poetry lesson! Please see the post below this one for a special recording for the children and a copy of the poem and THANK YOU letter!

On Wednesday, we enjoyed learning more cricket skills with Cricket Chris and on Tuesday we learned dodging skills in PE (netball).

In Science, we've been learning about three different types of rock (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic) and how they are formed. We've already modelled some in edible form and are learning a song, with actions to help us remember. So this week we put on our safety specs and investigated which rock would make the best material for a statue of Mr Woolner! What a crazy idea!

On Thursday, we learned about Harvest thanks to the NFU live lesson, ahead of our Harvest Assembly on Monday.

The children have been developing their SHAPE for learning well this week - can they tell you what this means?

On Thursday next week, we are celebrating Mental Health Awareness day, where the children are welcome to wear something yellow and we will be exploring different ways of keeping mindful. There is also a Parent Cafe next Wednesday at 2.30pm.