SATs & Hoodies!

It has been a few weeks since Year 6 sat their SATs, but all the staff at Copper Valley would like to say how very proud we were of each and every one of our children!

They came in each morning smiling - yes, smiling - enjoyed their lovely social breakfast together and then knuckled down calmly and with confidence to see what each day brought. 

If there were nerves, we did not see them; if there were wobbles, we did not feel them; if there were doubts, they did not show.

Year 6 have worked so hard all year and shown exactly what a fantastic attitude to learning really looks like. They took the whole week in their stride and we know that they will have done their very best.

On Friday, Year 6 were rewarded with a very chilled-out day and there was also the lovely surprise that their leaver's hoodies had arrived - cue photo shoot!

May

In Science this half term, we have been learning all about Electricity.

We have made our own circuits, adding different components, drawn scientific circuit diagrams, problem-solved circuits which don't work and carried out an investigation into which factors might affect the brightness of a bulb in a circuit.

In History, we have been learning about some figures from our British past - many of whom we had not heard of before - in order to decide whose face would be the most deserving to appear on a new British banknote. 

Our Art project is developing nicely. We have been designing our own 'Tag', researching graffiti artists and we have begun to think about ideas for a piece of environmental wall art. The aim is that our designs will be brought to life as huge pieces of art on a currently very boring wall on our grounds.

The next step is for the children to share their ideas to produce one of 4 final pieces and then we will all be helping to get them up on the wall - watch this space!

Thank you so much to Ed Hart for visiting us today to launch the Summer Reading Challenge which will run up until September. Ed will come back and visit us in October to deliver special certificates and medals for super star readers. Get signed up and get reading!

Our first week back after half term was a short one with Fridays Inset day.  We hope you all had a fun day if you took the opportunity to visit the Royal Cornwall Show.  It was definitely the better day for the weather!

This week we have started to introduce our Summer Term 2 enquiry question 'How do we stay healthy' - we have been talking about all things fruit and vegetables! We sorted lots of different foods into healthy and not healthy groups.  This opened lots of fun discussions about why we have certain foods as a treat and others are better options to keep us healthy.

We talked about names of fruits vegetables and shared with each other what ones we had tried and if we liked them or not.

This topic has been a great way to expand their imaginations and language during their explore and learn time in our Cafe and Mud Kitchen role play areas.

This week also seen us complete our Liskeard Show art entries.  Inspired by our Spring topic around gardens and planting seeds, we have entered our own 'Springtime Garden' artwork.  Look out for it if you visit Liskeard Show on Saturday 11^th July.

The pre-school Team

World Ocean Day

Today, the Storytellers celebrated World Ocean Day by taking part in a variety of ocean-themed activities. The children explored a large ocean play mat, using sea animals and ocean resources to create their own underwater adventures while developing their communication, imagination and storytelling skills.

The children also enjoyed making shell prints in playdough, carefully pressing shells into the dough to create different patterns and textures. This encouraged curiosity, fine motor development, and discussions about the creatures and objects found by the sea.

We created our own mini ocean sensory tray where the children explored what belongs in the ocean and what does not. The children sorted different items, identifying rubbish and discussing why it should not be in the sea. This activity helped to develop their understanding of caring for the environment and the importance of keeping our oceans clean to protect marine life.

April/May

We hope you had a lovely Easster and enjoyed the half term with the sunny weather. 

In the ARC we use a 'Totally Communication System'. This involves using visuals, symbols, Makaton, AAC devices, sound buttons, photographs and objects of reference. This enables the childreun to have the use and means of communtication in many different ways. 

During activities we play games where the child needs to choose between a few items pointing to the correct visual/symbol of their choice. Once this is established, the child and adult plays with the choosen item (making a choice). When the game is coming to a natural end there are symbols for 'more or finished'. We use these and makaton to investigate whether the child is ready to finish or do more.

When we engage the children in group activities such as 'Fun with Food', the children have visuals to help explore their senses. This encourages the children to look, touch and if they want to taste the item of food. At the end of the session the children can both sign and point to the correct symbol to indicate whether the 'liked or didn't like' the food.

Our morning routine starts with a song to encourage and invite the children to come and sit down. At this point we using symbols and the AAC device to find out the day, weather and the season we are in. We also look at who is packed lunch/school dinners and how the children are feeling. Here the children can put their picture up onto a appropiate visual. 

The children enjoy using different means of communication and this enables them and the adults that work with them to have a better understanding of their wants and needs. 

Hello everyone,

This week began with bikeability for our Reception children. As you can see, they thoroughly enjoyed it and improved their skills of balance and co-ordination.

We have all been very busy this week, practicing songs for The Polperro Festival. We have all been able to use percussion instruments to accompany our class song that we have been learning, and hope that you will enjoy what you hear very soon.

Our English lessons this week, focussed on Duffy's Lucky Escape, by the local author Ellie Jackson. We read the story and found vocabulary that we could use in our own writing. We also found examples of alliteration and used this to write our own lines of a poem.

We have also been enjoying some art this week, where we have used different objects such as bubble wrap to print sea creatures.

