This week has been full of exciting learning experiences and memorable moments! In English, we have been focusing on writing the story of The Magic Bed from memory. Everyone has worked really hard to remember the key events, use descriptive language, and sequence the story correctly. It's been wonderful to see such creative ideas and imagination coming through in our writing.

In Maths, we successfully completed our unit on mass and volume. The children have shown great understanding when comparing, measuring, and estimating different weights and capacities. We have now started a brand-new unit on multiplication and division, which is already proving to be a fun and engaging challenge for the class.

In PE, we had the opportunity to try our hand at cricket. The children showed great enthusiasm and picked up the basic skills quickly. We even spotted some fantastic fielders during our practice games—excellent teamwork and quick reflexes all around!

During our PSHE lessons, we have been learning about friendship and how to be a kind and caring friend. We also explored the idea of personal space, discussing how to recognise when someone feels comfortable or uncomfortable with things like cuddles or holding hands. These important conversations are helping the children build empathy and respect for others’ boundaries.

In History, we continued our learning about Florence Nightingale. We began by recalling everything we’ve learnt about her life and work so far. Then, we looked more closely at the huge impact she had on hospitals. The children were fascinated to compare what hospitals were like before and after her contributions and were able to explain why she is such a significant historical figure.

Our Music lesson was an exciting one this week as we had a special session with Mrs. Butlin, who introduced us to the ukulele! The children were thrilled to have a go at playing, learning how to hold the instrument properly and strum a few basic chords. There were lots of smiles and laughter throughout the lesson.

To top off a lovely week, we enjoyed a fabulous picnic on the school field yesterday. The sun was shining, and it was the perfect opportunity to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and celebrate all our hard work.

We’ve had a wonderfully creative and hands-on week in Years 3 and 4, filled with storytelling, scientific discovery, historical investigation, and exciting physical challenges. Here's a look at what your children have been learning:

 English – Imaginary Worlds Come to Life

This week, our budding authors embarked on a journey into imaginary worlds. They began by designing their own fantastical settings, drawing inspiration from their vivid imaginations. These illustrations served as the foundation for planning the opening of their own stories. The focus was on crafting engaging introductions that set the scene and introduce characters, aligning with the national curriculum's emphasis on developing narrative writing skills in Years 3 and 4 .

Maths – Fractions and Shapes

In Maths:

• Year 3: Students explored fractions, learning to recognise, find, and write fractions such as 1/3, 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects, or quantity. They also practiced writing simple fractions and understanding equivalence, such as recognizing that 2/4 is the same as 1/2 .

• Year 4: The focus was on geometry, specifically identifying and classifying shapes, understanding their properties, and exploring symmetry. This aligns with the curriculum's goal of enhancing spatial reasoning and geometric understanding in Year 4 .

 Science – Magnetism and Compasses

We concluded our unit on magnetism by investigating how compasses work. Students learned that a compass needle aligns itself with Earth's magnetic field, always pointing north. They explored how this property has been historically significant for navigation. This hands-on exploration helped solidify their understanding of magnetic forces and their practical applications .

 Design & Technology – Castle Designs

In Design and Technology, the children applied their knowledge of medieval structures to design their own castles. They considered features such as turrets, drawbridges, and moats, ensuring their designs met specific success criteria. This project encouraged creativity and practical application of design principles .

 PE – Standing Long Jump with Argyle Coach

This week's PE sessions were led by a coach from Argyle, focusing on the standing long jump. Students practiced proper technique, emphasising balance, coordination, and explosive power. This activity not only improved their physical skills but also introduced them to athletic events in a fun and engaging way .

 RE & Computing – Exploring Beliefs and Digital Literacy

In a combined RE and Computing lesson, students explored various religious beliefs and how they are represented in digital media. They discussed the importance of respectful representation and learned basic skills in creating digital presentations to share their understanding. This interdisciplinary approach helped students appreciate the intersection of technology and cultural studies .

 History – Uncovering the Secrets of Sutton Hoo

Our young historians delved into the mystery of Sutton Hoo, examining artifacts to deduce who might have been buried there. Through critical thinking and analysis, they learned about Anglo-Saxon culture and the significance of burial practices. This investigative approach fostered a deeper understanding of historical inquiry .

