Impressive performance!

Year 6 have been learning how to play the keyboards, glockenspiels, djembe drums, ukuleles, claves and various other percussion and tuned instruments over the past term.

Mr Jane has taught the children how to play an accompaniment to Bon Jovi's Livin' on a prayer as well as teaching them some African songs.

The pieces were Silo, Tooeh and Ahooma ma ma. They all took part, with excellent results. These tunes were played in different ways using syncopated rhythms and contrasting beats along with singing the African words in two different parts.

The culmination of this was a concert which our families were invited to attend. The children were amazing, performing with focus and flair and the finale of Livin' on a prayer practically lifted the roof!

Cricket Chris

Sports week was a mixed bag due to the rather soggy weather!

The gun run and Sports Day had to be postponed until the following Monday but Year 6 were still able to lead their own carousel of activities for Years 3, 4 and 5 on the Tuesday and take part in the sports stations with their fellow team members up at the Infant base on the Wednesday.

On the Friday, Year 6 were lucky enough to be coached by Cricket Chris. 

SATs & Hoodies!

It has been a few weeks since Year 6 sat their SATs, but all the staff at Copper Valley would like to say how very proud we were of each and every one of our children!

They came in each morning smiling - yes, smiling - enjoyed their lovely social breakfast together and then knuckled down calmly and with confidence to see what each day brought. 

If there were nerves, we did not see them; if there were wobbles, we did not feel them; if there were doubts, they did not show.

Year 6 have worked so hard all year and shown exactly what a fantastic attitude to learning really looks like. They took the whole week in their stride and we know that they will have done their very best.

On Friday, Year 6 were rewarded with a very chilled-out day and there was also the lovely surprise that their leaver's hoodies had arrived - cue photo shoot!

May

In Science this half term, we have been learning all about Electricity.

We have made our own circuits, adding different components, drawn scientific circuit diagrams, problem-solved circuits which don't work and carried out an investigation into which factors might affect the brightness of a bulb in a circuit.

In History, we have been learning about some figures from our British past - many of whom we had not heard of before - in order to decide whose face would be the most deserving to appear on a new British banknote. 

Our Art project is developing nicely. We have been designing our own 'Tag', researching graffiti artists and we have begun to think about ideas for a piece of environmental wall art. The aim is that our designs will be brought to life as huge pieces of art on a currently very boring wall on our grounds.

The next step is for the children to share their ideas to produce one of 4 final pieces and then we will all be helping to get them up on the wall - watch this space!

What a fantastic and busy first half of the summer term we have had in our classroom! The children have worked incredibly hard across all areas of the curriculum and should be very proud of everything they have achieved.

In English, we completed our unit on characterising speech, where we explored how authors use dialogue to reveal information about characters and move stories forward. The children developed their understanding of how speech can help readers learn more about a character's personality, feelings and motivations. We have now begun an exciting new unit based on Robin Hood. Over the coming weeks, the children will be planning and writing their own "through the portal" stories. This will be a wonderful opportunity for them to demonstrate their independence and apply all of the writing skills they have developed throughout the year.

In Maths, we have been focusing on fractions. The children have learned how to identify and create equivalent fractions and have practiced comparing and ordering fractions with increasing confidence. They have shown excellent perseverance when tackling challenging problems and explaining their mathematical thinking.

Our Science lessons have centered on plants. We investigated the conditions plants need to grow and thrive, exploring how water, sunlight, nutrients and space all play an important role. The children enjoyed learning about the different parts of plants and how each part helps the plant survive and flourish.

In History, we travelled back in time to discover the fascinating world of the Ancient Egyptians. We explored the key features of their civilisation, including their beliefs, achievements, daily life and famous pharaohs. The children were particularly interested in learning about pyramids, mummification and the importance of the River Nile.

In PSHE, we discussed different roles and responsibilities within our communities. We reflected on the people who help us every day and considered how their work supports and benefits others. These conversations encouraged thoughtful discussions about gratitude, respect and responsibility.

PE lessons have focused on cricket, where the children have been developing their striking and fielding skills. They have enjoyed learning new techniques, working as a team and improving their coordination and game awareness.

Finally, in Art, we created beautiful Egyptian-inspired scrolls for our art exhibition. The children carefully layered paper to make their own papyrus before painting detailed Egyptian-style designs. The finished pieces looked fantastic and showcased both their creativity and craftsmanship.

Phew! What a busy and successful half term it has been. We are looking forward to all the exciting learning still to come this summer!

Class Blog - March & April 2026 Over the past two months, our class has been busy learning lots of exciting new skills across the curriculum.

In English, we have been focusing on how to write using speech punctuation. We practised using inverted commas, commas, and full stops correctly when writing dialogue. This has helped us to make our stories more interesting and clear for the reader.

