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As we wrap up the first half term, I want to take a moment to thank you for your incredible support. Your involvement and encouragement have made a significant difference in our children's experiences and achievements. Wishing you and your families a safe and happy half term! We look forward to welcoming the children back on Monday 4th November refreshed and ready for the next exciting term. Please find attached Issue 9 of The Brunel Bulletin for your reading. 

Alma Thomas

We've had a fabulous day for the last day of the half term celebrating our grand finale of Black History Month. Tregantle Class learnt all about the artist Alma Thomas. We learnt about the sad times Alma had as a child where she wasn’t allowed in art galleries because of the colour of her skin. We also learnt that she was the first black American woman to have her own art exhibit in a gallery. The children completed their own art work in the style of Alma Thomas using bright colours and circular shapes - they look amazing!

We have been learning about the fascinating and wonderful Floella Benjamin today as part of our Black History month. The children have learnt about her life, difficulties and how she used courage and determination to overcome these. We shared what we learnt in assembly and listened to the other classes as they talked about who they had learnt about too.

Sustrans Workshop

 We enjoyed our Sustrans workshop on Wednesday where we learnt about the impact that transport is having on the environment and thought about other ways we could get to school.

It has been a wonderful half term and the class have all worked so hard and deserve a well earned break!

Thank you for all of your support over the last half term. 

Sensational Street Dance Session!

This week we were extremely excited to welcome Toby Gorniak MBE (a well-renowned street dancer, choreographer and mentor), along with his student 'AMR' to Brunel.

He firstly delivered an inspiring whole-school assembly whereby he discussed five elements to a happy, meaningful life: respect, peace, love, unity and having fun! He also explained why dancing has been so important in his life and so beneficial to him as a person.

Talland's excitement grew as we were the last workshop of the day - and boy were we not disappointed! We were taught some warm up techniques, a routine including some of the most recognisable step-types in street dancing, as well as 'breaking'. We finished our session with a group movement routine and Toby and AMR wowed us with some more of their amazing moves! It was such an inspiring, wonderful day: we've not been so happy to be so exhausted before!

Positive Vibes All Round!

This week, Talland took part in the whole school celebration of Mental Health Awareness Day 2024. They were channelling sunshine vibes in their yellow clothing and accessories.

We undertook a wide range of relaxing activities including mindfulness colouring, a reflective session focussing on our emotions, as well as watching some tutorials guiding us through calming techniques.

Later in the day we took a walk, scanning our surroundings using our senses. We heard Jane cooking in the kitchen, birds tweeting and the crunchy leaves under our feet. We smelt freshly cut grass and Jane's roast! The gravel in the garden felt great to walk on, as well as sounding good. Of course, we were spoilt for choice of nice things to look at walking around our grounds: trees, flowers, squirrels and birds were some highlights.

To top off the day, we finished with some chick therapy! Sitting round in a circle, we let the chicks out for a roam around: both the chicks and children seemed to enjoy their first proper encounter! The children agreed that stroking their soft, downy heads was a very satisfying, comforting feeling - a lovely way to end the day!
 

What a busy week, again!
We enjoyed our last cricket sessions with Cricket Chris!
We finished our amazing Volcano poems and had a go at writing Tsunami poems, too! We recited them to the class with expression, pace and confidence!
We had a FAB time learning how to street dance on Thursday!
And on Friday, we made cast and imprint fossils! 

Whoop! What a week!

We LOVED learning some street dance on Thursday this week!

Singing and Dancing

What an exciting week it's been! The highlight of the week came on Thursday when we were lucky to take part in a street dance workshop run by Toby G. Tregantle children were amazing at learning the moves and showed great focus and attention while learning to street dance. This session was followed by a singing workshop provided by Cornwall Music Service. The children learnt some great songs about the story 'The Princess and the Pea' which they will be performing along with some other local schools in a few weeks. 
Our Year 1 children have had an amazing week of swimming lessons. They have visited Saltash Leisure Centre every afternoon and their confidence has grown massively in the water. The swimming instructors commented on their commitment and progress over the week - Well done Tregantle! 

Just keep swimming... and dancing!

What a week of swimming we have had!  The children are like fish in the water... amazing!  

We all LOVED the street dance lessons with Toby G!  We have got some cool moves - perhaps your child could show you some of the things we learnt?

When not swimming and dancing, we have been reading a book called 'Coming to England' by Floella Benjamin.  I (Mrs Stevens), remember watching her on Playschool when I was a little girl.  We have been learning about her journey from Trinidad to Southampton to be with her parents.  Back then, people were unkind to her because they hadn't seen a black person in school before.  We discussed whether that was OK.  The children all agreed that treating people unkindly was wrong.

What a week at Brunel!

What a vibrant and eventful week it has been at Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy!

Our pupils have been engaged in a variety of activities that not only foster learning but also build community spirit.

Here’s a recap of some highlights from the week:

Seaton Class Assembly: Were the Victorians Really Vile?

We kicked off the week with our very first class assembly delivered by Seaton Class. The children did an outstanding job presenting their research on the Victorian era, raising thought-provoking questions about this fascinating period in history. Their creative approach and confidence truly shone through, making it a memorable experience for everyone in attendance.

