Friday 13th March 2020
News from The Three Schools
Dear Parents,
The Spring term is flying by and we are delighted to share that we’ve enjoyed a wide variety of
exciting opportunities this week including; Library visits for both EYFS classes, Science day
activities for all year groups, Bikeability, KS2 Dance Extravaganza fun and Swimming gala action
for Year 6. We hope you enjoying finding out more about this very exciting week.
Yours Sincerely,
Carol-Anne McCollum and David May (Executive Co-Headteachers)
Coronavirus Update from the Three Schools
We just wanted to provide an update regarding the management of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) across the Three
Schools. We are regularly reminding all members of the school community about the importance good hygiene to
prevent the spread of germ following the guidelines from Public Health England and drawing upon the information
from NHS and DfE.
Below we have a series of questions and answers in relation to common concerns shared with school.
What is currently happening at The Three Schools?
• Everything is running normally and we will continue to operate local trips and visits as scheduled—Until such
point as we are advised to do differently by the DfE.
• All staff and students are frequently reminded to wash their hands regularly (using soap and water); cover
coughs or sneezes with a tissue and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• We have used DfE materials to remind students of good hygiene and to encourage regular handwashing.
• Soap dispensers are refilled regularly and tested to ensure they are functioning daily. Where appropriate,
teachers have spoken to children about the virus and we have discussed it in Collective Worship.
• We’re emphasising to all staff, pupils and visitors the need for regular and thorough hand-washing with
anti-bacterial soap throughout the day. This is deemed the most successful way to minimise the spread of the
virus.
How can I help protect my child?
• Follow the public health advice. The NHS has an excellent page here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-
covid-19/common-questions/.
• Hand hygiene remains the most effective measure. That means washing your hands more often than usual, for 20
seconds, and whenever you: get home or into work, blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food.
• It's important to use soap and water or hand sanitiser.
What do I do if my child is unwell?
• If you are unsure please seek medical advice (NHS 111 or your local GP).
• Follow Government advice - Anyone with a "new, continuous" cough or high temperature (above 37.8
degrees) is now advised to self-isolate for seven days to support the Delay phase of the plan to tackle
Coronavirus and therefore will not be expected in school. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-
coronavirus-covid-19-infection
• Where we have been informed that the reason for this is because of a continuous new cough or a high
temperature, children will not be allowed back into school until 7 days after the first day of absence.
• Should your child present these symptoms over the coming days, we will require written confirmation
that this is the reason they are off school. If your child is off for the reasons mentioned above, and you
have informed us in writing on day 1.
If I think my child or someone else in my home may have contracted Coronavirus, what do I do?
• Call NHS 111 or use the service’s simple new online service https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 that will advise
you what to do.
• Let the school know if NHS 111 says that you should take action.
Are you thinking of closing The Three Schools?
• The DfE is very clear that no school should close in response to a suspected (or confirmed) COVID-19
case unless advised to do so by Public Health England.
• If The Three Schools do have to close we will make sure children have access to online and home
learning tasks. These plans will be shared, should the need arise.
• Closure information will be posted on the Buckinghamshire County Council's closures website https://
closures.buckscc.gov.uk/Search.aspx (we suggest you add this web page to your favourites!) and an
email will be sent to all parents via the ParentMail messaging system.
• This information will also be posted on the School website and is also put out on local radio stations.
• The presumption is that the Three Schools are always open unless we have alerted parents via the
Bucks CC closures website or via a direct ParentMail message.
Will you tell us if a child or member of staff has confirmed Coronavirus at The Three Schools?
• Yes, please do not listen to hearsay on social media as this has led to confusion and misinformation in
other schools.
What happens if there is a confirmed case within The Three Schools?
• We will immediately contact Public Health England and then share their advice with you.
Where is the best place to get information or advice about Coronavirus?