In Maths, we explored perimeter and different types of measurement. We learned how to measure in millimetres (mm), centimetres (cm), and metres (m), and we practised converting between these units. We also applied our knowledge to solve problems involving the perimeter of different shapes.

In Science, we investigated light sources and how shadows are made. We discovered that shadows are formed when an object blocks light, and we explored how shadows can change size depending on the position of the light source.

Our Geography lessons took us on an adventure to Antarctica, where we became Antarctic explorers. We learned about this unique and extreme environment and studied the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton and his incredible journey.

In PE, we have been playing handball, where we worked on improving our passing skills and teamwork. We learned how to communicate effectively and support each other during games.

In RE, we learned about Judaism and explored what daily life is like for Jewish people. We discussed traditions, beliefs, and important practices within the religion.

In PSHE, we focused on being healthy and understanding how the food we eat affects our bodies. We talked about making balanced choices and how nutrition helps us grow and stay active.

To finish the term, we went on an exciting trip to Songfest. It was a fantastic collection of songs performed by Asone and directed by Patrick Bailey. We really enjoyed the music and it was a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a busy and successful term.

We are very proud of everything we have achieved and are looking forward to more learning next term!

March

We have had a busy March, preparing for Easter. The children enjoyed following visual instructions to help them create their Easter cards. 

This term we have endeavoured to get outside as much as we could. We had a few outings during March. We have explored the local parks, both in Calstock and St Annes Chapel. The ARC children also got to visit a farm, where we saw chickens, sheep, lambs, piygmy goats and ponies. 

As our term came to a close we finished off by making Chocolate Easter nests. 

We wish everyone a Happy Easter and look forward to seeing everyone back for the Summer Term.

April

Year 6 were very fortunate to find a window of beautiful weather for their Geography fieldwork this week!

Our Geography unit this half term has been all about exploring population. We have studied how and why populations might increase or decrease, where in the country we can find our most and least populated areas, why birth and death rates might fluctuate, why people might choose - or be forced - to migrate and how population might impact our environment.

As part of this final investigation, Year 6 chose two different locations in our village to conduct a road traffic survey. One of the areas was the busy main road and the other was a more quiet, less-populated road on the edge of the village. 

After that, we carried out a class litter pick of our local public playing field, led by our responsible Eco-councilors. Finally, as it was such a stunning afternoon and Year 6 have been working so hard all term, they spent a little time having a much-needed and well-earned game of basketball and football - would you believe it, it was 22 degrees!

March

Today, Year 6 were able to join in with a fantastic online learning experience through our online resource, TTRockstars.

Gareth Metcalf, famous for his work in mathematics education, especially through the initiative, 'I See Maths', led a live Maths lesson, where the children were taught personally by him.

The objective of the lesson was to help the children to unpick mathematical word problems, with a particular focus on Key Stage 2 multi-step multiplicative word questions. Gareth showed the children how to eliminate unnecessary information, how to draw bar models to help to understand the various steps and how to make sure that the right operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) were chosen.

The children also had the opportunity to create their own multi-step word problems, using given operations, aiming for a particular answer.

Year 6 really enjoyed the session and hopefully these new-found skills will add to their confidence when they do their SATs papers in May!

Here's a round- up of everything that's been happening at both schools in recent weeks:

Eco- Council
The Eco-council have been successful in lowering energy use in the schools. Electricity usage has reduced since their campaign to switch off more lights in rooms which are not being used has made an impact (even at this early stage.) We are using less energy this year compared to last. (January 2026 compared to January 2025.) Look out for news on battery and electronic re-cycling soon.

Mr Arnold
I will be delighted to welcome Mr Arnold into the school during the second half of the summer term for some days. This will be a great opportunity for him to get to know that staff and children better so that he can really 'hit the ground running' in September. I know that you will enjoy having him as the new Headteacher.

Valentine's Disco
Just before half term the children enjoyed a lively, fun Valentine's disco. Thank you to Mrs Wright for organising this and to staff member who helped during the afternoon/evening. £250 was raised for our school funds.

World Book Day
On 5th March we celebrated World Book Day by dressing as our favourite book characters. It was fantastic to see all of the amazing outfits- especially at the end of the day during our 'catwalk'. It was great to see so many parents supporting this event. I would like to say a special thank you to Miss Owen for organising a day full of book-related activities. Also, it was amazing that the staff all dressed as 'Golden Tickets' to match my fancy dress costume theme- what a team!

Y5/Y6 Girl's Football
On 11th March a team of our amazing girl footballers took part in a tournament in Callington, arranged by Arena. They represented the schools brilliantly, coming 5th overall. Well done girls and special thanks to Miss Jenkins for accompanying them.

