w/e 13.2.26

A Busy and Brilliant Week in Perranporth class! 

In English, we continued our poetry unit. The children explored different poems, performed them, and wrote their own across the week. We were so impressed with their creativity and the ambitious language they used.

In Maths, we focused on multiplication and division, developing our number sense and building confidence with times tables.

Our wider curriculum was packed full of interesting learning:

• In Geography, we completed our learning about deserts and created a double-page spread to showcase everything we had discovered.
• In Science, we finished our electricity topic, again presenting our understanding in a detailed double-page spread.
• In French, we learned about habitats, while in Music we continued with Classroom Jazz.
• On Tuesday, we marked Safer Internet Day with special computing activities, including a live lesson.
• In PSHE, we recognised Children's Mental Health Awareness Week and continued our learning about relationships.

There was plenty happening beyond the classroom too! We played dodgeball for our team match in PE, explored fastenings in DT, celebrated achievements in Friday's assembly, and enjoyed meeting many of you at Parents' Evening.

It was a full, fun and focused week of learning - we were very proud of all our superstars!

This week in English, we started our new poetry unit. We are creating a sonnet about cats based on Shakespeare's Sonnet 18. The children have spent this week exploring the sonnet, finding out about the structure, researching Shakespeare and using archaic language, such as: thus, thee and thou.
This afternoon, the children used their story maps to learn the poem by heart and practise their oracy skills . I was proud of each group because they had to learn to pronounce words they had never seen before. 

In maths, we have started a unit on ratio and proportion. Today we focused on scaling recipes up and down and they commented on what a useful life skill it was. 

In History, we have been finding out about the census and looking at old extracts. We then had a go at creating a class census by interviewing each other and collecting data. 

Please find the knowledge web for this half term below. 

Have a fantastic weekend, Miss Burton.

As we come to the end of another busy and productive week, I would like to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. It truly makes a difference to our school community.

A special thank you to the parents who attended the Nature Parks Club on Wednesday evening. It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm as we work together to turn some of our grey spaces green. Watch this space - next week a pergola will be going into the area near our school garden, which is an exciting step forward in developing this space for our children.

Next week is set to be another busy one. Please see the key dates and reminders below:

Monday - Class Photos
Please ensure your children come to school in their Brunel blue correct uniform, as these are class photographs which will be proudly displayed in our school foyer.

Tuesday - Two Tyre Tuesday
KS2 children are welcome to bring in their scooters and helmets to enjoy during the school day.

Wednesday - Wheely Wednesday (Reception and KS1)
Reception and KS1 children are welcome to bring their scooters and helmets to school.

Wednesday - Little Locomotives Toddler Group (10:00am-11:00am)
Our free, teacher-led toddler group is open to children aged 18 months to 4 years old. We look forward to welcoming families from our local community.
Also on Wednesday: Vision Screening for our Reception children.

Thursday - World Book Day
Children are warmly invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. We can't wait to see all of the creative costumes and celebrate a shared love of reading.

A reminder to Duckpool Class parents that your class assembly is coming up on Monday 9th March at 2:40pm. Parents and carers are warmly welcomed to attend - we look forward to seeing you there.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. Please do enjoy browsing through this week's Brunel Bulletin.

Tregantle Weekly Blog

What a fantastic week we have had in Tregantle Class! The children have been busy exploring, learning and having lots of fun along the way.

Exploring Our School Pond & Visiting the Chickens
We loved getting outdoors to explore our school pond. Armed with nets and plenty of curiosity, the children carefully pond dipped to see what they could find. There were lots of excited faces as we discovered different pond life and talked about what we could see.
We also visited our school chickens! The children enjoyed watching them closely and talking about how to care for them. It's always a special experience spending time with our feathered friends!

Maths - Learning About Numbers 9 and 10
In maths this week, we have been focusing on the numbers 9 and 10. The children have been exploring these numbers in lots of practical and engaging ways:
• Going on number hunts around the classroom and outdoor area
• Using the play dough station to make numbers and represent amounts
• Taking part in matching games, linking numerals to the correct quantity

The children are becoming much more confident at recognising, counting and representing these numbers. Well done, Tregantle Class!

PE - Our New Unit: Jungle Gym
In PE, we started our brand new unit called 'Jungle Gym.' The hall was transformed into a jungle adventure! The children had a wonderful time pretending to be jungle animals. We crawled like tigers, stretched like monkeys and slithered like snakes. Everyone practised moving over, under and around different equipment, building their strength, balance and coordination. It was fantastic to see such imaginative movement and teamwork.

Literacy - The Very Hungry Caterpillar
We were very excited to begin our new book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Tregantle Class are doing a fantastic job at re-telling the story and using objects to help order the events. It has been wonderful to hear them confidently remembering what the caterpillar ate each day! This story has also given us the opportunity to explore life cycles in more detail. We have been learning about how a caterpillar changes into a beautiful butterfly, and the children have shown great curiosity and thoughtful questions during our discussions.

Trip to Saltash Library
We ended the week with a wonderful trip to Saltash Library. The children were so excited to explore the shelves and choose a new book to take home. It is always such a joy to see their enthusiasm for reading and stories. Thank you to the library staff for making us feel so welcome!