The government has several very good regularly updated sites:
• www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public - A best starting point
• www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/common-questions/ - Health advice from the NHS
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus - Advice about travel
• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/updated-statement-on-coronavirus - Advice about exams and
assessments
If you have any questions or concerns, the Department for Education Coronavirus helpline is now
available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff,
parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
Finally, may we request that parents continue to support us in ensuring that the children do not become
overly anxious but reassure them about the measures they can take to protect themselves and those
around them.
We find ourselves in an unprecedented situation in which we have to make plans to ensure that all
members of our community are safe. Please be reassured that we are doing everything in our power to
maintain this safety, whilst providing the best possible learning opportunities for our children. Any
decisions we make will be guided entirely by the DfE, the Government and Public Health England.
We realise that this situation can be very unsettling. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not
hesitate to contact the School Office or speak either of us at school.
Thank you for your continued support.
Mr D May and Ms C A McCollum Executive Co-Headteachers)
A Royal delivery arrives at Drayton Parslow!
EYFS were incredibly excited to receive a very
special letter from Buckingham Palace today - a
reply to the letters we wrote to The Queen last
term! She also sent us lots of pictures and
information about her family and pets!
(Mrs Sandmann—EYFS Leader)
Good reads - Book Recommendation
The 13 Storey Treehouse – By Andy Griffiths
Recommended by Ella F – Year 4
This book has been recommended because it’s adventurous
and very funny. It follows the story of two main characters,
Andy and Terry and their quest to finish writing the book.
The boys have no parents and live in a wonderful 13 story
tree house.
Who wouldn’t want to live in a treehouse that has a bowl-
ing alley, a see through swimming pool, a tank of sharks, a
secret underground laboratory, a games room and a
machine that shoots your favourite flavoured
marshmallows into your mouth when you’re hungry?
The boys live in the tree house, write books and have fan-
tastic adventures – because … Anything can happen in a
13 storey treehouse!
(Written by Beth and Maddison - Year 6 English Ambassadors)
Leighton Buzzard Library Visit for EYFS
Drayton Parslow EYFS spent a fabulous morning at Leighton
Buzzard Library on Thursday. We listened to a hedgehog story and made
some craft hedgehogs for the library display. The children loved browsing
the shelves and choosing books to read together and we found some non-
fiction books with more ideas for saving the world! We were able to choose
10 to bring back to school. If you get a chance to visit the library with your
children look out for our super hedgehog display!
Mrs Sandmann (EYFS Leader)
Swimming Success for Year 6
On Wednesday 11th March 2020, 8 pupils from Year 6 participated in the
Bucks Swimming gala at the Stoke Mandeville stadium. The event took
place from 10.30am to 11.30am, there were 5 races per
person. The races were as follows; Backstroke,
Breaststroke, Freestyle (Front Crawl), Freestyle (Front
Crawl) relay, and a Medley relay. Everyone in the team
did an amazing job. The boys won both of their relay races
and the girls team came 5th in one race and 6th in the
other. Overall our school came 3rd out of our group and
we came 9th of the 16 teams in the entire competition.
Year 6 Swimming team Maisie K, Gabe C, Lily T,
Dexter H, Tali G, Oliver C-B, Freya A and Isaac B.
Written by Maisie K (Year 6)
Dance Extravaganza Excitement for Year 6
On Monday 9th March 2020, 9 Year 6 pupils participated
in the KS2 Dance extravaganza at the Buckingham
School. There were 12 schools, with 4 of these schools in
our family (Freemantle family). The theme for all dances
this year was ‘Carnival’. Before the performance, we felt
very nervous but very eager, we did very well and rose to
the occasion - Overall we came 2nd place which means we
are now going to the finals on the 21st April 2020. We are
very excited as parents are also invited to watch our
performance in the finals.
Year 6 Dance team Freya A, Amelie D, Isabel N,
Elizabeth W, Lily T, Tali G, Gabe C James B, and
Freddie C.
Written by Freya, Amelie and Isabel (Year 6)
Super Science Day—’Our Diverse Planet’
On Wednesday 11th March, children across all three schools
participated in Science Day on Wednesday, following the national
British Science Week theme of 'Our Diverse Planet'. We had outside
visitors, as well as teacher-led activities and our KS2 Science
ambassadors, Sophia, George C and James C led an activity with Year
2, where they collected objects in the school grounds to look at under
microscopes.