Street Dance Workshops
This week, we were joined by Toby Gorniak MBE who dazzled us with his positive messages and dance moves. There was a real buzz around the school as he shared with us his 5 elements for life: Respect, love, peace, unity and having fun. These 5 elements are very close to our hearts at Brunel! It was an incredible day for the whole school community!


Swimming at Saltash Leisure Centre

Years 1 and 2 took a trip to Saltash Leisure Centre for their swimming lessons this week. It’s wonderful to see our young learners gaining confidence in the water while improving their swimming skills. Each session is a step toward ensuring our children not only learn an important life skill but also enjoy the benefits of physical activity.

Food Bank Donations

We are incredibly proud of our school community’s generosity! This week, we organised a collection for the local food bank, and our families responded with kindness and support. The food bank team came to pick up the donations, and it was heart-warming to see our children understand the importance of helping those in need. Thank you for your contributions!

Year 5 Sports Competition

12 of our Year 5 pupils participated in a bench ball and dodgeball competition at Callington. They showcased fantastic teamwork, sportsmanship, and resilience throughout the event. It’s always a joy to watch our children engage in friendly competition, and we couldn’t be prouder of their efforts!

Cricket Sessions with Cricket Chris

We wrapped up our final "Time to Shine" cricket session with Cricket Chris. The children have made remarkable progress in their skills and teamwork over these sessions. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm for the sport grow, and we hope to continue fostering their love for cricket in the future.

School Council’s Terracycling Campaign

Our School Council has been hard at work promoting our TerraCycling campaign, and I’m thrilled to report that we are currently in third place! They designed eye-catching posters to raise awareness about recycling and sustainability within our school. Their commitment to making a positive impact on our environment is truly commendable.

As we reflect on this incredible week at Brunel Primary and Academy Nursery, I’m filled with pride for our pupils, staff, and community. Each event showcases the hard work, creativity, and spirit that define our school. Thank you all for your continued support! 

The class really enjoyed our last cricket session today and the children demonstrated the progress they had made within each skill!

Nursery children chose some animal story books to take to St Anne's this week; the Grannies loved sharing the stories and especially talking about the adventures they got up to!

The children enjoy a delicious treat of a biscuit and juice, which they say 'Thank you!' for.

We always finish by singing some Nursery rhymes and our favourite song 'If you're happy and you know it'.

A Fun Filled Week in Tregantle!

What a busy week it's been - we've been non-stop! The week started with our wonderful Harvest Festival celebration. It was so nice to come together as a school and community and take the time to give thanks for all that we have. The children's singing was breath-taking! Our EYFS children have begun the 'brighter smiles' project which has been very exciting. We have been learning how to clean our teeth effectively and are now brushing our teeth at school every day to support good oral hygiene. On Thursday we had a really great day observing mental health awareness day. The children looked magnificent in their yellow clothes and accessories and we took time out to practice some relaxation techniques while listening to calming music. We have also been busy learning some new songs about the traditional story 'The Princess and the Pea.' We are really looking forward to joining together with some other schools to sing our songs together next week. On top of all of these exciting things the children have continued to work incredibly hard in their lessons. The children are become experts at recognising and writing all of the sounds we have learnt and have started to blend these sounds to read simple words - amazing! 

This week we've really enjoyed learning some more about significate people of colour during our reading assembly.  We learnt some more information about Rosa Parks who Mr Woolner introduced earlier and then we learnt about Mary Seacole.

In English lesson we wrote out our own instructions for a healthy sandwich after looking at what makes a sandwich healthy.

In Science we learnt about transparent and opaque.  We needed to use this knowledge to help us find the best material to block out the sun's light whilst in space!

We are really looking forward to our swimming lessons next week - we need to remember our swimmers and towels!

Have a lovely weekend!

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Our Harvest Festival

Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy recently held a heart warming Harvest Festival, bringing together pupils, families, and the wider community to celebrate the season of giving and gratitude.

The event, attended by Reverend Parkman from Saltash Baptist Church and Elizabeth from the local Foodbank, highlighted the importance of community spirit and support. The children showcased their talents by singing a variety of hymns, including the enchanting “I Am the Earth” and the playful “Cauliflowers Fluffy.”

As always our children's joyful voices filled the hall, creating an atmosphere of celebration and reflection on the abundance of nature and the generosity of others.

This year, the Harvest Festival was particularly meaningful as families contributed food and donations to support Saltash Food bank. Elizabeth expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming generosity shown by the Brunel community, especially during these financially challenging times. “Every donation helps us make a difference in the lives of those in need,” she stated, underscoring the vital role of community support. As the event drew to a close, headteacher Mr. Woolner thanked everyone for their contributions, emphasising how important it is to come together and support one another. “We are incredibly grateful for the kindness of our families,” he said. “Your generosity not only helps those in need but also teaches our children the value of compassion and community.” The Harvest Festival at Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy was a beautiful reminder of the strength that comes from coming together, especially in challenging times. What a wonderful celebration we had with the whole of our Team Brunel community.