Mapwork skills

This week included comparing the Alpine region with the local area: Saltash. The children had lots of fun generating ideas concerning the leisure facilities within the area, these included the swimming pool in the Leisure Centre; the ambience of the Waterfront; and the children's parks. With the use of a local map, the children were able to annotate the map with Ordinance Survey Symbols to represent parks, swimming pools and parking areas, for instance.

The children's tailoring skills are now amazing. They use the blanket stitch effectively and are able to sew additions on to their soft toys, buttons, for example.

Due to the dedication the children have shown in their presentation, their written methods for division are clear and precise. The use of the four operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - has finally started to make sense to them. Many can now use this knowledge and apply it to challenging problem solving questions.

Talland Class have used this week to research facts about the Alps to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the area. Through this research, they have been able to write a non-chronological report about the Alps to provide a well thought through and informative piece of text.

All the children have worked extremely hard this half term and deserve a well earned rest next week. Have a safe, restful and enjoyable half term break, Talland Class. We look forward to seeing the children again for the second half of the Spring Term.

Best wishes, Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry, Mrs Walters, Mrs Payne and Miss Rowlands.

Acting out our special story.

The role play kitchen was turned into the 3 bears cottage so that the children could act out the story.

We also tasted porridge for snack; most of the children enjoyed their porridge! Some chose to have it plain whilst others opted to have honey on it.

I wonder how the 3 bears had theirs?

It was a great way to end our half term looking at the traditional tale of 'Goldilocks and the 3 bears'.

Stay Safe On line

We have had a super busy final week of the half term! Tregantle children had a really fun day on Tuesday when we took part in lots of activities as part of safer internet day. There were many fun and informative sessions that reinforced the message 'stop, close, tell.' 

We were lucky to welcome a local author and illustrator to school on Wednesday. We took part in an illustrators master class and learnt about the process of writing a published book. 

We took part in a very special assembly today to say goodbye Miss Rowlands who is retiring after 29 year at Brunel! We wish Miss Rowlands all the very best for her retirement!

Have a wonderful half term break and we look forward to seeing you back at school very soon!

What a busy half term it has been at Team Brunel! We have fitted so much learning and enriching opportunities into the last 6 weeks and now we have reached the half term break. We wish you all a restful and peaceful half term holiday and will see you all again on Monday 24th February for the start of the second half of the Spring Term.

Marazion Class Blog – End of Half Term Update

Wow—what a fantastic end to this half term! The children have worked incredibly hard and had so much fun with their learning.

In English, we’ve been preparing for our poetry writing by exploring noun phrases and prepositions to create vivid descriptions. The children also practiced performing poetry aloud, building their confidence and expression—there are certainly some budding poets in the class!

Maths has been full of excitement as we continued our times tables challenges and tackled multiplication and division with larger numbers. The children have shown great perseverance and problem-solving skills, and we are so proud of their progress.

In History, we wrapped up our fascinating topic on the Stone Age to Iron Age by comparing different periods and reflecting on how life changed over time. The class had some brilliant discussions, showing how much they’ve learned.

This week, we were also lucky to have an exciting visit from an author and illustrator! The children loved engaging in creative activities inspired by their work, and many took the chance to get a signed book—a wonderful way to celebrate reading and storytelling.

We also enjoyed our final Art Club session, where the children created some beautiful mindful pattern landscapes. It has been wonderful to see their creativity shine. Next half term, we look forward to switching to Dance Club, which will be a great way to keep active and have fun together.

We also took time to focus on well-being with our Love Yourself Day. It was a lovely way to celebrate kindness and self-worth, finishing with PSHE love hearts filled with reasons why we love ourselves. It was heartwarming to see the children’s positivity and self-reflection.

Thank you for all your support this half term. We hope you have a wonderful and restful break, and we look forward to another exciting half term of learning ahead!

As part of our learning this week we have been looking at sizes.

In our focus story, Goldilocks came across bowls of porridge, chairs and beds that were small, medium and large so the children were tasked to find different resources or parts of the activities where they could compare and find different sizes.

We talked about other words to describe small (tiny, little, minute), medium (middle sized) and large (huge, enormous, gigantic, massive); we also talked abut how the size of something could change if we compared the item to other things that were smaller or larger.

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What a brilliant week we have had in Daymer Class! The children have been working hard across all subjects, developing their skills and creativity in so many ways. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to:

Monday’s St Anne’s visit celebrated Elmer’s birthday! 

English – Stories and Poetry
This week, the children edited and improved their adaptations of Stone Age Boy, showing great creativity and attention to detail. We also began our poetry unit by reciting poems in groups and as a class, building confidence and expression in our performances. It has been wonderful to see the enthusiasm for poetry growing!

