Welcome to St Mark’s CofE Primary School!

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About St Mark’s

St Mark’s has a strong Christian ethos, brilliant pupils, fantastic staff and a supportive community. Our four Christian values underpin all that we do, resulting in a high quality of education for all of its pupils at all levels. We are keen to “Grow and learn together in God’s love”. Our learning behaviours and HeartSmart ‘High Five’ help us to learn well and be emotionally strong and resilient, too.

We are pleased that Ofsted recognised our great work, validating our judgement of being a ‘Good’ school in March 2018. Read more here. In July 2019, SIAMs judged our school as ‘Excellent’, noting that “The vision shapes this exceptionally caring and compassionate school community.”

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Lunches update – apology and good news

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Dear all,

A huge apology for the issues around lunchtime changes. I know it’s been very difficult, and I want to update you with what hopefully is good news.

  1. Return to hot meals from next week
  2. This week – same as today (picnic option)
  3. Lentils, chick peas, gram flour are all ok to have (which means gluten free bread is ok)
  4. No nut based products still!
  5. Children with gluten free allergy can have the picnic option with bread roll if ordering school meals.
  6. Normal packed lunches can resume too for all children.

Thank you for your understanding.

Latest Newsletter

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Message from Mr Applegate

 

Most importantly – please see the menu changes if your child normally has school dinners.

A huge thank you for your continued support in these times! It is so good to see the children enjoying being together. We had our second ‘live’ celebration worship today- Mrs Ford, Mrs Alsey or myself lead a worship for all KS1 or KS2 classes, all done online, and we celebrate the successes of the week for the children. One child from each class is also chosen as a Star Learner. Each child is clapped by all of KS1 or KS2, albeit over the computer. It’s a lovely time to be together, albeit virtually.

A couple reminders:

  1. NHS Symptoms Check
  2. Got a query about Covid and school? Please use this new email address – covid@stmarksce.org.uk (we’re getting so many emails we need to centralise our system!)
  3. If a child or parent is at home because of symptoms, please keep the siblings off too. IE the whole household needs to isolate, and the person with symptoms needs to get a test.
  4. We are moving online with homework, spellings and Google Classrooms. If you need help with technology, please do let us know by emailing the office.
  5. If a child is off school but able to work, then Google Classroom work is available – and it should be completed. Teachers spend a lot of time making sure this work is available so no-one misses out!

We had a mini-inspection on Thursday from the local authority regarding our teaching, learning, and health and safety. A very positive visit for us.

Finally, thank you for your messages of support regarding the financial constraints we are facing because of a lack of funding (both generally for schools and also covid-related costs). I’ll be sharing more soon on this. FOSM are doing a brilliant job behind the scenes to prepare a few ideas, so please do join the FOSM AGM online – details below. Also, if you shop on Amazon, click here!

Have a great week, Mr Applegate

Important changes to school menu

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UPDATE – please see here for an update

As a result of some newly diagnosed and very severe allergies across the school, we have made the decision to update our entire school menu to reflect these allergies.

As this is a mammoth task requiring all ingredients in every meal offered to be checked, this will take time, and we are therefore going to be offering only cold picnic lunches at school from Monday 21st September until October half term (23rd October). There will be two options of picnic lunch offered each day, please see menu below.  This menu will be repeated each week.

If your child has known allergies and chooses from a special menu, then they will be able to choose each day from the Picnic option or the Jacket potato option detailed at the bottom of their own menu.

If you would prefer to send a packed lunch in from home for your child, that is of course still another option. Please be aware of our previously informed restrictions – we are a nut free school (this also excludes any chocolate spread, Nutella, cereal bars containing nuts, Biscoff spread etc), and we are also excluding lentils, chick peas (including houmus) as these are known allergens. Gluten free bread/rolls often contain gram flour which is made from ground chick peas, so please check and refrain from sending these products into school for your child.

We appreciate your patience with all the recent changes that have been made regarding school meals, but we are sure you understand that the children’s safety is our priority.

 

SCL After School Care – click to find out more!

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School trips from last term

We would like to confirm arrangements with regards to school trips that were cancelled for children in Year R, Year 3 & Year 4 last term.

We recognise the majority of parents had paid for these trips and do have a record of the payments that have been received.

We are hoping we will be able to arrange a trip during Spring term 2021. Any monies held will go towards the cost of that trip.

Thank you for your understanding and support. 

Star Learners Last Week!

