A Sunny Start to the Summer Term at Blisland Primary School

We’ve had a fantastic first week back at Blisland Primary School following the Easter holidays! The sun has been shining, and pupils have returned full of energy and excitement, ready for a busy and fun-filled summer term.

In Nessa Class, pupils have launched straight into a fascinating new history topic all about the Anglo-Saxons. This term, they will explore who the Anglo-Saxons were, why they came to Britain, and what life was like during this important period in history. Pupils have already begun investigating where the Anglo-Saxons settled and how they shaped the Britain we know today. It's been wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm as they dive into this new learning adventure.

In English, Nessa Class pupils are channelling their creativity into writing an exciting sports narrative set in the magical world of Harry Potter. Using the thrilling sport of Quidditch as inspiration, pupils are developing characters, building tension, and crafting action-packed scenes full of magical twists and turns. We can’t wait to see the finished stories – there are already some brilliant ideas flying around!

Meanwhile, in Kensa Class, the new topic is "How Does Our Garden Grow?" Pupils will be learning all about plants, what they need to survive, and how gardens and natural environments change through the seasons. There is already a real buzz in the classroom as pupils explore seeds, flowers, and the life cycles of plants.

To bring this topic to life, we are hoping to organise an exciting visit to the Eden Project, where pupils will experience the incredible diversity of plant life from around the world. It will be a wonderful opportunity to deepen their understanding and see real-world examples of how gardens and ecosystems thrive. More details about the trip will be shared with parents very soon! It has been a brilliant start to the term, and we are looking forward to all the learning, adventures, and sunshine still to come at Blisland Primary School!

Copper Valley Careers Fair

The Copper Valley Infant site held a careers fair for the whole school. The children learned about a wide variety of careers, having some wonderful experiences and asking lots of thoughtful questions.


Our visitors included a vet who is also a farmer, a  dog groomer, a dog walker, a health and safety manager, marine engineers, an oil tanker driver as well as information about working for the National Trust!

We are so grateful to all of our visitors for giving us their precious time and for showing us some of the many careers out there in our locality.


Hopefully, some of the children will be inspired to pursue some of these careers themselves!

If we can't go to the museum, the museum will come to us!

While Truro museum is undergoing refurbishment, the staff, along with many of their artefacts, have been using the Library Service van to come out to schools. Year 6 were lucky enough to be able to hold real primary source artefacts from both the Roman and Ancient Greek eras.

We had to wear special gloves so that we wouldn't damage the precious artefacts and we learned all about what these items can tell us about the time they originate from. 

One of the favourite objects was something that baffled us. Being placed among the oil lamps, we assumed it was also an oil lamp, however, it turned out to be a baby's bottle made out of pottery!

Welcome to the Summer Term!

We have had a lovely start to the new term, exploring our enquiry question: ‘How does your garden grow?’

In science we learnt about the process of pollination. We watched some short video clips which showed how pollination occurs and Year 1 children drew a comic strip to explain the process themselves. We enjoyed examining parts of flowers, including the parts where the pollen is taken from.

Our English learning this week, has been based around the story of Peter Rabbit. We familiarised ourselves with the story and wrote a character description of Peter. We re-told the story verbally, and drew a story map of the events.

Our art lesson this week, involved studying bluebells and sketching different parts of the flowers. The children excelled themselves with some extremely careful observational sketches. We then used watercolours to practice mixing the right colours and shades.

We have also been enjoying practicing songs which will be performed at ‘The Big Green’ and we look forward to seeing you next Thursday afternoon if you are able to be there.

Have a lovely weekend!

From the Penhallow Team

What an amazing first week back!

We have got off on a running start this first week of the term. In Literacy, we have begun a new unit on writing an information text. This week, we first looked at a variety of non-fiction books and discussed some of the common features they all shared. Then, we looked at an piece of information text to see what key elements we could pick out to include in our Writing Toolkit.

In Maths, Year 1s continue to explore Place Values to 50 while Year 2s have begun an exciting unit on Fractions.

In History, this term we are exploring the History of Aviation. This week, we explored the story of the Wright Brothers with Miss Walker and discussed their contribution to flight.

In the meantime, in Science, we explored the difference between things that are living, non-living and those that were once alive to start off our new unit on Living Things and their Habitats. And of course with the weather playing ball, we took the rest of the lesson outside to go on a "Things Hunt." We had some really interesting debates on the carpet about the difference between non-living things and things that were once alive. If paper is something that was once alive because it is made of trees, then is a basket ball the same because because rubber comes from trees?

