Spring 21st March 2016 - Federated Schools of Swanbourne

Newsletter Date: Monday 21st March 2016
REMINDER: INSET DAY ON MONDAY 11th APRIL
Dear Parents,
We have a busy week ahead so I wanted to send a few reminders as well as an update on school life. Please see the
attached flyer detailing fun Easter activities at Bucks
County museum.
Wear an Easter Bonnet or Hat Day
On Thursday 24th March, Drayton Parslow and Mursley
will be parading their Easter Creations as
they walk their respective villages. As this
coincides with Wear a Hat for Brain Tumour Research, we’re asking children to
make a beautiful bonnet or hat, bring a donation for this worthy charity and we’ll be
awarding a top prize in each class. Let battle commence!
The Great Swanbourne Bake Off - Y3-6
As mentioned in the last newsletter, on Thursday March
24th, we’ll be holding the first ever Swanbourne Bake Off.
Children will be asked to bring their very best home baked
Easter Creations to present before the judges on THURSDAY (I have ordered a Mary Berry mask!) and we’ll take
great pleasure in judging them! A winners cup will be
awarded and children will have
the opportunity to buy the delicious treats, with all proceeds going to Willen Hospice. Remember
to bring some money.
Forthcoming Dates:
Weds 23rd March
Swanbourne Easter
Services
St Swithuns
9.15am & 2.15pm
Thurs 24th March
KS1
Wear an Easter Hat
or Bonnet
KS2
Great Swanbourne
Bake Off
Break for Easter
Foundation Stage
Mrs Sandmann and Miss Marlow have had a fabulous start to
the spring, welcoming new life ito the world. Massive thanks
go out to The Friends for funding incubators so that we could
hatch our own chickens! Last Tuesday morning I found myself
firmly planted on a very small sofa watching a chick fight it’s
way out of it’s shell. The staff and children were transfixed.
Awe and Wonder filled the room. Take a peek at our visitors
below.
Following their trip to the RSPCA, the children in Reception set
about raising funds so that they could make a difference to lives
of animals. Through sponsorship, the two classes raised over
£1000, a staggering amount. Many thanks to everyone who
sponsored them! The children are returning to present their
cheque tomorrow.
Continuing the theme of new life, everyone in Reception had
great fun when they visited Mead Open Fam. The weather
held and they all enjoyed stroking rabbits and guinea pigs, handling chickens, feeding goats, counting piglets, grooming a
Shetland pony and even bottle feeding some very greedy lambs!
Please let us know if you are aware of any bee-keepers who
would be willing to come and talk to the children next term.
We’d also like to hear from people with pet spiders or land
snails who could bring them in to show for our minibeast topic?
Taking over the world!
Dance Extravaganza
On Thursday 25th February, we took part in the Buckinghamshire
Dance Extravaganza at the Buckingham School. We entered two
groups: one in the Bronze Category and one in the Silver Category. The
Bronze group went first, dancing to ‘Candyman’. In total, there were
six schools competing in this category and we came second. Then the
Silver group performed with their ‘Men in Black’ dance. They won
their category against three other schools. The dancers did a brilliant
job and really did the school proud. As the Silver group won their heat,
they qualified for the final which took place at the Royal Latin School
on Friday 18th March.
I AM DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WON!!!!!!!
Mon 11th April
INSET DAY
Tues 12th April
KS2 Parents Eve
Weds 13th April
Drayton KS1 Parents
Evening
Tennis
Mrs Fisher took group of Year 3 and 4 children to the Buckingham
School for an inter school hockey tournament. There were 9 teams
playing from a variety of schools. The children played brilliantly and
were a real credit to school. We lost one game , drew one game and
won all the rest. We came joint second with 27 points and the winning
school got 29 points.
Thurs 14th April
KS2 Parents Eve
Fri 15th April
School Disco
Badminton
On Monday 14th March, eight individuals from the Year 5 class competed in the Bisi Badminton tournament at Buckingham School. Following lots of practice, the children were full of confidence.
With 4 matches to play, the boys (Brandon Keen, Ben Knaves, Tom
Marshall and William Smith), who were captained by Brandon,
showed great team work and dedication to achieve victory in three of
their matches.
Mon 18th-Weds-20th
April
Y4 Residential
Weds 20th April
The girls (Eva Keen, Lily Martin, Libby King and Esme Johnston), who
were captained by Eva Keen, showed the same tenacity to overcome
their opposition in three of their four matches.
Mursley KS1 Parents
Evening
As the results were read, you could feel the tension build. One-by-one,
each school was read out until there were two left. With a 10 point
lead, our Year 5s had won the tournament.
Mon 25th April
It was a proud moment for all involved and we now look to focus our
attention on the finals at Stoke Mandeville School.
ANOTHER VICTORY!!!!
Y4 Woodrow
Assembly
World Book Day celebrations
We had a fabulous time celebrating all
things book related throughout the week
surrounding World Book Day.
At Mursley and Drayton we had a bedtime stories evening, where the children
returned to school in their pyjamas to
enjoy their favourite stories over hot
chocolate and a crumpet.
The children loved the scholastic book
fair ,buying books using their world
book day tokens, and raising over £300
to purchase new books for the Three
Schools.
On World book day the children and
staff came dressed as their favourite
book characters and enjoyed lots of
book themed activities throughout the
day.
A trip to the story museum in Oxford to
take part in workshops to develop poetry writing and character description was
a real highlight in KS1.
The children especially liked being able to dress up in a range of story book character costumes.
Year 5 – STAR Project
On Thursday 3rd of March, Year 5 took part in the Astrobiology Society of Britain’s STAR project. The afternoon session involved Dr Karen Olsson-Francis, Lecturer of Ecology, UK Space Agency Aurora
Fellow from the department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems
at The Open University to lead a workshop looking at the work of
Tim Peake, life on board the International Space Station and how
humans adapt to living in space and astrobiology.
The children also had an opportunity to find out about the universe
and the planets that exist within it and asked Dr Olsson-Francis
some very interesting and insightful questions.
Fri 29th April
Cancer Research
Charity Event
Swanbourne
Mon 2nd May
Bank Holiday
Fri 6th May
Class Photos @
Swanbourne
Mon 9th May
KS2 SATS week
Fri 27th May
LAST DAY OF
TERM
Easter Cracked
On the morning of Wednesday 10th March, Year 6 attended an ‘Easter Cracked’
workshop at the Water Eaton Church Centre in Bletchley. The workshop run by the
Bridgebuilder Trust, aimed to help our pupils understand the significance of Easter
to Christians, and consisted of a fast moving and interactive presentation, including
games, stories, film clips, discussion, craft
and a Cadbury's cream egg for all pupils
who attended. Year 6 had a fantastic time
and enjoyed the variety of activities that
developed their already impressive understanding of Easter, the life of Jesus, the significance of symbols and the story as a
whole to Christians
Good Friday Walk
For families & individuals
Meet outside Mursley Church at 11am
Includes a stop in a barn for coffee/tea/squash & hot-cross buns, Crafts for the children
Return by approximately 12.30 - 1pm
Please wear appropriate footwear for field walking (Sorry no dogs allowed)
If you are interested please phone Martin & Margaret 01296 720016 or email
dowding77@btinternet.com so that we have some idea of numbers.
Prayer and Reflection Club @ Swanbourne CE School
Next meeting: Thursday 14th April
8.30am
Children and adults welcome
Refreshments provided