Well done to:

  • Year R: Ruby R, Max M, Harrison
  • Year 1: Edison, Oliver, Alex Mc
  • Year 2: Ella, Nicholas, Charlotte
  • Year 3: Ayden, Elizabeth, Ross,Ellie
  • Year 4: Ameila, Ano, Aaliyah
  • Year 5: Freya, Kai, Stanley
  • Year 6: Daniel C, Mia, Mollie

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Cleaning Vacancy

We are looking for a cleaner who is friendly, enthusiastic, reliable and able to meet the physical demands of the role.

The successful applicant will be required to comply fully with Health and Safety guidelines and procedures. Experience preferred but full training provided for successful candidate.

We are looking for someone who:

· Takes pride in their work

· Is an excellent cleaner

· Is flexible and approachable

· Can work as part of a team or on own initiative

 

Duties will include

· Emptying bins

· Cleaning allocated areas

· Washing tables

· Cleaning sinks and toilets

· Sweeping and vacuuming

Hours 3.30pm – 6.30pm Monday to Friday, 52 weeks per year (some hours to be worked in school holidays)

Pay – £9.25 per hour If you’d like to be part of our team please email adminoffice@st-markscofe.hants.sch.uk for an application form 

Head Lice

There have been some cases of head lice in Year 1.

Please check your children over the weekend and treat if necessary. Thank you 

 

School Photographs

Our school photos are due to take place on Monday 28th September, weather permitting.

Due to the current situation, photos will be taken outside, if there is bad weather, we will need to postpone until another day.

We are hoping to be able to offer sibling photos in the Spring.

 

Do you have a spare laptop you don’t need?

blankDo you have a laptop lying around, which we can use to support children at home? Doesn’t need to be new or quick. We blitz it, and install all the software necessary. That way a child who doesn’t have access to a laptop for home learning can really benefit. If you can help, please email the office.

Immanuel Church

 

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Parking on local roads

We have been sent this photo by a resident in Highwood Ridge. Please do not block pathways, as parents can’t get by with their push chairs. On this occasion, it was even more dangerous as families were having to walk into the road on a bend.

Please park in a considerate manner when bringing your children to schoolblank

Harvest

We’ll be celebrating Harvest on Monday 12th October. This year, instead of bringing in food items, can we encourage you to donate online to Basingstoke Foodbank?

Gates!

The gates are generally working well, thank you everyone. Just a little reminder about not blocking paths (inside school site or outside on the paths) whilst chatting with others. Please also be mindful of others if you are leaving a dog outside the school gates – thank you for not bringing them in though!

Regular Notices

Friends of St Mark’s (FOSM) AGM

blankOur FOSM team (PTA) work incredibly hard for our school. We run an AGM, which is a public meeting for all parents/carers to share ideas, discuss events, and see how St Mark’s can be supported financially. It also strengthen’s our community, too! Please do join us online!

Date: Tuesday 13th October, 7:30pm. Online only. The Zoom link is here.

FOSM is now a registered charity – can your business help us in anyway?

What is your child learning this term?

Read the following for your child’s year group to find out more! It includes information about homework, reading, general expectations and more. The Knowledge Organiser helps you to know the knowledge the children should be learning for their project. Test them and see how they are getting on!

Online Forms

  • Absence Request form – going to be absent (e.g. wedding, funeral, holiday etc)? Use this form
  • Pupil Premium Form – have your work/benefit circumstances changed? Complete this form so we can check if your child is elligible for free school meals and other support at school.
  • Getting Home Arrangements – tell us how your child gets home each day.
  • Mobile Phone Request – for older children needing to bring a phone to school

Recent Posts – have you missed anything?

Going to be absent?

We’ve moved our absence request form online. This is for absence requests such as holidays, weddings, funeral, special events, and more. You don’t need to use this form for sickness or self-isolation (but please email/phone the office if they are unwell).blank

Fundraise whilst you shop!

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Email and Contact Details

blankIf you don’t receive the school newsletter and year group emails via email, you can sign up here!

Remember, if you change your contact details, please let the office know here.

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Get in touch with us

Email Us
Phone Us
Visit Us

Symptoms Checker & New Email

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  1. NHS Symptoms Check – use this website if you’re unsure! Please use this before checking with school – it helps us manage the load!
  2. Got a query about Covid and school? Please use this new email address – covid@stmarksce.org.uk (we’re getting so many emails we need to centralise our system!)
  3. A reminder – If a child is at home because of symptoms, please keep the siblings off too. The whole household needs to isolate, and the person with symptoms needs to get a test.

Thank you so much for your understanding and support.

Amazon Smile – Fundraise while you shop!