This term, in Music, Class 2 are exploring Pitch and Melody and on Wednesday, we had a fun session with Mr Hunt, followed by a creative exploration of Jyll Bradley's installation at the Box to kick start our Art unit on Playful Making.

Key Dates and Information

MONDAY: PE
WEDNESDAY: Swimming 

Please find attached below, the KIRFs for this half term.

The Summer Term has already started with an action packed week.

In English, we have been finishing our persuasive argument about who should appear on the next £10 banknote. Through the power of democracy, we chose as a class to focus on Queen Elizabeth 1. Ask your children what reasons they have decided to include her. 

In maths, we have been focusing on reasoning questions and we spent a few days looking at telling the time and timetables. 

In PE, we started our unit on football. The children were practicing their dribbling skills in the sunshine and we focused on tactical skills on whether to dribble or pass. 

Our new geography topic is 'Would you like to live in the desert?' Please see the knowledge web below. We started by looking at different biomes across the world and finding out what the main features of a desert are.

The week ended with Brunel day; what a fantastic day it was! We started by completing a reading comprehension all about him and then answering grammar questions focused on his life. After that, we learnt about on of his creations: Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. We then practiced our drawing skills by creating a piece of art work which showed our talents in cross-hatching, stippling and shading. In the afternoon, we went down to Lantic Class and helped them to make trains in groups. I was overwhelmed by how mature the year 6 children were. They were brilliant role models and helped the young children extremely well. 

With SATs week fast approaching (12th -15th May), I will be holding a parents information evening on Wednesday next week (30th April) to explain all about it and answer any questions. I hope to see you all there.

Have a brilliant weekend!

Welcome back everyone! I can't believe we have reached the Summer term already! 

We have been rounding off our previous enquiry in Science, by learning about the function of flowering plants and identifying each part. Can you recall what the sepal is and what is does? We even went outside and picked daisies, which we then looked closely at to see all the different parts. 

Our enquiry question for this half term is 'How does the weather affect our environment?'. Across the half term, we have a lot we plan to cover. In DT, we will be exploring cooking and nutrition, following recipes and designing our own healthy wraps. During Computing, we will be exploring emails and how these work. Geography lessons will focus on weather and how we can measure and record the changes in weather around us. We will also be developing our Team Building and Basketball skills during PE lessons this half term! 

In English, we have started a new unit on writing persuasive letters on plastic pollution. We have already learnt a lot about how plastic is destroying marine life and littering Cornish beaches. We have thought carefully about what it means to persuade and even held our own debates this week on the topic. Over the next few weeks, we will be writing letters to convince King Charles to do more to prevent the pollution of our local beaches. 

During Maths this week, both year groups have started a new unit on Mass and Capacity, with Year 2 measuring mass in grams and kilograms, and Year 3 measuring mass by reading scales with accuracy in grams.

Congratulations to George and Frankie for being chosen as Landaviddy's People of the Week!

As the weather begins to get warmer, the pool will be open and ready for us to dive in! Please make sure you bring in your swimming costumes, towels and swim hats ready for this. 

Have a super weekend and we can't wait to see you all on Monday! 

Mrs Wilkie, Mrs Phillips, Miss Bowden and Miss Colton

TALLAND'S CLASS BLOG 25.4.25

Happy Summer Term 1 everybody. We hope you had an amazing Easter break and ate your body weight in chocolate – I gave it a good go!

The children have returned in high spirits and have been eager to get learning. This term our enquiry question is: What’s pulling the strings of our world? Talland will be building a pavilion type structure in Design and Technology, continuing with their art work for the Orwell Project, air resistance and gravity in Science, the Kingdom of God in RE, using the MICRO:BITS in computing, investigating extreme weather in Geography and exploring cricket and outdoor activities in PE. Yes, it is an action packed term and I can’t wait for Talland to learn all about it!

This week:
Maths:
Year 4 have begun learning about shape and year 5 have delved into perimeter and area. 

English:
Talland have written their description for a castle independently. Next week, they will edit and improve and write it up in top copy.

Art: 
Sean (our artist) came in and showed us how to upscale a piece of art. Talland definitely have some budding artists in the making! 

PE:
This term we will have cricket on a Tuesday and Outdoor Activities on a Thursday. As the weather is about to turn nice (hopefully), the swimming pool will be ready for use. Therefore, could you please make sure that your child has their indoor/outdoor PE kits and their swimming costumes, towels, goggles and swim hats.