 Looking Ahead – Sistema Playground Grand Opening

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our new Sistema Playground on Tuesday! This event will celebrate the culmination of our students' hard work and provide a fantastic new space for play and learning. Families are welcome to join us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another week of learning and discovery!

Owl Babies

This week Tregantle Class has been filled with exciting activities that have sparked curiosity and fostered creativity among our young learners. The children embarked on a journey as budding cartographers, creating detailed maps of our school garden. Using symbols and keys, they navigated their surroundings, enhancing their understanding of spatial relationships and directional language. This hands-on activity not only honed their mapping skills but also deepened their appreciation for the natural world around them. In PE, the focus was on developing balance and coordination. Through various activities, the children practiced balancing on one leg, hopping, and skipping, which are essential skills for physical development. These exercises also promoted teamwork and perseverance, as the children encouraged each other to improve and achieve their personal bests. This week's story, Owl Babies, captivated the children with its tale of three baby owls searching for their mother. The narrative sparked discussions about family, reassurance, and the comfort of home. Inspired by the story, the children crafted their own owls using various materials, showcasing their creativity and understanding of the tale's themes. To further nurture a love for reading, Tregantle Class visited Saltash Library. The children explored a wide array of books, selecting ones that sparked their interest. They were particularly excited to use the self-service borrowing system, marking a memorable experience in their reading journey! We look forward to more adventures and discoveries in the coming week!

VE Day - 80 Years on

As a a school, we commemorated the 80th Anniversary of VE Day by dressing in red, white and blue.

Year 6 took part in a UK-wide webinar involving hundreds of schools. The Webinar involved learning about British Values - what they are and how they might link in with VE Day.

All schools were invited to contribute in the chat and out of the hundreds of schools that took part, Copper Valley Junior School got a mention, much to the children's delight!

One of our pupils brought in a written account of his Grandma's memories from VE Day. Her Mum had found some fireworks from somewhere and everyone had managed to find some special food - in spite of the rationing - so they could have a street party with singing, dancing, laughing and bonfires! Celebrations went on until way past 4am!

Leading up to midday, we watched the service at Westminster Abbey and we all joined in with a 2 minute silence as a mark of respect and remembrance.

At lunchtime, we went up onto Foster's Field and shared a VE Day picnic, complete with bunting and plenty of flag-waving!

The children discussed the importance of not only VE Day but of our continuing need to remember in order to avoid any such wars from happening ever again.

We finished the day watching a special VE Day Newsround episode, which included some first-hand accounts of people's memories of VE Day. 

Keyboard Project - Livin' on a Prayer!

Year 6 are lucky to be involved in a music project with Mr Jane from the Cornwall County Music Service.

Each week, they will be developing their musical skills and understanding through a variety of activities and games linked to the Bon Jovi classic, 'Livin' on a Prayer'!

Year 6 clearly have not forgotten some of the skills they previously learned in Year 5 with Mr Jane - we were all very impressed with how quickly they picked things up, listening carefully, repeating patterns and performing short melodies.

Hopefully, at the end of the project, we will be able to invite our families in for a final performance!

Hello Everyone!

Again, we have managed to complete another swim this week, making the most of the sunshine. We enjoyed our time in the water, and are beginning to master the art of floating, which was demonstrated to them during our recent visit from the RNLI lifeguards a few weeks ago.

During our science this week, we have been busy planting sunflower seeds. We read and followed instructions and will be looking after our plants every day. We look forward to some measuring practice soon, when they will begin to grow. We also went into the school garden and used a leaf and blossom identification's guide to find out about the trees that are growing in our school. We asked scientific questions bout plants and thought of different ways that we can sort leaves and plants.

We continued our work in English, based on the Supertato books. We have designed and made our own supertato from a….potato. We have also written some words to describe villains and heroes, and written a wanted poster for the evil pea.

In maths this week, Year 1 have completed their unit on multiplication, and have started learning about fractions by investigating halves and quarters. Reception have been investigating numbers beyond 10.

We hope you have a lovely weekend! 