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blankRaise money for FOSM (St Mark’s PTA) every time you shop through Amazon!

blankAmazonSmile through a browser:

Add FOSM to Amazon Smile by clicking this link or manually search “Friends Of St Mark’S, Hatch Warren” as the chosen charity. (don’t just use amazon.co.uk)

blankAmazonSmile through the app:

Just turn on the AmazonSmile setting: Find “AmazonSmile” listed in the Settings menu. Use “Friends Of St Mark’S, Hatch Warren” as the chosen charity.

How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.co.uk on your web browser or activate AmazonSmile on your Amazon Shopping app on your iOS or Android phone (found under ‘settings’ on your app). On your browser, you may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.co.uk to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile. When you’re using the app, always check for the “AmazonSmile” logo to ensure you’re activated for AmazonSmile.

How do I activate AmazonSmile on my Amazon Shopping app?
AmazonSmile customers on Android devices with version 5.0+ or iOS devices with version 12+, who have upgraded to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app can find “AmazonSmile” listed in the Settings menu. From there, you can follow onboarding instructions to activate AmazonSmile on your device.

Latest Newsletter, including video with key messages, PE days and more.

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Message from Mr Applegate

What a week! Thank you so much for your support this week. It’s been AMAZING to see the children back together, and our community back together.  The children have been so good at learning the new ways of school, and there is a very calm atmosphere across the school. They’ve shown teamwork in abundance!

A huge thanks to the parents who were able to give their time last Saturday to help with our grounds clean-up and opening preparation. And our course to those who responded to our emergency plumbing issue. Kyla’s dad in Year R was able to solve the problem! Thank you.

This week, our children are thinking about ‘GENEROSITY’ – not from a financial point of view, but with what we all can give- love and care. How can we be generous with others who we feel may not deserve our love and care? How can we show grace to each other, even when they have annoyed us? We’re learning to have a generous spirit with everyone, no matter what. Powerful, and life changing!

Finally, just to confirm that we have had no positive cases of Covid-19; we will inform you appropriately if this changes.

Have a good week, Mr Applegate

Summary

  1. Showing symptoms? Don’t come in – the whole family/household should self-isolate.
  2. Watch the video!
  3. Complete this form by Friday 18th Sept to let us know of collection arrangements. One per child!
  4. If you would like to send your child in with their own named hand sanitizer, that would be great.
  5. Let us know immediately if your child should not be using hand sanitizer.
  6. Remember to socially distance at the classroom door!

Youtube Video – Key messages from Week 1, including Covid Update

Clarification – If you don’t have symptoms, the government says you should not apply for a test; however, you still need to self-isolate if a person in the household (e.g. family member) has symptoms.

PE Days – Starts this week apart from Year R

Year R – Monday (starting 5th Oct, not 28th!)

Year 1 – 1C – Thursday     – 1P, 1J Friday

Year 2 – Friday

Year 3 – Thursday

Year 4 – Wednesday

Year 5 – Tuesday

Year 6 – Wednesday

New School Menu blank

Click here to find out the new school menu ( a change from the previously advertised one).

The school’s budget

I wanted to share with you that we are beginning to struggle financially. Pre-Covid, we were just in credit, but only just. COVID-19 has taken a significant toll on all schools – perhaps especially St Mark’s because of our size. The government has not given schools any extra money for any of the additional provision. Extra staffing, paper towels, cleaning supplies, paint, signage, soap, class resources, pencil cases, safety equipment, and more – it just adds up to a lot! Tens of thousands. Since March, we have had to pay out a significant amount – and it’s likely to continue until next summer.

I’ll be sharing more on this next week, but it’s a heads up. I know it is tough for everyone, too.

Music Lessons

Please check your junk/spam folder as it seems that some of the emails about peripetetic music lessons for KS2 have gone in there!

What is your child learning this term?

Read the following for your child’s year group to find out more! It includes information about homework, reading, general expectations and more. The Knowledge Organiser helps you to know the knowledge the children should be learning for their project. Test them and see how they are getting on!

 

Friends of St Mark’s (FOSM) AGM

blankOur FOSM team (PTA) work incredibly hard for our school. We run an AGM, which is a public meeting for all parents/carers to share ideas, discuss events, and see how St Mark’s can be supported financially. It also strengthen’s our community, too! Please do join us online!

Date: Tuesday 13th October, 7:30pm. Online only. The Zoom link is here.

FOSM is now a registered charity – can your business help us in anyway?

Amazon Smile! Raise school funds whilst you shop!

blankRaise money for FOSM (St Mark’s PTA) every time you shop through Amazon!

AmazonSmile through a browser:

  • Add FOSM to Amazon Smile by clicking this link or manually search “Friends Of St Mark’S, Hatch Warren” as the chosen charity.