DT
We had lots of fun today constructing structures that are strong and sturdy with the use of sweets and cocktail sticks. Talland were learning about how to make a structure that is durable and has secure foundations.

CONGRATULATIONS to Arnie for being noticed this week for his positive attitude, enthusiasm and kindness. 

That's all from Talland class this week. We hope you have a fantastic weekend!

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

After learning about farm animals we went to visit Ferry farm. We had a great time meeting and learning about the chickens and sheep. We enjoyed a walk in the woods where we collected interesting natural objects and also had great fun exploring the farm vehicles.

We learnt about why Christians celebrate Easter and then had great fun hunting for chocolate eggs outside.

Science and Engineering

The Summer Term has already started with an action packed week of events running alongside the normal curriculum. These have included: a writer's workshop and a visit from the Royal Science institution delivering science in a memorable way for children, and adults, to remember. The week culminated into a whole day of learning about Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As you can see in the pictures, the children worked effectively in small groups to build a bridge which would bridge a 30 cm gap and hold the weight of a model vehicle. The children were amazing. They talked extensively about how they could strengthen their bridges by using triangular and cylindrical shapes. The element of surprise and achievement shows magnificently on their faces when they tested out their very own bridge structures. 

best wishes,

Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry and Mrs Walters.

What a Brilliant Brunel Day!

Today, the children at Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy have had a truly unforgettable time celebrating our very first Brunel Day — marking the month in which Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born and honoring the incredible legacy of the man who inspired the name of our school.

It was a fantastic day full of STEM and art, where creativity and curiosity came together. Our pupils learned all about Brunel’s life and the remarkable impact he had on engineering and design.

They had the chance to design and build bridges, create stunning artwork, and best of all, collaborate across year groups to build their very own trains! A huge shoutout to Jane in the kitchen, who added to the magic of the day with her delicious train-themed biscuits at lunchtime  — a big hit with everyone!

The day wrapped up with a joyful celebration of learning, showcasing all the amazing things the children had achieved together. Another incredible week at Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy — we’re so proud of our brilliant learners!

Happy First Week Back!

It's been a lovely week, with Chaipel creating come amazing artwork with Sean on Wednesday. Our foci was scaling and collaboration: children working together to create an image which connected seamlessly when their art work was combined. Everyone worked extremely diligently but a shout-out to Nuala and Imogen whose work not only covered the remit but had depth, texture and perspective. Well done, girls!

We have been planning our Tudor narrative in English, bringing our protagonist to life and then deciding their fate as they race to free Anne Boleyn from her impending execution.

In Maths we have been learning about units of measure and had a really productive lesson in reading timetables today. Next week, it's shape and angles - our protractors are at the ready!!

Our new enquiry is... Is Change Inevitable?
We are looking at population change, climate change and evolution and inheritance, charting the journey of Darwin on HMS Beagle. We will look at his discoveries and see for ourselves how living things can adapt to their environment in order to survive.

Congratulations to our People of the Week: Nuala, Imogen and Sienna for demonstrating our school values and being role models for the rest of the school.

That's all from us, so have a lovely weekend!

Miss Randle, Mrs Clary, Mrs Hodge and Miss Colton.

**KS1 Weekly Blog – Splashing into Summer!**

What a fantastic week we’ve had in KS1! Our week began with a splash as we had our **very first swimming session**! The children were amazing – full of enthusiasm, confidence, and smiles. It was wonderful to see everyone giving it their best, whether it was their first time in the pool or they were already little fish! We’re so proud of how well they listened, followed instructions, and supported one another. We can’t wait to see how their skills grow over the coming weeks.

In English, we’ve been diving into the world of fiction and non-fiction. The children have loved exploring different types of books, spotting the differences between made-up stories and real-life facts. We’ve been asking some brilliant questions and sorting texts into categories – future librarians and authors in the making!

Over into Science, we put on our explorer hats and went on a mini beast hunt! We investigated **microhabitats** around the school grounds, carefully looking under logs, leaves, and stones to discover where different creatures like to live. The children were so curious and respectful of nature – it was a joy to see.