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

From The Penhallow Team

First week back after a glorious half-term, and Class 2 have hit the ground running again. 

The highlight of the week has been our stop motion animation finale in Computing. We worked with our partners to review the animation we made before the break and corrected all the bugs we could identify in our animation. Then, after a lot of discussions and adjustments, we created our final animation. Then, we took time to reflect and self-evaluate our end product.

In Maths, we have finally completed our unit on telling Time using an analogue clock. In Literacy, we have written the first paragraph of our diary entries and edited it by adverbials of time. In Science, we continued our enquiry into living things and their habitats by looking at food chains and the importance of understanding food chain to see how everything in this world is interconnected. In PSHE, we had a very active and interesting conversation around physical contact between friends and how the definition of appropriate physical contact differs between us. In RE, we took time to reflect on our learning from the previous unit on Christian aspect of the good news to talk about how friendship, peace and forgiveness can also help us in our own lives.

In History, we continued our enquiry into the English Monarchy by comparing the two monarchs we have been learning about - William the Conqueror and Charles III - to understand how the monarchy has changed over time.

Finally, a very well done to Lilly R for getting her London Achievement Award. 

Please note that this half term, we do not have a new KIRF. Instead, we will be using the time to consolidate our understanding of counting up in 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s. This was our KIRF focus in the Autumn term 1, and so please use the suggested activities in KIRFs_Year 2 Aut1 sheet to practice these skills at home with your children.

TALLAND'S BLOG 4.6.26

Hoping everyone had fun in the sun last week! It's been a lovely start to Talland's final half term together - I know it will be a great, action packed term!

Here's a snapshot of what we've been learning:

Maths:
Year 5 have begun their unit on decimals and percentages where we have been investigating equivalent fractions and decimals.

Year 4 have been brushing up on their multiplication skills as they have their times tables check tests next week. Lot's of the children have clearly been practicing! Final push over the weekend would be GREAT!

English: 
We have been putting our drama skills to the test in English this week as we embark on preparations for the the Polperro Festival. We're getting excited!

PE:
This term, children will be in the swimming pool with Mrs. Hillman and partake in athletics with me (Mr. Langley).  

CELEBRATIONS:
Congratulations Reuben, Taran and Charlie for earning their next badge in our 99 club challenge! A great effort from Callum this week -fantastic effort with our songs for the Polperro Festival and working hard on his part for the production.

That's all from Talland Class this week. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and look forward to seeing everyone next week.

Signing off, Mr. Langley and Mr. Bishop.

What a fantastic and busy first half of the summer term we have had in our classroom! The children have worked incredibly hard across all areas of the curriculum and should be very proud of everything they have achieved.

In English, we completed our unit on characterising speech, where we explored how authors use dialogue to reveal information about characters and move stories forward. The children developed their understanding of how speech can help readers learn more about a character's personality, feelings and motivations. We have now begun an exciting new unit based on Robin Hood. Over the coming weeks, the children will be planning and writing their own "through the portal" stories. This will be a wonderful opportunity for them to demonstrate their independence and apply all of the writing skills they have developed throughout the year.

In Maths, we have been focusing on fractions. The children have learned how to identify and create equivalent fractions and have practiced comparing and ordering fractions with increasing confidence. They have shown excellent perseverance when tackling challenging problems and explaining their mathematical thinking.

Our Science lessons have centered on plants. We investigated the conditions plants need to grow and thrive, exploring how water, sunlight, nutrients and space all play an important role. The children enjoyed learning about the different parts of plants and how each part helps the plant survive and flourish.

In History, we travelled back in time to discover the fascinating world of the Ancient Egyptians. We explored the key features of their civilisation, including their beliefs, achievements, daily life and famous pharaohs. The children were particularly interested in learning about pyramids, mummification and the importance of the River Nile.

In PSHE, we discussed different roles and responsibilities within our communities. We reflected on the people who help us every day and considered how their work supports and benefits others. These conversations encouraged thoughtful discussions about gratitude, respect and responsibility.

PE lessons have focused on cricket, where the children have been developing their striking and fielding skills. They have enjoyed learning new techniques, working as a team and improving their coordination and game awareness.

Finally, in Art, we created beautiful Egyptian-inspired scrolls for our art exhibition. The children carefully layered paper to make their own papyrus before painting detailed Egyptian-style designs. The finished pieces looked fantastic and showcased both their creativity and craftsmanship.

Phew! What a busy and successful half term it has been. We are looking forward to all the exciting learning still to come this summer!

Despite the rather wet start to the week, our Year 6 children took part in their Bikeability sessions, developing their skills and confidence in cycling safely on the road. On Wednesday, our Reception children also enjoyed balance bike lessons, practising their coordination and control.

Across the school, children have been busy rehearsing for their performances in the Polperro Festival, and have enthusiastically begun their new Cornish-focused enquiries as follows: Penhallow: What Makes Cornwall a Special Place?; Landaviddy: What's on our Doorstep?; Talland: Why do we need the Sun?; Chaipel: Did the Punishment always fit the Crime over Time?