What a busy and brilliant week it has been. We are so proud of how enthusiastic, kind and hardworking Tregantle Class continue to be. We can't wait for another week of adventures and learning!

It has been another full and exciting week of learning in Year 2 and 3!

English

In English, we have been learning a new text through oracy, using lots of discussion and performance to help us really understand it. The children have also been practising their VIPERS reading skills (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Sequencing) to deepen their comprehension.

We have also been exploring the features of instructional writing, identifying what makes a clear and effective set of instructions. The children were fantastic at spotting headings, numbered steps and time connectives.

Maths

In maths, both year groups have been working hard on key skills:

• Year 2 have been learning how to subtract across 10 and have also been solving mixed addition and subtraction problems.

• Year 3 have been focusing on the 3, 4 and 8 times tables, as well as related division facts.

Please continue practising times tables at home with Year 3 - it really makes a difference! (Year 2-x2, x5 and x10).

Geography

We have started an exciting new topic: "Why are rainforests important to us?" The children began by asking thoughtful questions and sharing their existing knowledge.

We have been learning about where tropical rainforest biomes are located around the world and have started to look more closely at the Amazon Rainforest. The children were fascinated to discover just how important rainforests are for our planet.

PSHE

In PSHE, we began our new unit, Healthy Me. The children set themselves a personal challenge to improve their fitness, showing great maturity and enthusiasm.

PE

In PE, we have started our new unit on striking and fielding. This week focused on developing accuracy when throwing, catching and stopping a rolling ball. There was some fantastic teamwork and determination on display.

French

In French, we have continued learning vocabulary linked to "My Family", building confidence in speaking and understanding simple phrases.

Science

In Science, we began our topic on light, thinking about different light sources and how light helps us to see.

Looking Ahead - World Book Day

Next Thursday, we will be celebrating World Book Day. Children are invited to dress up as their favourite book character, and a fun-filled day of reading activities has been planned across the school to celebrate our love of books!

We can't wait to see the wonderful costumes and share our favourite stories together.

What a fantastic half term it has been!

The children have worked incredibly hard over the past weeks, showing determination, enthusiasm and such positive attitudes towards their learning. We are so proud of everything they have achieved - not only academically, but also in the way they have supported one another, challenged themselves and lived out our school values each and every day.

We truly couldn't have asked for a better way to end the half term than with our wonderful trip to Cotehele. The children represented our school brilliantly. They planted saplings with care and determination, demonstrating excellent teamwork and responsibility. It was a joy to see them embracing the experience so positively and showing off their very best Brunel values throughout the day.

They were a credit to the school.

Now it is time for a well-earned rest. We hope you all enjoy a relaxing and refreshing half term break, and we look forward to welcoming the children back, ready for another exciting term of learning.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

See you after half term! 

What a fantastic end to the half term we have had in Tregantle Class!

This week, we have been exploring internet safety through a range of exciting and engaging stories, including #Goldilocks and Old MacDonald Had a Phone. The children thoroughly enjoyed these modern twists on traditional tales and engaged brilliantly in discussions. They have been learning how to stay safe when using different technologies and were able to share some excellent ideas about what to do if something worries them online. We are so proud of how thoughtfully they contributed to our conversations.

In PE, we had great fun in our final lesson of our unit, Best of Balls. The children worked incredibly hard practising their throwing and catching skills using balloons. Their challenge was to keep the balloons off the floor - which led to lots of laughter and smiles! It was wonderful to see them developing their gross motor skills while also working cooperatively and encouraging one another.

It has truly been a fabulous half term, filled with so much learning, progress and growing confidence. We are incredibly proud of everything the children have achieved. We wish you all a restful and enjoyable week off school. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the second half of the Spring Term, where we will begin our exciting new topic all about animals from around the world! Have a lovely half term break!

It has been a brilliant Brunel Week! Please enjoy catching up on all the latest news and events from the past week at our wonderful school. 

A Week Full of Adventure in Tregantle Class!

What an exciting week it has been for Tregantle Class!

Our week began with a wonderful adventure around the school grounds, starting with a visit to see the school chickens and the pond. The children were delighted by our very noisy cockerel, Merlin, whose enthusiastic crowing made everyone laugh. The pond was bursting with life, giving us lots to look at and talk about. On our way back to the classroom, we couldn't resist stopping off at the adventure playground, which added even more fun to our afternoon.

The highlight of the week came on Thursday evening, when the children returned to school for a very special bedtime story event. Dressed in their pyjamas and bringing along their teddies and blankets, the children enjoyed a cosy and snug classroom atmosphere. Mrs Grinsted, Mrs McIntyre and Mrs Orchard shared a selection of new and favourite stories, while everyone relaxed with a hot chocolate and a biscuit.

It was a truly magical evening and a lovely way to support and celebrate our love of reading at Brunel. What a memorable week for Tregantle Class!

Another fantastic week of learning in Year 2 and 3, full of creativity, teamwork and confidence-building moments. The children have impressed us with their focus and enthusiasm across the curriculum.