**Forest Friends Club – Our First Adventure!** This week marked the exciting start of our **Forest Friends Club**, and what an amazing first session we had! The children began by exploring the forest area, getting to know their surroundings and spotting all sorts of natural treasures. There was so much excitement as we ventured through the trees, listened to birdsong, and discovered hidden corners of our woodland space. One of our favourite activities was making clay minibeasts and woodland animals. Using natural materials like twigs, leaves, and stones, the children got wonderfully creative and sculpted everything from snails and spiders to owls and foxes – their imaginations truly came to life! We also had a brilliant time with den building, working together to create secret shelters using branches, logs, and lots of teamwork. The mud kitchen was busy too, bubbling with muddy potions and messy creations, while the dinosaur small world setup inspired some fantastic storytelling and role play. It was a joyful, muddy, and magical start to Forest Friends – we can’t wait for our next session! Well done to all of KS1 for another week of fantastic learning and fun! 

w/e 25.4.25

Welcome back! We hope you all had a restful and joyful Easter break. It’s been wonderful to see the children return full of energy and enthusiasm for the term ahead. They’ve settled beautifully back into their learning routines and have already made a fantastic start. Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

English – Wow Words Galore!

In English, we’ve been diving into some exciting vocabulary work, focusing on Tier 2 ‘wow’ words to really boost our descriptive writing. These words help children to express themselves more precisely and powerfully. We’ve been exploring their meanings, using them in sentences, and discussing how they enhance our writing. You might hear some impressive new words popping up at home!

Maths – Multiplying the Fun!

Maths has been buzzing this week! We’ve been:

• Practising our times tables in fun and interactive ways,
• Exploring length, converting between units (like metres and centimetres),
• And continuing our work on fractions, developing our understanding of parts of a whole.

The children have shown great resilience and reasoning skills—brilliant work all round!

History – Illuminated Beginnings

Our new history topic is titled "How Hard Was It to Invade and Settle in Britain?" We launched it with a creative and engaging ‘Wow Starter’—exploring illuminated lettering, just like the early medieval manuscripts. The children were fascinated to learn about their history and significance and even had a go at designing their own!

RE – Exploring Muslim Festivals

In Religious Education, we began learning about Islamic festivals and their importance to Muslims around the world. We’ve started to look at the values behind these celebrations and how they are observed. The children have shown great respect and interest—ask them about what they’ve discovered so far!

PSHE – Building Positive Relationships

This week in PSHE, we’ve begun our focus on relationships. Through stories and discussion, we’ve explored themes such as kindness, empathy, and how to be a good friend. A thoughtful and reflective start to this important topic.

PE – Sprinting into Summer!

Our athletics unit kicked off with some energetic sprinting sessions! The children practised their starting positions, learned about technique, and gave it their all on the track. We’re very excited to welcome a coach from Argyle Community Trust starting next week to help us develop our skills even further.

Please remember: PE kits every Wednesday this term!

A Visit from the Royal Institution of Science!

One of the week’s biggest highlights was a special visit from the Royal Institution of Science! The children were wowed by exciting demonstrations and investigations linked to climate and global change. Not only were the experiments thrilling, but they also delivered important messages about looking after our planet. A truly inspiring experience!

Friday 25th April

What a wonderful first week back at school.

The children have come back so enthusiastic and ready to explore and learn!

This week in English we have started to read a story called Mr Gumpy’s Outing. As a fun way to introduce this story, we went on an outing around the school. We crept through the KS2 corridor and spied on all the children on our outing, it was so much fun!  We learnt the story using actions and a story map.

In maths this week we have been building numbers greater than 10. We used egg boxes and pom-poms to help us understand that numbers greater than ten and less than twenty have a ten and some more. For instance: 15 is 10 and 5 more.

In phonics this week the children have started level 4. We have been exploring adjacent consonants ( when two consonants make a sound /lk/st/). The children have been reading so well.

The RNLI came into school this week and told us all about staying safe near water. 

On Wednesday we celebrated and explored St Georges Day. The children were fascinated about the story of St George and the Dragon and it sparked a very good discussion about whether it was a real story or not! We completed lots of wonderful activities all about St George.

Today was our Easter Crafternoon, and it was great. It is wonderful when parents come into class and can share some of the fun we have.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend

The Foundation Team 

This week and next we are welcoming new children to our Nursery family so everyone is busy helping them settle without their grown up, helping them to get used to a new environment and starting to making new friends.

Our new story for this half term is 'We're going on a lion hunt'!

We are secretly hoping that we don't find a lion, but you never know!

We'll be looking at the journey that the children take and the animals that they meet on the way as they hunt for a lion.

This book has a similar layout to another well known story; do you know what it is?