AmazonSmile through the app:

  • Just turn on AmazonSmile. Find “AmazonSmile” listed in the Settings menu. Use “Friends Of St Mark’S, Hatch Warren” as the chosen charity.

Find out more here!

Flu Immunisation

Just a reminder that our Flu Immunisation Programme will take place on Thursday 12th November for all year groups. E-consent forms will follow soon.

 

Breakfast Club

If your child has a place at Breakfast Club, please note doors will be closed at 8.25am prompt. This is to enable us to escort the children to their classrooms with minimal contact with other parents and children arriving at school.

If you arrive after this time, please use the gates for your child’s year group, following our one way system.  Thank you.

 

Bikes and Scooters

We’ve had a few questions about if it’s ok to bring scooters and bikes to school. Yes, it’s fine – please remember to wear helmets and walk the bike/scooter as soon as you are through the gates (if not before!).

Star Learners Last Week!

Well done to:

  • Year 1: George S, Maya, Florence
  • Year 2: Tomasz, Annabelle, Cameron
  • Year 3: Millie, Renee, Alfie
  • Year 4: Liam M, Matheus, Ronnie
  • Year 5: Poppy, Ben H, Hollie
  • Year 6: Jack B, Edward M, Summer, Nevaya

Book bags? Where are they?

We’ve had a delivery issue, but these should arrive this week. Remember, these aren’t really a replacement school bag, but for books that will begin to go home and back. We are trying to limit areas of contact and cleaning, so have said no back packs.

Online Payments only – No cash

Just a reminder that we are now cashless and no longer able to accept cash and cheque payments. In order to pay for school lunches, breakfast club etc you will need to use Tucasi, our online payment system, by registering with a pupil link code specific to your child. 

You should have received an email with your code if you were not already registered.

 

Parking

Unfortunately, we have received a call from a resident in Lapin Lane asking us to remind parents to be considerate when taking their children to and from school. Please do not block driveways or park where it is awkward tor residents to move their cars. Thank you for your co-operation :-) 

TikTok

blankYou may have heard of some very distressing videos going around on TikTok, particularly in relation to suicide. Despite being an app for 13+, we know children will be allowed to use it. There is some excellent advice here on using it more safely. We strongly recommend (1) not letting your child use it, or (2) ensuring you have safety settings on if you decide to.

Remember, once something is seen, it is difficult to un-see it.

 

Changes to the school menu

Please note our school menu is changing from Monday 14th September:

 

Year 6 PGL Windmill Hill Trip

I’m very sorry to say that it’s extremely unlikely that we will be going to PGL this year. If the R rate is 1-1.2 now, what will it be in 6 weeks time?

Current government guidance is that overnight trips should not happen. See ‘Educational Visits’ section of this page. Unfortunately, perhaps, they stop short of shutting down the PGL centres and other residential venues, meaning that we are in a middle situation: we cannot cancel the trip officially as we would lose all the money, but we would be going against government guidance to attend.

We are working with our insurance company and Hampshire legal team to see what options we have. Should it not go ahead, we would of course refund what has been paid by parents. Please be aware though that we as a school would still be liable for what has already been paid to PGL. This is about £8,000 – more than the £40 deposit paid by each child. So the school would be significantly out of pocket. PGL are not wanting to give a full refund. Not a nice situation or anyone, most of all our Year 6 pupils who are highly likely to miss out on this amazing experience.

One option is to delay the trip until next year, however we would be in exactly the same situation, if a vaccine isn’t found by then. We are keeping this option open.

We will continue to keep you posted.

Year 6 – secondary school applications – don’t miss it!

Hampshire applications must be submitted by 31st October.

Click here for more information.

Online Forms

  • Absence Request form – going to be absent (e.g. wedding, funeral, holiday etc)? Use this form
  • Pupil Premium Form – have your work/benefit circumstances changed? Complete this form so we can check if your child is elligible for free school meals and other support at school.
  • Getting Home Arrangements – tell us how your child gets home each day.
  • Mobile Phone Request – for older children needing to bring a phone to school

Going to be absent?

We’ve moved our absence request form online. This is for absence requests such as holidays, weddings, funeral, special events, and more. You don’t need to use this form for sickness or self-isolation (but please email/phone the office if they are unwell).blank

Recent Posts – have you missed anything?

Email and Contact Details

blankIf you don’t receive the school newsletter and year group emails via email, you can sign up here!

Remember, if you change your contact details, please let the office know here.

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Get in touch with us

Email Us
Phone Us
Visit Us

Looking for older news?Click here!

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