From the Penhallow Team

What an exciting week with good weather again. All of our classes have had time in the pool and our brilliant Year 6 children have completed their SATS tests and enjoyed an ice-cream on the beach afterwards to celebrate. Thank you to the Smuggler’s Café for accommodating us. The vegetables are coming on in the garden and greenhouse. A huge thank you to Mr and Mrs Peters for their amazing help with the garden, including the plants at the front of the school, and with our gardening club.

Sun Safety While the weather is hot, please ensure your child comes into school with a named sun hat and sun cream (at least factor 30).

Return of Ice Pop Fridays We will be selling ice pops after school at the main gate every Friday (or Thursday if it is an INSET day) until the end of term to raise extra funds for the school. Please send your child in with £1 or bring £1 along when you pick them up if you would like to buy one.

Children’s nearly new sale Please see attached details of a nearly new sale, in aid of Baby Basics Cornwall, which is being held at Lanreath Village Hall on Sunday 1st June.

Upcoming dates Next Friday is an INSET day. Half term is coming up: 26 th May – 30th May. Class photos are happening on Tuesday 10th June. Sports Day is on 25th June (10am-12) with a reserve date of 27th June. These and other diary dates can be found on the Events Diary page.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Hillman

At Storytellers Nursery, we believe that some of the best learning happens with sunshine on our backs and a bit of nature in our hands. This week, our little storytellers took their creativity outdoors, picking daisies to decorate cardboard lion templates — and what a roaring success it was!

 Why daisies and lions? Because this simple activity brings together the best of early years development: fine motor skills, sensory exploration, imagination, and a deepening connection with the natural world. Children carefully picked daisies from the grass, gently threading the stems through the holes in their lion’s mane. It was a beautiful moment of mindfulness and focus — and a great way to strengthen little fingers.

But more than that, being outside in the sunshine boosts mood, encourages curiosity, and allows children to notice the world around them. The green grass, the white petals, the feel of the breeze — it’s all part of the story they’re telling with their hands and hearts.

So next time you’re out in the garden or the park, pause and pick a few daisies. Who knows? You might just be starting your own lion adventure.

As part of our exciting topic this term, the children at Storytellers Nursery set off on an unforgettable adventure to Newquay Zoo – and what a day it was! 

 We started the morning by heading straight to the lemur enclosure, where we watched these playful animals enjoy their breakfast. The children were fascinated by the lemurs’ lively movements and curious behaviour—a brilliant way to kick off the day!

 Next, we met Mark, one of the knowledgeable zookeepers. He spent time with the group and showed us a fascinating selection of eggs and animal patterns. He explained how these patterns help animals survive in the wild, from camouflage to warning colours. The children listened beautifully, answered questions, and made us proud with their amazing listening skills and enthusiastic participation.

 Afterwards, we headed to the penguin enclosure for feeding time. Watching the penguins waddle and dive for their food made our own tummies rumble – perfect timing for lunch! We enjoyed our picnic next to the parrot enclosure, where the birds provided us with plenty of entertainment.

 With renewed energy, we set off to explore the reptile house. The children were excited as they spotted vividly coloured frogs, slithering snakes, and scaly lizards. Their curiosity and eagerness to learn about these cold-blooded creatures was a joy to see..

To finish our day in true Storytellers' style, we enjoyed a well-deserved ice cream before climbing back into the cars. The journey home was peaceful, with many of the children snoozing after such a full and fun day of exploring, learning, and making memories.

 We’re so proud of how well the children represented the nursery – their behaviour, enthusiasm, and curiosity truly shone through. What a wonderful day at Newquay Zoo! 

Story writing and lots of counting! 

What a lovely week in Foundation / Year 1.

Foundation have been focusing on numbers to 20 in Maths and adding and taking away within this. They have done lots of practical activities to support their learning. Year 1 have started their new unit of mass and volume, and we have started this by trying to balance our measuring scales. We have measured how many cubes it takes to make an object balance.

We have also been exploring colour and shape in our art lessons. We drew different overlapping shapes and then used water colours to add brightness. They looked so beautiful!

In English, Year 1 are now writing their own versions of Mr Gumpy’s Outing. We have loved coming up with our own stories through changing the characters and the animals. I can’t wait to read them when they are finished. Foundation have also been writing dictated sentences using the animals from the story. What superstars!

In Geography, we have also started some fieldwork where we drew parts of our outside area and labelled the human and physical features that we could see.