Art – A Splash of Colour!
We started the week by immersing ourselves in the artwork of John Dyer. The children practised different artistic techniques in their sketchbooks before creating their own bright and colourful pieces of Daymer Bay. They worked so hard to capture the beauty of this iconic place while keeping to the Daymer theme. The results are stunning!

Number Day Fun!
Today, we celebrated Number Day by becoming Times Tables Rock Stars for the NSPCC!


History – Trading in the Bronze and Iron Age

In History, we explored the concepts of trading, importing, and exporting during the Bronze and Iron Age. The children had a great time role-playing as traders, exchanging goods with their friends to create the perfect survival kit for the era. It was fantastic to see them thinking strategically and working collaboratively.

Children’s Mental Health Week
Throughout the week, we took part in various activities for Children’s Mental Health Week. From whole-school assemblies to class discussions, we focused on personal growth and self-reflection. We read The Colour Monster, which helped us think about our emotions. The children also shared thoughtful insights about how they can ‘grow’ in different ways.

Dance – A Performance to Remember!
Mr Woolner was delighted to watch the final dance pieces that the children have been working on. Their teamwork, effort, and commitment to perfecting their routines were truly impressive!

Computing – Exciting Coding Projects

·       Year 3 have been coding on Scratch, creating sequences and variables to make music. They have really enjoyed experimenting with different sounds and functions!

·       Year 4 have been working with Micro:bits, designing step counters, night lights, and emotion badges. Their creativity and problem-solving skills have shone through!

Science – The Power of the Sun
In Science, we explored the effects of sunlight and how it can damage our skin and eyes. The children were fascinated by this topic and had great discussions about how we can protect ourselves from the sun.

A Celebration of Art Week
We ended the week by enjoying a wonderful art display, showcasing the fantastic artwork created by classes across the school. The children loved seeing what their peers had produced and took great pride in their own work.

Thank you for your continued support. We hope you have a lovely weekend!

Art, Numbers and Mental Heath

What a busy week we've had in Tregantle! We have been so immersed in creativity during our Brunel art week. The children of Tregantle have been studying several local artists who create pieces about the sea. We used this as inspiration to create wave scenes by tearing and layering pieces of paper. We added detail with felt tip pens and cotton bud painting. The final pieces are each unique and capture something of our beautiful coastline. It was wonderful to be able to share our art work with the community during our Brunel Art Gallery on Friday. 
We have also been taking part in lots of health and well being activities across the week in recognition of Children's mental health week. In Tregantle, we have focused on exploring our emotions. We have been using our star emojis to think about the emotions we experience and how they feel. 
On Friday we had lots of fun taking part in the NSPCC number day. We thought about why numbers are so important when we read the story 'Spinderella.' We found out that playing teams games is very difficult without being able to count! The children then thought about what numbers are special to them like birthdays, house numbers and how old we are. 

Arty Week in Lantic

The children have had a great time producing artwork for our special Art Week at Brunel.  Our theme was 'Making Waves' and we are very proud of our final results!

We have been looking at poetry in English and next week we will be writing our own poems about the seasons.

During RE, we looked at how Christians share Jesus' 'Good News' and we shared our own news.

A week of Pablo Picasso

The children have learned about Picasso this week and used his unique techniques to create their own piece of art based on cubism. They chose to either create a 2-D or 3-D version of a portrait. They had so much fun and laughter doing this activity.

During maths, the children have finally grasped the concept of multiplying numbers using the column method. They will progress to division next week.

The children's magnificent stories are now completed and have been edited to include many features of figurative language: metaphors, passive voice and expanded noun phrases. It was so enjoyable reading the children's stories and seeing huge progress in all of the children's writing techniques. Thank you, Talland Class.

Best wishes, Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry, Mrs Walters, Mrs Payne and Miss Rowlands.

Welcome to The Brunel Bulletin!

This week, we have been raising the awareness of Children's Mental Health Week 2025 and our Art Week has tied in brilliantly with this theme. We hope your children have enjoyed their week with us at Brunel.

We are delighted to bring you the latest edition of The Brunel Bulletin, your go-to source for all the exciting news, updates, and achievements happening within our school community. Whether it’s celebrating pupil successes, sharing upcoming events, or showcasing the incredible work of our staff and pupils, this newsletter keeps you connected and informed. As we end another week filled with learning, growth, and creativity, we invite you to join us in celebrating the vibrant spirit that makes our school truly special. Let’s dive in!

Fun, fitness and beating heart

A wonderful beginning to the week. The children experienced fun and fitness through the attendance of a Parkour group. Parkour is a movement activity that promotes health and fitness whilst teaching young people to master their bodies and minds. The children were all full of smiles and enthusiasm as they practised moving their bodies over equipment and climbing on frames. 