Trust Music Day
On 16th March our Year 5 pupils attended a Trust music event in Liskeard. They performed the 'Copper Valley' song in St. Martin's Church for an audience of other Bridge schools. They also met Canadian singer and songwriter Luke Wallace and sang one of his compositions. Thank you to Mrs Pearce for driving the group and to Miss Gamble and Miss Jenkins for rehearsing the class.

Bag2School
Our recent Bag2School collection raised £35. Thank you to all who donated items of unwanted clothing.

Tag Rugby Festival

On 17th March a group of pupils from Y4 and Y6 represented the school in a Tag Rugby Festival, held in Tavistock.They played really well, winning two of their matches and drawing one. They represented the school very well and Mrs Hannaford, who accompanied them, was very proud of them.

Red Nose Day
On Friday 20th March the children dressed in their pyjamas and red noses and brought in a donation for Comic Relief.  Thank you, we raised £82.

My Clothing
The company which supply our school uniforms (www.myclothing.com) are having a flash spring sale. If you enter SPRING15 between 23/3/ and 29/3 you will receive 15% off your order.

 

What a fantastic start to the new year we have had in our classroom! The children have shown great enthusiasm, resilience and curiosity in all of their learning. Here's a look at what we've been up to in January and February.

History - The Romans This term we have been travelling back in time to learn about the Romans. We have explored what life was like in Roman Britain, how the Roman army was organised and why the Romans were so successful. To finish off our half term, we were visited by the brilliant Centurion Maximus Adricus! He brought Roman history to life through exciting games, storytelling and hands-on activities. The children loved finding out about Roman armour, battle formations and daily life in the army. It was a fantastic way to deepen our understanding of the Romans.

Maths - Multiplication and Division In Maths, we have been working hard on multiplication and division. We have practised using times tables to solve problems, explored different methods for solving calculations and learned how multiplication and division are linked. The children have shown great perseverance when tackling tricky word problems!

Science - Magnetism Our Science topic has been all about forces, with a focus on magnetism. We investigated which materials are magnetic and learned how to test objects using magnets. The children discovered that not all metal is magnetic and enjoyed predicting and testing different materials. We also learned about magnetic poles and how magnets can attract and repel.

English - Romans and Mythology In English, we have linked our writing to our History topic. We wrote detailed character descriptions of the Roman hero Hercules, focusing on his strength, bravery and his famous 12 labours. We also wrote non-chronological reports about the Roman gods, organising our work with headings and subheadings. The children worked hard to include fascinating facts and use formal language in their reports.

PSHE - Facing Challenges In PSHE, we have been thinking about how to face challenges positively. We used our Building Learning Power skills - such as resilience, resourcefulness and reflectiveness - to help us when learning feels tricky. The children have been brilliant at encouraging one another and showing a growth mindset.

Music - Songfest 2026 We have also begun practicing songs for Songfest 2026, which will be taking place in March. The children are already singing beautifully and learning the lyrics with great enthusiasm. We can't wait to perform!

Well done to everyone for a brilliant start to 2026. We are so proud of all the hard work, determination and positivity shown this term. We're looking forward to another exciting half term ahead!

February

In art this month, we linked our work to our learning in RE, where we were thinking all about why Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah. The children produced some beautiful artwork, depicting Jesus, in pencil. Their attention to detail was spectacular and they were all very proud of the work they had produced.

Our environment ambassadors have been working hard to promote environmental awareness around the school. They have produced posters reminding us to turn off lights and turn off the taps. They have also set up collection areas for soft plastic recycling and now they are turning their focus back to lighting, carrying out regular surveys to check that we are turning lights off when we leave the room.

Soon, the environment ambassadors will be leading the rest of the school in a 'Hidden Treasure Hunt' where we will all be encouraged to hand in unwanted electrical items, as they often contain small traces of important metals, which can be recycled and would otherwise just disappear into landfill - watch this space for more information!

January

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you all had a peaceful and restful Christmas break - it was great to welcome all the children back for another new year - let's see what fun 2026 will bring us! 

Early in the month, we were visited by the staff from the 'Pulse Bus'. The children have been very lucky, as Mrs Cox has secured some funding for a 6 week fun-filled adventure! Every week, the children will be able to attend the Pulse Bus, where there is a climbing wall, games room, snack bar, craft corner and much, much more!

On the day their lovely staff visited us, the children took part in a workshop where they thought about themselves, their qualities and what they bring to the world. The focus was on making sure that we don't discriminate against anyone, ever because of our differences. Differences are to be celebrated!

In class, Year 6 learned all about Habitats and the Linnaean system of classification in Science. In Maths, they strengthened their knowledge of ratio and algebra and in English they wrote non-chronological reports all about creatures from the Galapagos islands. In Computing, the focus was online safety, we learned how to describe different habitats in French and in History we learned how to use a census to help us learn all about the past.