"Christmas Tree oh Christmas Tree!"

The Christmas countdown has begun and the advent calendar has a few windows open. Here are some photos of the class solving the treasure hunt at the Christmas Tree Festival. We were lucky enough to walk down to St. Nicholas and Faith Church yesterday to see them all. It was incredibly festive and it put us in a Christmassy mood. 

In English, we have been writing our Jack and the Beanstalk stories. So far we have started out story by introducing and describing Jack. Here are some of my favourite extracts from their work:

"...his emerald-green eyes, bright and wide with curiosity."
"Jack was a young , adventurous boy with hopes and dreams."
"He was as scrawny as a plucked chicken with hair like liquid copper."

In maths, we have continued our work on shape by finding missing angles in quadrilaterals and polygons. Next week, we will look at circles and drawing shapes accurately. 

I hope to see you all at Hunt the Issy tonight and the lantern parade tomorrow. 

Have a great weekend!

Miss Burton

Thank you and Merry Quizmas!

Thank you to all who attended our Christmas Quiz afternoon in class. We had a great time and it was lovely to see so many of you there. 

All teams did really well with some tricky Christmas questions and the even trickier picture and anagrams round.

Well done to all!

It's been a great week at Darite. Thank-you to those parents and children who braved the weather on Saturday at the Liskeard Lights Up parade. It was wet and wild but the children represented the school amazingly and the lanterns got lots of praise from the crowds! It was lovely to see the parents and carers in the hall on Tuesday for Class 1's "Crafternoon". The decorations look amazing and it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Talking of Christmas, the reindeer run for St Luke's hospice was a great success again yesterday. The children looked amazing and their antlers really set the mood! Sarah from the hospice was amazed by the money we raised all of which will go to support this charity. Next week is our nativity on Thursday. Tickets are selling like hot cakes so get them on ParentPay while you can! Children should also have come home with a sheet of raffle tickets for the PTFA raffle. There are some great prizes on offer so please, if you can offer them around, all money raised will support the school. If you need more sheets, let us know! Can I again remind you that if your children are going with another parent, please let the office know either by phone or email before 12.30. If plans change after than time, please email Mrs Lake or myself so that we can release the children. If we do not have confirmation from a parent or carer, we will have to contact you to check which can delay the end of the day. We appreciate that sometimes plans change last minute and we will contact you if that is the case. Thank-you for your understanding. A reminder too that the final day (Friday the 19th) is a half day and children can be collected at 1.30. If you will be unable to collect your child, can you let the office know so we can plan accordingly. Finally, we are lucky to be part of the Parental Engagement Framework this year. This is a county-wide initiative designed to further link the community, parents and school together to support all members of the school community on aspects that are important to school and the future. Part of this work is working with a parental "Steering Group". This is a small group of parents or carers who will work closely with myself on guiding this process so that it benefits the school. If you would like to be part of this group, please let Mrs Norris know and I will arrange a meeting with you in the new year.

We have been busy with rehearsals for our Christmas performances all week and are very much looking forward to seeing Nursery perform on Monday, Penhallow Class on Tuesday, and Landaviddy Class on Thursday next week.

Choir Well done to our wonderful choir, who sang beautifully for the residents at Atlantis Care Home yesterday afternoon. They certainly helped to put everyone in the Christmas spirit!

Football Congratulations to our football team, who played brilliantly in their second match yesterday despite the pouring rain. The final score was 6-3 to Downderry in spite of Polperro's huge efforts and excellent teamwork.

Polperro Christmas Lights and Lantern Procession Saturday 6th December, before the Christmas lights switch-on in Polperro, there will be a lantern procession. Willow lanterns, handmade by children at the school, will be available for the children to carry. Each lantern has been created collaboratively by groups of pupils from all our classes, and the materials have been generously funded by the Christmas Lights Committee. Children, accompanied by their parents, should gather at TURNTABLE PIZZA, Big Green at 4:30pm to collect a lantern, ready to set off promptly at 4:45pm. If your child carries a lantern, please ensure the cane is returned to school afterwards so it can be reused next year. Please note that although school staff will be present at the procession, children remain the responsibility of their parents at all times.

Kernow Health Flu Clinics Kernow Health will be running flu clinics at various locations across Cornwall in early/mid-December, by appointment only. Contact details 01872 221105 or email kernowhealthcic.schoolimmunisation@nhs.net for further information or see attached poster for details.

Blackbird Pie Magazine Did you know that parents/carers can access Blackbird Pie magazine for free on BorrowBox using their library card? If the printed copy is lost, crumpled at the bottom of a school bag, or simply never made it home, it's quick and easy to read the magazine on any personal device. BorrowBox is completely free to use with a Cornwall Libraries membership and offers instant access to Blackbird Pie along with a wide range of children's eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines - perfect for days when families need inspiration for things to do. If you aren't already members, you can sign up for FREE online in minutes or pop into any Cornwall Library.

