Uncovering Cornwall’s Mining History

As part of Year 5’s new Ballerion Award, we were joined by Ben Clitherow from Cornish Metals. Ben delivered a fascinating talk on the history of mining in Cornwall.

Ben shared with our pupils how the same processes are being used in modern mining today, and discussed the impact that mining has on our lives. He went on to explain the work happening to revive mining in Cornwall, particularly at South Crofty. Our children were engaged and enthused throughout Ben’s presentation.

The Ballerion Award comes from the name given to Penwith by the Greeks when they first saw it, which means ‘the shining land’. It is a new award programme set up and run by Truro School Prep.

Spearheaded by Mr Lord, the scheme is primarily an environmentally-focused scheme that encourages our pupils to connect, enjoy and care for our wild places. The Award aims to link our local history to pupils’ learning and includes an expedition hiking across Bodmin Moor, a Coast to Coast Cycle ride, an educational visit to King Edward’s Mine, a beach clean, a self-guided conservation project and a period of service to the community. The activities are also tied to our English curriculum for the Year 5 Spring and Summer term.

We look forward to sharing more about this brilliant award scheme throughout the rest of the year.