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13th January 2023 Newsletter – Agents of Change and other updates
A note from Mr Applegate
It’s been a lovely start to term- the children have been working so hard. Highlights include:
- Launching our “Agents of Change” badge and task. We want our children to see themselves as people who make our world a better place. If your child does something that makes our world a better place, please do nominate them via email!
- We spent a whole day on Thursday looking at Maths in our school. The children are doign so well. Look out for a renewed focus on learning times tables!
- Seeing progress in our Year R outside area continue.
- Showing new parents around our school: they were amazed by the “please” and “thank you’s” of the children, and holding the doors open, and also how hard they were working. Keep it up!
This week’s top news & reminders
- Thursday 19th January is census day. The number of meals we serve impacts our funding next year. Remember, all children in Year R, 1 and 2 receive free lunches every day. Therefore, it would be great to see as many school lunches ordered as possible. Our caterer’s (Pabulum) have put together a special, delicious menu. Save the date! Click here to see the menu
- Snow plans. It’s not uncommon to have snow in Spring! Our plan for snow is to always assume school will be open unless you hear otherwise. We’ll communicate via email and website if anything changes.
- School grounds during wet weather. Please avoid walking on any of the banks after school (this applies whatever the weather). Thank you!
A few parents have asked about drainage on the paths, following the downpours and flooding this week. It’s a real challenge for us as the site wasn’t built in our favour. The pathway is also the runoff area for the fields and playgrounds, and drainage wasn’t installed when it was built. We are getting fresh quotes, but it is a very expensive job. We have to weigh up how we use the little money we have for these large projects, and primarily how we can benefit the children the most. We’ll keep you posted!
- Vote for St Mark’s in Tesco! We are delighted to have been entered in the Tesco Community Grant Scheme. Customers** will be able to vote for our project to improve our school grounds. The project with the highest number of votes across our region will receive up to £1500, 2nd place up to £1000, 3rd place up to £500.
- Please look out for the voting box in the following stores between now and the end of March!
- **you need to make any purchase to obtain a token
- Our vision: “To enhance our outside grounds to become a place of fun and relaxation, whilst providing opportunities to promote health and well-being in our school and to the wider community”
Basingstoke Superstore RG24 8BEBasingstoke Express RG21 7LGLychpit Express RG24 8TFKempshott Express RG22 5NZPopley Express RG24 9DROakridge Rd Express RG21 5SG
Careers Fair – can you help, or spread the word?
We’re pleased to be running our St Mark’s Careers Fair again in February 2023! We need your help though. Can you run a stall on either 23rd or 24th Feb in the morning? Would your business, charity or organisation help? Do you know someone else who might? Find our details and sign-up here! Thank you.
Learning this Term!
- Year 1 - A Toy's Story Curriculum Information.docx.pdf
- Year 1 - A Toy's Story History Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 1 - A Toy's Story Science Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 2 - Pioneers Curriculum Information.pdf
- Year 2 - Pioneers History Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 2 - Pioneers Science Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 3 - Gateway to the World Curriculum Information.pdf
- Year 3 - Gateway to the World Geography Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 4 - Rotten Romans Curricuulum Information.pdf
- Year 4 - Rotten Romans History Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 5 - Viking History Curriculum Information.pdf
- Year 5 - Viking History Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 6 - Frozen Kingdoms Curriculum Information.pdf
- Year 6 - Frozen Kingdoms Geography Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year R newsletter Spring 1 2023.pdf
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Notices:
- School disco time again!
Upcoming FOSM events:
- School Disco – Friday 3rd Feb (KS1 5-5.45pm, KS2, 6-7pm)
- More events coming soon!
Regular Information
- Visit our page here: Friend’s of St Mark’s page
- Visit our shop here!
- Get in touch: fosm@stmarksce.org.uk
- School disco time again!
School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs
-
Everyone
February
- Half-term 13th-17th February
- Careers Fair – 23rd/24th February
March
- Basingstoke Music & Arts Festival (Year 2/KS2 Choir & Orchestra) – Sat 4th March
- INSET – Friday 31st March
- Easter break – 3rd April – 14th April
Year Group Events
Year 1:
- Milestone’s Trip – Fri 24th February
Year 2:
- Hillier Gardens – 23rd June
Year 4:
Roman Solider Day – Wed 8th Feb-
New Barn residential trip: Wed 14th – Fri 16th June
Year 5:
- Trip to Ufton Court – Thurs 9th Feb
Year 6:
- Tues 17th Jan – SATs information evening in main hall
⭐ Star Learners ⭐
Star Learner Awards:
Year R
Puffins – Austin, Parrots – Evie, Penguins – Jude
Year 1
1P – Elsie, 1M – Amelia, 1CL – Ivy
Year 2
2B – Jack, 2G – Alfie, 2BB – Owen
Year 3
3C – Elodie, 3T – Kayla, 3SB – Callan
Year 4
4W – Ella, 4S – Effie, 4PR – Sophia
Year 5
5SP – Charlotte, 5DS – George, 5F – Sofia
Year 6
6P – Tanisha, 6B – Bethany, 6C – Trinity
Star Reader Awards:
Year R
Puffins – Grace, Parrots – Tilly, Penguins – Gabriella
Year 1
1P – Jake, 1M – Isaac, 1CL – Olivia
Year 2
2B – Luke, 2G – Alfie, 2BB – Ruby
Year 3
3C – Henry, 3T – , 3SB – Ava
Year 4
4W – Liam, 4S – Ivy, 4PR – Lucas
Year 5
5SP – George, 5DS – Elizabeth, 5F – Olivia
Year 6
6P – Isla, 6B – Elsie, 6C – Charlie
Rock Stars
Amazing effort:
Year 3
3C – Elodie, 3T – Jenson, 3SB – Ava
Year 4
4W – Freyja, 4S – Ivy-Rose, 4PR – Lucas
Year 5
5SP – Jas, 5DS – Jeffrey, 5F – Leo
Year 6
6P – Irebami, 6B – Riker, 6C – Ava
Most active class in each year group:
Year 3: 3SB
Year 4: 4W
Year 5: 5F
Year 6: 6B
NumBots best effort:
Year 1: Amy (1P), Max (1CL), Harry (1CL)
Year 2: Sophie (2B), Isabelle (2G), Abbie (2BB)
Music of the Week!
Adagio for strings: Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber was an American composer who lived from 1910 – 1981. Adagio for Strings was written in 1936 and is Barber’s most well-known compositions.
- 25th September 2026 Newsletter – School Elections, Parents’ Evening, Census Day, Disco and more
- 18th September 2026 Newsletter – School Elections Deadline, Photographs on Monday, FOSM dates and more
- 11th September 2026 Newsletter – Key Info Sessions this week, School Elections, FOSM AGM and more
- 4th September 2026 Newsletter – Key Info Sessions, Permission Forms, FOSM AGM, Agents of Change and more
- 22nd July 2026 Newsletter – Have a wonderful Summer!
- 17th July 2026 Newsletter – Parent Survey, End of Year, Arbor Pay, Lions and more