Whole School Art Project This half term, each class will be working with local artist Sean Hewitt to create artwork inspired by the work of Peter Lanyon and the Cornish landscape. Every child will have the opportunity to produce an original piece of art which will be showcased in a special exhibition later in the term. We are delighted that this exciting project is being generously funded by the Polperro Arts Foundation. Keep an eye out for further details as the project develops.

Polperro Festival Reminder that the Polperro Festival School's Day is on Tuesday 16th June from 11am- 2:45pm. The day will begin with the children singing and class performances will begin at 1pm after lunch. We will send final details of the programme out next week.

Caterlink - Online Food Allergen & Intolerance Form All parents of pupils with a food allergy or intolerance should complete the online food allergen and intolerance form CTL - Food Allergy & Intolerance Form V2 . The completed form must be supported by appropriate medical evidence. Please refer to the attached leaflet for further information. Pupils with a lifestyle or religious choice (such as halal or vegan) will not need to complete this form. If your child is already receiving a special diet through Caterlink, please complete the form and select 'Already being catered for - no change to allergens'. This will notify Caterlink that no changes are required and that the form does not need to be processed until the next menu cycle update.

Reports We will once again be using our Insight system to send end-of-year reports this year. The system uses the email addresses registered on Arbor and reports will be sent out in July. Please take a moment to check that your email address on Arbor is up to date to ensure you receive your child's report without delay.

Wear Yellow Day, Friday 12th June A reminder that next Friday we will be holding a MUFTI Day. Pupils are invited to wear something yellow to help raise awareness and support the work of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. We kindly ask for a donation, with a suggested minimum contribution of £2. All funds raised will go towards supporting the charity's vital work.

Tomorrow is an INSET day. We look forward to seeing the children back in school on Monday 8th June.

Mrs Hillman

A Warm Welcome Back to Year 3!

We hope everyone had a wonderful and sunny half-term break.

We have dived straight back into learning and have been busy practicing for the Polperro Festival. The children are doing an amazing job, and we are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm and dedication. A huge thank you for all the props that have been brought in-they are helping to bring our performance to life. The children have been working really hard on learning their lines and projecting their voices confidently for the audience.

We will continue rehearsing during our English lessons over the coming weeks as we prepare for the festival. We are looking forward to sharing all of the children's hard work with you soon!

This term, we have launched our new enquiry question: "What's on Our Doorstep?"

To begin our learning journey, we discussed places we have visited and what we already know about the history of Cornwall. The children shared some fantastic ideas and experiences, leading to some thoughtful discussions about our local area. We also talked about what we would like to find out during this topic. The children came up with some wonderful questions, including learning more about Cornwall's population and how farming has changed over the years. We are excited to explore these ideas further and discover more about the history, geography, and communities that make Cornwall such a special place.

This week in Computing, we started our new topic, Data Handling. We explored the concepts of records, fields, and data through a fun activity based on a game similar to Top Trumps, using monster cards. The children examined the different fields on each card, including speed, strength, appetite, and intelligence. They compared the data in each field and discussed how information can be organised and used to make comparisons. It was a fantastic introduction to data handling, and the children enjoyed developing their understanding through this engaging and interactive activity.

A huge congratulations Esme for being awarded Pupil of the Week! Esme has really shown determination in maths this week, she was finding a concept particularly tricky but I was impressed with the way she didn't give up and persevered, well done Esme!

A big congratulations to Evie for achieving your 99 club badge this week - a fantastic effort. Well done everyone!

Miss Bolton 

We have had a busy and exciting week in class! We were delighted to welcome Adrian Chapman from Blast from the Past, who delivered a fascinating workshop all about Brunel. The children learned about the incredible tunnels, railway stations and boats he designed, and had great fun putting their engineering skills to the test by building their own bridges. They also enjoyed investigating a range of historical artefacts and working out what they might have been used for. In science, we have been exploring the different parts of an egg, learning about the role of each component, including the albumen and how it protects the yolk. In English, the children have now completed their final write-ups of their Oliver Twist-inspired stories, and it has been wonderful to see their creativity and developing writing skills. In maths, Year 6 have been focusing on substituting numbers for letters in algebra, showing great problem-solving skills, while Year 5 have been building their understanding of equivalent fractions, percentages and decimals. What a fantastic week of learning!

Thursday 4th June

Some of this week's learning

We have had a lovely first week back, beginning the last half term of this academic year!

I English this week we have started to explore a new story The Rainbow Fish! The children have really enjoyed learning this story using role play, a story map and by using their oracy skills to sequence the story. We have also made our own rainbow fish using lots of creativity.

In maths this week we have been concentrating on shape! We have continued to sing our 2d and 3d shape songs, which we LOVE in Foundation. The children have been learning to use shapes for purpose and exploring how to rotate shapes!   

Our BIG question this half term is: Where would I bury my treasure?

So, this week the children have been designing flags to go on a ship, making underwater pirate pictures, selling ice cream in our role play area, and exploding shells. In PSHE the children have started their 'changing units of work and this week we drew around one of the children and labelled parts of our bodies!

We have completed lots of other activities too!

We wish you a wonderful INSET day tomorrow and weekend

The Foundation Team