Just a gentle reminder that it is our Porfell trip on Wednesday 21st May.

Well done Foundation / Year 1 for all your hard work.

Foundation / Year 1 Team

This week has mainly been about the Year 6 class who have been sitting their end of Key Stage tests AKA SATs. It was a busy week starting with a hearty breakfast in the dining room at the Junior school of cereals, toast, pancakes , brioche and crumpets! They then sat papers testing their spelling, punctuation and grammar, reading and maths (they had to take three maths papers!)
All of the children were impeccably behaved and were calm throughout.
Big thanks to the adults who helped to make everything go so smoothly- Mrs David, Miss Cunningham, Mrs Fraser, Miss Jenkins and Mrs Pearce.
Take a look at the photograph below which shows how happy the Year 6 were when it was all over!
We were absolutely delighted to share our recent Ofsted report when the final draft was finished at the end of last week. Some of favourite quotes from the report are: "Pupils at Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy are vibrant, confident and happy individuals. They flourish in the nurturing and respectful culture of the school." and "There is a clear focus on strengthening pupils' vocabulary and confidence in using language."
Thank you to all members of staff from both academies who supported each other to help to achieve this super report , to the parents who completed the parent survey and to the wonderful children at the Infant and Nursery school.

Science and Technology

Talland Class have had a wonderful week which included extra science lessons from science experts. They enjoyed learning a little about Nanotechnology. They learned that Nanotechnology is a super cool science all about tiny things — so tiny that you can't even see them with your eyes or a regular microscope. Scientists work with nanoparticles, which are a million times smaller than a grain of sand.  They use these tiny bits to build amazing things like: Super strong materials for sports gear; or building Tiny robots that might help doctors inside our bodies;  special coatings that keep clothes clean; or help windows clean themselves! It's like using invisible LEGO bricks to build the future.  Learning about nanotechnology helps children understand how science and imagination can work together to make the world a better place.

We’ve been learning all about Cornwall’s very own Space Centre – Spaceport Cornwall! Did you know that rockets can launch satellites into space right from here in the UK? That’s exactly what Spaceport Cornwall is working on at the moment. So, what does Spaceport Cornwall do?  It sends satellites into space – These tiny machines go up into orbit and help with things like weather forecasts, internet connections, and even tracking wildlife.  It uses special planes but instead of big rocket towers, it uses a jumbo jet that carries a rocket under its wing. The plane flies high into the sky, then the rocket zooms off into space. How cool is that?   Spaceport Cornwall has special events, activities, and learning spaces where children (like us!) can discover more about science, space travel, and the future of technology.  It is trying to be one of the most eco-friendly spaceports in the world. It thinks about how to help Earth while exploring space. We think it’s amazing that something as exciting as space exploration is happening right here in Cornwall. Who knows — maybe one of us will work in space one day!

best wishes, Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry and Mrs Walters.

What another fabulous week with beautiful weather.  The children have been working so hard on their learning this week.

Our reception have been creating some independent writing all about ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ and in maths they have been exploring 3D shape.

Year 1 and 2 have been continuing their fantastic English work all about instructions.  They have been writing instructions on how to grow a unicorn after planting their magical seeds.  In maths year 1 have been developing their skills in multiplication and division by grouping and sharing objects.  year 2 have been continuing their learning all about fractions and have been recognising and finding 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4.

We had a great PE lesson up at the field where the children continued to develop their team work skills by completing different challenges.

Next week we will be practising for the ‘Bridge School Games’ which we be taking place after half term and the children from Tregeagle are going to be the teachers.

We hope you all have a lovely weekend and get to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Mrs Andrew, Mrs Fernie, Mrs Hicks

We started the term by talking about what we thought we'd need to do to grow plants. We then watched a short story which explained how to grow a bean. We then planted some beans. We learnt about honey bees and why they’re important. We also learnt about how and why they make honey. As we found out that they need flowers we decided to plant some sunflowers. We also did lots of bee activities including making bee models, bee puppets and painting pictures of bees and flowers. We then used our phonic skills to write sentences about bees.

The following week we went on a minibeast hunt during forest school and looked closely at what we found. We identified what they were and then asked questions about them. We then watched some short video clips and looked at some non-fiction books to find the answers to the questions we asked. We wrote sentences about them and sorted pictures into sets according to whether they were insects or not. 