Diary Dates The last day of term is on Friday 19th December and school will finish at 1:30pm. Monday 5th January is an INSET day, therefore the first day of the Spring term for the children is Tuesday, 6th January.

Have a lovely weekend.

It has been a busy week at Team Brunel and we still have Hunt the Issy this evening and the Lantern Parade tomorrow evening on Saltash Fore Street. The children attending will be able to collect their lanterns from Drill Hall HQ from 5:30pm tomorrow evening. In the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy this week's edition of The Brunel Bulletin.

Thank you to Duchy College for hosting a great cross country event. Some of our running club members took it to the field and all placed in the top 50 of their age categories - well done to you all. A special nod to one of our runners who placed 2nd and received a lovely certificate of congratulations! 

Autumn

We had a great afternoon with Polruan artist Louise Kidd. This is the second visit we have had from Louise to teach the children print making and the this time, the developed layering techniques using stencils to create their pieces. We will use these prints to make greeting cards which we will sell at our up-coming Christmas events.

Preparations for the Christmas play are in full swing, with practice and prop making. The children are fully invested in this and most are now able to remember all their lines, where to be and when to - thank you for helping with practising lines at home! The prop making crew are creating some fantastic pieces to help bring the action to life. It is beginning to look a lot like a Christmas pantomime.

Next week, we are singing at the Community Group Christmas lunch Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday afternoon is dress rehearsal, and the play performance is Thursday 1pm in the village hall. 

Have a lovely weekend
Mr Twaite and Mrs W

It has been a wonderfully festive and hardworking week in Year 2/3 as we move closer to the end of term. The children have embraced every challenge and activity with enthusiasm, and we are incredibly proud of them.

Christmas Show Rehearsals:
Our main focus this week has been preparing for our Christmas show. The children have been practising their lines, learning songs, rehearsing movements and supporting one another beautifully. Their confidence is growing by the day, and they are very excited to perform for you next week. Thank you for all the support you have given at home with practising lines - it really shows.

English:
We have begun a brand-new English topic this week: animal survival fact texts. The children have started exploring the features of non-fiction texts, identifying headings, subheadings, technical vocabulary and key information. They have enjoyed discovering new words and learning how writers help readers understand how animals survive in their habitats.

Maths:
Our maths learning has continued in two exciting directions:

·       Year 3 have moved on with addition and subtraction using formal column methods, including calculations that cross a ten or a hundred. They have been working hard to line up digits correctly and explain their reasoning.

·       Year 2 have been focusing on shape, naming 2D and 3D shapes, talking about their properties and beginning to sort them using different criteria.
It has been lovely to see both year groups growing in confidence and independence.

Christmas Tree Festival Visit:
On Thursday, we visited the Christmas Tree Festival, and the children were an absolute credit to the school. They showed respect, curiosity and lovely manners throughout our visit. They also had great fun taking part in the festive treasure hunt, searching the decorated trees for items on their list. It was a joyful, sparkly morning and we were so proud of how beautifully they represented the school.

Sewing Stockings:
Our stocking sewing has continued this week, and the children are becoming more confident with threading, stitching and tying knots. A huge thank you to all the parents, grandparents and helpers who supported the children with their sewing - your help makes such a difference and is greatly appreciated.

Here's what has been going on at Harrowbarrow this week:



Speak Out. Stay Safe.
Following their assembly and workshop on the theme of speaking out to stay safe, Class 4 children created eye catching posters which will be put up around the school to signpost children to Childline should they ever need to talk to someone. I ran the workshop with Class 4 and was really impressed with the maturity they displayed during discussions about the types of abuse young people can suffer and how to keep themselves safe.



Infant Theatre Trip
This week, I had the pleasure of accompanying the infants to Sterts to see a performance of The Ugly Duckling, which was brilliant and, judging by the looks on the children's faces, thoroughly enjoyed by all of them. For children to see stories brought to life through drama is such a powerful thing.

Design Technology
Thank you to those parents who were able to attend the exhibition of soft toys made by Class 4. Weren't they good? Next up, Class 3 are continuing work on their model pavilions. If we have time, we will be inviting parents and carers to come and see the finished work in another after school exhibition.

Father Christmas
In a change to our usual routine, Father Christmas won't be visiting Harrowbarrow before the end of term but don't worry, he is still planning to visit everyone on Christmas Eve! Instead of supporting Santa's visit with a gift for the children, the Parent Staff Association will be sponsoring a special event at the school in the spring term - watch this space!

Contacting the School Office
Please note, Amy Souch works in the school office from 8.30-1.30pm Monday to Friday. At all other times, the office will be unattended. However, we have staff listening for the doorbell and answer phones messages will be picked up by Lesley Connell, who gets an alert on her iPad when one is left.