English

In English, the children have been developing their writing skills further by learning how to use subordinating conjunctions and rhetorical questions to make their writing more engaging and detailed. They have also been busy planning their own recounts through letters, thinking carefully about audience, purpose and structure. We are seeing real growth in both confidence and independence in their writing.

Maths

In Maths, learning looked a little different across the year groups:

• Year 2 have been adding two-digit numbers, using a range of practical and written methods.

• Year 3 have been multiplying and dividing by 3, exploring both sharing and grouping to deepen their understanding.

The children worked hard to explain their thinking and support one another.

History

In History, we learned about the significant figure Amelia Earhart. The children were fascinated by her achievements in flight and enjoyed discussing why she is remembered as an important and inspiring person.

PSHE

Our PSHE lessons focused on thinking about others and challenging ourselves to work collaboratively. The children worked in groups to design a garden for someone with needs different from their own, showing empathy, creativity and excellent teamwork skills.

Design & Technology

DT was a real highlight this week as the children brought their pneumatic toy designs to life. The level of inventiveness, problem-solving and perseverance on display was wonderful to see-every design was unique, and the children were incredibly proud of their finished creations.

PE

In PE, we brought together our whole-class machine dance. The final performance included individual, paired, small-group and whole-class elements, all linked smoothly together. The children showed great coordination, timing and confidence.

Love Yourself Day

On Friday, we celebrated Love Yourself Day. Children and adults were invited to wear things they love, and we spent time talking about self-confidence, kindness and appreciating what makes us all unique. It was a joyful and positive way to end the week.

The Stick House

In our focus story we have been hearing about how each little pig used a different type of material to build their house.

In these pictures the children are exploring the sticks that we found in the garden; they are trying to make a stable building for the pig to live in. We all agreed that it was much harder than it looked.

Lantic Class have had a truly fantastic week full of learning, kindness and creativity!

One of the highlights was our lovely visit to St Anne's Care Home. The children were a credit to the school as they enjoyed a snack and drink with the residents and proudly shared their literacy work. They also gave out beautiful painted cards they had made themselves, which brought lots of smiles and kind words. It was so special to see the children chatting, listening and showing such care and confidence.

In Maths, we have been learning all about doubles. The children used counters, ten frames and games to help them spot and remember doubles, and they did a great job explaining their thinking and working together.

In History, we began learning about old teddies and new teddies. The children loved comparing toys from the past with toys from today and talking about how things change over time. There were lots of thoughtful observations and exciting discussions! We also started a new poem in English called Ten Things Found in a Wizard's Pocket. The children have really enjoyed listening to the poem, exploring the magical language and sharing their ideas about what might be hiding in the wizard's pocket. We're looking forward to doing more with this poem next week.

Well done, Lantic Class, for such a brilliant week of learning and for showing such kindness and enthusiasm. We are very proud of you!

Artistic fun!

This week we started our new unit in English based upon our class story 'No Ballet Shoes in Syria' by Catherine Bruton. We have been exploring the character, Aya, and writing different sentences to describe her. We have focused on using parenthesis and experimenting with subordinate and main clauses. 

in maths, we have moved onto our unit 'fractions, decimals and percentages'. We have been finding out equivalence and using this to help convert them. 

In geography, we explored the factors that might affect birth and death rates. This has helped us understand some reasons why population changes and why some people move countries. 

In art, we have been editing photos to design and album cover. We then researched different vinyl designs and had a go at designing our own. We used pastels, watercolours and colouring pencils to see which worked the best. Look at our fabulous sketchbook pages!

Have a fantastic weekend, Miss Burton.

This week we have been exploring the properties of straw!

Some of the older children have found that it was really bendy and not very strong; they weren't sure how the first little pig was able to build a house with it, and they weren't surprised that the wolf was able to blow it down.

Other younger children enjoyed playing with it as a sensory experience; watching as it fell and moved with the air (the big bad wolf blowing!).

It has been a busy week at Brunel full of learning opportunities for our children. Please enjoy browsing through this week's edition of The Brunel Bulletin.

Exciting ice sculptures!

What a brilliant week it has been in Tregantle Class!

We thoroughly enjoyed a special session with our KS2 Reading Pioneers. The children were completely immersed in the stories and listened with such focus and excitement. The older children did a fantastic job with their storytelling - they were wonderful role models and made the experience really memorable for our EYFS learners.

This week also brought some very exciting science learning as we unveiled our ice sculptures from the freezer. The children were absolutely delighted with the results and fascinated as they watched the ice melt. They carefully observed how the sculptures changed in shape and consistency, sharing their ideas and predictions as the ice transformed.

We have also seen some amazing writing this week. Many children have become true authors, using their growing phonics skills to write books of their very own. We are so impressed with their enthusiasm, creativity, and confidence - very impressive work indeed!

In maths, we have had some marvellous mathematicians exploring numbers to 8. The children worked hard to find more and less, showing great understanding through practical activities and discussions.

What a wonderful week of learning, curiosity, and achievement. We are so proud of everything the children have accomplished - well done, Tregantle Class!