Over the last week we've been focusing on how to be a good friend. Myself and Mrs Feakins have modelled various scenarios and the children have discussed whether we were being good friends or not. They then came up with ideas of how we could be better friends. They were then given various activities to do with a partner where they had to focus on listening to each other and helping each other. I was very impressed with how they worked together to create minibeast pictures. They were all very kind and worked together brilliantly. There have been many other opportunities for the children to work together during continuous provision. 

In PE we've been learning to throw and catch beanbags accurately by putting one foot forward. We've been enjoying getting outside and have been playing football, building obstacle courses and practising riding 2 wheeled bikes. I'm so impressed with the children's determination as many of them can now ride these without stabilisers.

Another busy week has passed at Copper Valley. On Thursday we joined the rest of the Nation to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe day. Some of the Juniors joined a webinar to learn about VE Day along with hundreds of other schools across the country. We talked about how thankful we were that we hadn't experienced what war was like and how important and precious peace is. We all enjoyed a picnic lunch in the style of a 'street party'. 
On Friday the Year 1 class enjoyed a trip to Burrator and visited the Discovery Centre there.
The sun shone brightly in Callington on Saturday as they celebrated the annual Mayfest. This year the theme for the giant was flying creatures. We had a fabulous ostrich with an incredibly tall neck We also had some colourful bugs to dance around alongside our big bird. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Symons and Oli for helping to transport the ostrich to and from the school as it was no mean feat! Thank you to Ivy, Imogen, Charlie, Oscar, Sophie, Henry, Freya, Serena, Aria, Ethan and Logan  who took part in the parade and represented the schools brilliantly. Additional thanks go to Miss Thomas, Mrs Wright,  Mrs Cansdale and Mrs Symons for also taking part in the procession.
Recent fundraising efforts by your good selves has resulted in a new football kit for the upper juniors (The one which Mrs Pearce got for us is sized for the lower juniors.) I thought that you might like to see it being modelled by some Y4 pupils - who will soon be upper juniors! 

w/e 9.5.25

What a fantastic week we’ve had in Daymer Class!

The highlight was undoubtedly our celebration of VE Day. The children took part in a meaningful and insightful assembly, reflecting on the importance of peace and remembrance. This was followed by a joyful picnic lunch on the school field, where everyone enjoyed time together in the sunshine, marking the day in a special and memorable way.

In English, our focus has been on enhancing descriptive writing. The children have been exploring the use of figurative language and expanded noun phrases to bring imaginary settings to life. It’s been wonderful to see their creativity flourish as they crafted vivid and imaginative descriptions, using language to transport their readers to far-off, magical places.

Our Maths learning has taken different directions for each year group. Year 3 have successfully wrapped up their work on length and perimeter and are now diving into fractions with great enthusiasm. Year 4, meanwhile, have started an exciting new topic on angles and triangles.

In History, we’ve been exploring the fascinating period of change and continuity between the Iron Age and the Anglo-Saxons. The children have been comparing aspects of daily life, culture, and settlement, developing a deeper understanding of how societies evolve over time.

PSHE this week focused on resolving conflicts and how to act respectfully during disagreements with friends. These sessions provided valuable strategies for handling arguments and promoting positive relationships.

In RE, we continued our learning about the Muslim faith, with a particular focus on Ramadan. The children have been thoughtful and inquisitive, asking meaningful questions and developing respect for different beliefs and practices.

Science lessons carried on with our topic of magnetism. The children have enjoyed investigating how magnets work and conducting hands-on experiments to explore magnetic forces.

In Computing, we continued learning about emails—how they work, how to use them safely, and their importance in modern communication.

Our PE sessions with the Argyle Community Trust coach have been filled with energy and laughter. The focus has been on athletics, with children developing key skills through fun and engaging games. It’s been great to see their confidence and teamwork grow.

Finally, in Design and Technology, we’ve been using 3D nets to support our ongoing castle design project. The children have been applying their mathematical understanding in a practical way, using their nets to create models and develop their ideas. It’s been a rich and rewarding week of learning across the curriculum.

Thank you for your continued support—have a lovely weekend!