To link to the fitness, the children learned how to create an algorithm for a Micro:bit - a mini computer. They created a small beating heart by including instructions and a repeated pattern. Their understanding of computer programs is amazing.

The children have finally completed their first draft of their own version of Hansel and Gretel. Instead of a witch, they have included a Yeti to link with the Class' theme of life in the Alps. They are really enjoying this piece of work and will re-edit their stories next week to ensure the writing contains all the correct capital letters, full stops and figurative language.

During maths, the children have finally grasped the idea of adding and subtracting simple fractions. The new unit covers multiplying numbers using the grid and column method.





Best wishes, Mrs Swabey, Mr Parry, Mrs Walters, Mrs Payne and Miss Rowlands.

This week, as part of our learning based around our focus story 'Goldilocks and the three bears', we have been learning about '3'.

We have been looking at our activities to see if we can find or make 3; some children  have even drawn the 3 bears from our story. Others have made groups of 3 and have found the number 3.

We have noticed that some of our friends are 3 years old, too.

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We've had a fantastic and busy week in Year 3 and 4, packed with exciting learning experiences and opportunities to develop new skills. Here's a look at what we've been up to:

English
This week, the children have been working hard on writing their own stories set in the past. They have demonstrated a range of writing skills, including: Using fronted adverbials of time and place; accurately punctuating speech; maintaining correct verb tenses; creating rich descriptions and characterisation through 'show not tell'. It has been wonderful to see their creativity shine through in their storytelling!

Maths
We have continued our work on multiplication and division. A strong foundation in times tables significantly supports mathematical learning, so please keep practising key facts at home. Quick recall of these facts makes learning across all areas of maths much easier once they are embedded.

History
In history, we have been exploring the Bronze Age. The children learned about: How bronze was made and where it came from in to Britain; the differences in how people found food during the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and today. This has been a fascinating topic already, and the children have engaged well with historical thinking and discussions.

PSHE
This week in PSHE, we have focused on having a growth mindset. The children tackled various challenges in groups, demonstrating perseverance, resilience, and teamwork. It has been great to see their confidence grow as they approached each challenge with enthusiasm.

Dance
As part of our whole year group dance, we have been adding rain elements to our routines. The children have displayed excellent collaboration and creativity, working together to refine their performances.

Art
Taking inspiration from the Stone Age, we ventured outside to find natural materials to use as paint. The children experimented with making their own paint and recorded their findings in their sketchbooks. This hands-on activity really helped them connect with how early humans created art.

Science
In science, we investigated reflective surfaces. The children explored how different materials reflect light and discussed how this knowledge is useful in everyday life.

Special Events 
We've had a particularly exciting week with some special events:

~ St Anne's visit for some of our class - it was National Chocolate Cake Day so we made Krispie cakes with the residents! Yum!
~ Arts Lab Parkour Theatre Performance – The children greatly enjoyed watching a performance representing neurodiversity and even had the opportunity to try out some Parkour themselves!
~ Scooter Workshop – On Thursday, the children took part in a scooter workshop, showing fantastic enjoyment, resilience, and skill development.
~ Tree Planting for the King – Three members of our class proudly represented us by planting a tree for the King in Victoria Gardens.
~ Reading Assembly – We explored the book 'It's a No Money Day', which provided a valuable opportunity for the children to see into the lives of others through 'windows and mirrors'.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

We have lots to look forward to, including:
~ Art Week – A celebration of creativity and artistic expression.
~ Children's Mental Health Awareness Week – Encouraging positive discussions and activities around mental well-being.
~ NSPCC Number Day (Friday) – A fun and educational event focused on maths.

Thank you for your continued support. We are excited for another fantastic week of learning ahead!

Let's Get Moving!

We've had a very active week in Tregantle this week! The brighter weather towards the end of the week has meant that we have had lots of time outside. The children have been really helpful around the garden as we have been clearing out and preparing for spring. The highlight of the week was definitely our scooter workshop with Ashlea on Thursday. The children learnt how to scoot safely and completed an obstacle course going in and out of cones and dodging the  volcanoes! What a fun way to stay active and develop gross motor control. 

Where has the month of January gone?
We are delighted to bring you the latest edition of The Brunel Bulletin, your go-to source for all the exciting news, updates, and achievements happening within our school community. Whether it’s celebrating pupil successes, sharing upcoming events, or showcasing the incredible work of our staff and pupils, this newsletter keeps you connected and informed. As we end another week filled with learning, growth, and creativity, we invite you to join us in celebrating the vibrant spirit that makes our school truly special. Let’s dive in!