Community Cards winners announced

At the beginning of March, Year 6 students at 26 primary schools across the Chiltern and South Bucks areas of Buckinghamshire began the Community Cards Scheme.

The scheme saw approximately 1000 children collecting stickers by completing various challenges and tasks. Each sticker is linked to valuable life skills with topics covering money management, cyber security, safety awareness, healthy living, citizenship, environmental issues, sport and wellbeing.

The scheme was designed to help prepare children in Year 6 for their transition to secondary school and is supported by Thames Valley Police, Bucks Fire & Rescue, Natwest, M for Money, Safe!, Barnados R-U-Safe?, National Trust, Wycombe Women's Aid and the former Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils' joint Waste and Recycling team.

Amazingly, despite schools closing in response to the Covid-19 lockdown, five schools were able to continue with the scheme.

Pupils took their booklets home with them and were able to do some work on the return to school; a lot of improvisation was required as partners were unable to attend schools to deliver presentations.

Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy and Chenies School were the overall champions and pupils won individual tickets to LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort rather than a class trip to the resort.

The five schools who continued the scheme after lockdown received £150 worth of vouchers and all other vouchers were gifted to pupils who made special efforts.

Councillor Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities & Public Health, said: “Congratulations to the Year 6 pupils at Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy and Chenies School who successfully completed the Community Card Scheme and collected the most stickers between them.

“We’d also like to acknowledge all the other schools who entered, we hope that all the children were able to pick up some new useful skills which will help stand them in good stead for starting secondary school. It’s a real shame that not everyone was able to complete the scheme but this was an unprecedented year.”

Ms Ashley, Year 6 Teacher at Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy said:

“What a great opportunity it has been for my class to take part in the Community Cards Scheme for all pupils in Year 6. The children have learnt a lot from carrying out their work to earn the 24 stickers required. The Money and Intergenerational stickers, in particular, were eye-openers for the pupils. I personally, have found it easy to fit into the curriculum coverage. I'd recommend the scheme to all Year 6 teachers.”

The Council would like to thank all of the sponsors who supported the scheme:

• LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort provided individual tickets for two winning classes

• Everyone Active provided two winning classes individual tickets for The CLIMB and family swim passes for the Chiltern Pools

• Tesco provided a gift card for an individual prize

• Cliveden, National Trust provided a family pass for an individual prize

• The Entertainer provided a variety of £30 and £50 gift cards