Where possible, we try to promote local events and activities that are beneficial to our school community. Here are a few things you may be interested in:

Holly Jolly Christmas Fair - always popular with our families



Kelliwik Mini-Kickers - a football opportunity for reception and Year 1 boys and girls



Barnardos Young Carers



Plymouth Argyle - their first team might be having a terrible season, but the club are still running a number of community opportunities!



Flu Immunisation - Cornwall NHS are seeing a spike in flue cases this year. Immunisation rates have been low so, if your child missed out, you can access this through a community clinic:



For more information: 01872 221105 or email kernowhealthcic.schoolimmunisation@nhs.net 

Tregantle Class Blog - What an Exciting Week!

This week has been full of festive fun and magical moments for Tregantle Class!

On Tuesday, we went on our class trip to Plymouth Theatre Royal to watch the 'Father Christmas' show. We travelled by train from Saltash to Plymouth, which was an adventure in itself! The children had a wonderful time-enjoying the journey, the enchanting performance, and even a special picnic inside the theatre.

On Thursday, we visited St Nicholas and Faith Church to explore the Christmas Tree Festival. The children loved taking part in a treasure hunt around the church and were thrilled to spot our very own Brunel Christmas tree on display!

To add to the excitement, we also had our first school disco this week. There was plenty of dancing, popcorn, and Christmas cheer to go around.

We've also been busy practicing our singing for our upcoming performance of 'Fleece Force,' which will take place next week. The children are working hard and sounding fantastic!

What a wonderful and exciting week it has been for Tregantle Class!

Christmas Crafts Afternoon

On Tuesday, parents joined us in school for a Christmas craft session. 
Little foresters worked to make hand print trees, whilst Jays and Eagles focused on making bird feed decorations for our trees in the garden. When the children had completed their decoration it was hung outside. It made quite a mess! But, lots of fun was had. Thank you to all the families that joined us, our current parents and some new faces too. It was a fabulous way to kick off December. 

This week we enjoyed the story of Stickman. The children looked around our outside area for some good sticks to make our own Stick men and Stick ladies.

We used pipe cleaners for their arms and legs, and the children found it a tricky challenge to wrap them around but they all persevered! We then stuck googly eyes and some leaves for hair, and we had created our own stick people.

During our phonics this week the children listened to the story of the Three Little Pigs, and our activities included listening to and identifying sounds from the story, making character sounds, and following sound patterns.

We have had discussions this week of the changing season from Autumn to Winter.  We talked about what changes we may notice, from the trees looking different, to the weather feeling even colder, to what clothing we may wear, and what animals may go into hibernation for the winter.  The children could not believe that some animals stay asleep for so long!

We will start to see the transition into the exciting part of Autumn Term 2, with the start of Christmas role play areas being in place in pre-school.  If you wish your child to bring in Christmas cards for their friends, unfortunately we cannot hand out class name lists, but the children's first names are all on the pegs in the foyer area.

The Pre-School Team.

Welcome to this week's edition of The Brunel Bulletin. This is your weekly update of all the latest news and events from our wonderful school. We hope you enjoy browsing through the 50th edition of our newsletter. It has been a busy week where we started the week with Mousehole's class assembly, embraced National Cinema Week and our Year 5 children have enjoyed their Lantern Workshops this week with special visits from the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Well done to Year 5 and their families who paraded their fantastic lanterns through Liskeard on Saturday evening. It was lovely to be there with you all and watch the tree illuminated followed by fireworks and entertainment! A lovely event that was very well organised and attended. A fitting start to this festive period.

Another busy week has flown by in Chaipel and we are fully immersed into our retelling of the Mayan folktale, THE HERO TWINS. We will be continuing this into next week, as the tale gets to its dilemma and resolution stages. Will the Hero Twins be victorious? Let's wait and see...

 In Maths, we have be assessing our understanding of the four operations (addition/subtraction/multiplication/division), and identifying vertically opposite angles in our Friday Shape and Measurement lesson. Next week, Y6s will move onto Fractions - identifying equivalent fractions and ordering and comparing them.

Our Christmas play rehearsals are going well and we will be endeavouring to practise without scripts from Monday. 

In our Wider Curriculum, we have been researching the benefits and drawbacks of a range of energy sources in Geography, identified the qualities of a Saviour in RE, learnt about the incredible life of Roberta Cowell in PSHE, observed Mayan artifacts in History and created our 3D lanterns for the village's Light Switch-On next Saturday.

CONGRATULATIONS to Chilali for being our Person of the Week, showing EXCELLENT values in her Mayan narrative write-up.

Take care and have a lovely weekend,

Miss Randle and Mrs Clary