In Key Stage 2, children took part in a carousel of activities during the
morning in their house groups. They investigated weight distribution
in boats by arranging pennies on a paper boat and seeing how many
they could put on before it sank. We looked at diversity in water usage
around the world and the children then built a filter to clean muddy
water (some looked almost drinkable by the end!). Another activity
considered human diversity, the children wore blindfolds to see what
it would be like to have an impairment such as low vision. They had to
work with a sighted partner to be able to play boules, complete a
hockey slalom and take part in throwing game. They had to improve
their communication skills as well as trust their partner to be able to
stand a chance of completing the challenges. They discussed how to
approach each activity and act differently to support each other, as
well as how they could adapt other games so visually impaired people
might join in. Children also discussed plastic use and recycling and
designed their own keyrings which were made using recycled plastic.
All children attended a session led by visitors from the Open
University, who looked at microbes and even had giant plush microbes
for use to look at! They activity was based on microbes and an
experiment where children see the microbes on their hands before and
after washing them. The petri dishes have been taken back to the lab,
and we will get photographs of the results to show to the children and
discuss with them in a few days. They also looked at some microbes
under the microscope—A very topical subject at the moment!
AS Creatives involved the children in drama activities based around
the theme, with each year group looking at the diversity of our planets
and then different biomes on the Earth, such as mountains, oceans,
the savannah and the rainforest. They also led our after school
workshop with parents and children solving puzzles linked to each
room in a house and designing some top tips for saving the planet.
Thank you to those who attended and made
this a success. We had a great day with lots
of fantastic science across The Three
Schools.
(Mrs Goodman - Science Leader)
Stars of the Week and Work of the Week
Drayton Parslow
EYFS
Star of the Week - Jimi
Year 1
Star of the Week - Owen
Year 2
Star of the Week - Lilly
Mursley
EYFS
Star of the Week - (No Star of Week due to Library Trip)
Year 1
Star of the Week - Florence V
Year 2
Star of the Week - Bethan D
Swanbourne
Year 3
Star of the Week - Elsie (Writing poetry in English, making good contributions and working hard in all subjects)
Work of the Week -Dylan A (For fantastic Maths work on equivalent fractions)
Year 4
Star of the Week - (No Star of Week due to Open University Music Trip)
Work of the Week - (No Work of the Week due to Open University Music Trip)
Year 5
Star of the Week - Alexander (For his efforts in story writing and art during Book week).
Work of the Week - Oliver (For excellent manners, his hard work and his patience when working with others).
Year 6
Star of the Week - Lily (For a positive approach to learning).
Work of the Week - Michael (For challenging himself with decimals and percentages in his Maths).
News from the Friends of the Three Schools—Second Hand Uniform for Sale
Please see the table below for details of Second Hand Uniform for Sale.
If you would like to purchase any of the items displayed below, please contact your School Office, who
will pass on your details to the Friends of the Three Schools.
Many thanks
Item Age/Size How many available Price (each item)
Girls School Cardigan (with logo)
3-4 years 1 £4
5-6years 2 £4
6-7 years 1 £4
7-8 years 0 £4
9-10 years 3 £4
School Jumpers (with Logo)
7-8 years 0 £4
32" 1 £4
Boys Grey Trousers
3 years 2 £2
5 years 1 £2
6-7 years 1 £2
7-8 years 4 £2
8 years 0 £2
9 years 1 £2
9-10 years 2 £2
10 years 1 £2
13 years 1 £2
Boys Grey Shorts
3 years 1 £1
3-4 years 1 £1
8 years 1 £1
9 years 4 £1
12-13 years 1 £1
13-14 years 1 £1
Grey School dress (Pinafore) 5-6 years 1 £2
Grey skirt
11-12 years 1 £2
10 years 1 £2
Summer School dress (purple) small pen marks
8 years 2 £1
9 years 1 £1
Summer School dress (purple) 8 years 1 £2
PE shorts (black) 18/20" 1 £1
Brand new with tags PE shorts (black)
18/20" 4 £2
26/28" 1 £2
School Logo reflector jacket (light sports) 26" 1 £5
Date School & Year Group Event
Wednesday 18th March 2020 Swanbourne (Year 5) Space Centre Trip
Thursday 19th March 2020 Mursley and Drayton Parslow
(EYFS and KS1) Explorer Dome Visit
Friday 20th March 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 5 and Year 6)
Swanbourne House performance of ‘Grease’
(9.30am—11.45am)
Friday 20th March 2020 Mursley
(EYFS and KS1)
Mother’s Day Tea Party
(2.00pm)
Friday 20th March 2020 Drayton Parslow
(EYFS and KS1)
Mother’s Day Tea Party
(2.00pm)
Wednesday 25th March 2020 Mursley and Drayton Parslow
(Year 1) Tring ZSL Museum Visit
Saturday 28th March 2020 All Three Schools Easter Family Bingo (5pm—7pm)
Greenacre Hall Drayton Parslow
Monday 30th March—
Wednesday 1st April 2020 Swanbourne (Year 4) Woodrow Residential Trip
Wednesday 1st April 2020 Swanbourne (Year 3) Year 3 Pre-History Day
and Fire Making Workshop
Friday 3rd April 2020 Mursley and Drayton Parslow
(EYFS and KS1)
EYFS and KS1 Easter Bonnet Parades
(9.15am parades in Schools/Villages)
Friday 3rd April 2020 Swanbourne (KS2) KS2 Easter Service
(2.00pm at St Swithun’s)
Friday 3rd April 2020 All Three Schools Break up for Easter
Monday 6th April 2020 All Three Schools Easter Holiday Club (Mursley CE School)
Tuesday 7th April 2020 All Three Schools Easter Holiday Club (Mursley CE School)
Monday 20th April 2020 All Three Schools Summer Term 1 Starts
Tuesday 21st April 2020 Swanbourne (Year 4) Woodrow Assembly for parents (9.15am)
Friday 24th April 2020 Mursley and Drayton Parslow
(EYFS and KS1)
KS1 Disco—Mursley Village Hall
(3.45pm—5.15pm)
Friday 24th April 2020 Swanbourne
(KS2)
KS2 Disco—Mursley Village Hall
(5.45pm—7.45pm)
Date School & Year Group Event
Tuesday 28th April 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 4 and Year 5)
Year 4 and Year 5 Parents Evening
(3.30pm—8.00pm)
Wednesday 29th April 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 3 and Year 6)
Year 3 and Year 6 Parents Evening
(3.30pm—8.00pm)
Wednesday 29th April 2020 Mursley and Drayton Parslow
(KS1)
KS1 Parents Evening
(3.30pm—8.00pm)
Thursday 30th April 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6)
KS2 Parents Evening
(3.30pm—6.30pm)
Monday 4th May 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 6)
Skern Lodge Meeting for Parents
(3.40pm—4.30pm)
Wednesday 6th May 2020 Swanbourne
(Year 3) Year 3 trip to Ashmolean
Thursday 7th May 2020 All Three Schools VE Day Celebrations
Friday 8th May 2020 All Three Schools Early May Bank Holiday
(75th anniversary of VE Day)
W.C Monday 11th May 2020 Swanbourne (Year 6) KS2 SATs Week
Saturday 16th May 2020 All Three Schools Three Schools Summer Fair
Monday 18th May 2020 Swanbourne (Year 5) Visit to MK Museum
Thursday 21st May 2020 Swanbourne (Year 5) Science Fair
Friday 22nd May 2020 All Three Schools INSET Day
Thursday 21st May 2020 All Three Schools Break up for May Half Term
Monday 1st June 2020 All Three Schools INSET Day
Monday 1st June—
Friday 5th June 2020 Swanbourne (Year 6) Skern Lodge Residential Trip
Tuesday 2nd June 2020 All Three Schools Summer Term 2 Starts