March 28, 2025

28th March 2025 Newsletter – Dance Live & MudHouse, Yr 3 & 4 Easter Performance and Competition Winners

A note from Mr Applegate

A huge well done to Dance Live, who won their heat last week in Guildford. Finals are on Thurs 24th April in Portsmouth!
Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow – no spare tickets available unfortunately. Have a great time everyone!
Wondering what to do over Easter? Book a free Farm Visit here
Thanks to Year 6 for running a cake sale today as part of their Agent of Change project.
Spring Reports for Years 1-5 come out after Easter, in time for Parents’ Evenings.
We’re looking forward to our Music Spectacular on Thursday – a chance for our musicians to show off to the school. If your child is interested in taking up an instrument, let us know as the deadline is the end of April for lessons in September.
Remember, we finish for Easter on Thursday 3rd April as Friday is an INSET, and return to school Tuesday 22nd April.

Have a great weekend, Mr Applegate 🙂

This Week's Homework & Learning

Listed here for all Yr1-6 children.

Click here

St Mark’s Photo Reel

The moment our Mud House friends in Tanzania found out that we won DanceLive together!

(they were heavily involved in the media)

Well done to our Year3/4 Team

They had their second match against Cliddesden Primary, and won 1-0. Well played everyone!

Year 4 Agents of Change: The children from Year 4 chose to support Great Ormond Street Hospital. Leo visited the hospital to present them with a cheque and a big envelope filled with thank you cards for the wonderful staff.

Meet our new Reading Ambassadors

They applied for a role to support younger children with their reading. Congrats!

FOSM Easter Competition Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of our FOSM Easter Egg Design competition! Our judges were so impressed by all your wonderfully creative designs and found it so difficult to choose their favourites. Prizes will be sent home next week! Here are the winners….

Aria U – Penguins

Arthur H – 1BM

Abigail S – 2G

Anneliese D – 3P

Alfie J – 4PR

Robyn M – 5E

Meredith C – 6F

Year 3 and 4 Easter Performances

A reminder of the performance times:

Monday 31st March – 2pm
Tuesday 1st April – 2pm
Tuesday 1st April – 6:30pm (Year 3 and 4 children to return to school at 6pm)

Any tickets that you pre-ordered will have been sent to you via the email that you used to order them. We politely request that you cancel any tickets that are no longer needed so we can offer them to other families. Tickets can be checked, ordered and/or cancelled here: www.stmarksprimary.net/tickets

Scooters

Please can adults check that children haven’t accidently taken the wrong scooter at the end of the day as we have had a few named scooters go missing. Thank you.

Parents’ Evening

Parents’ Evenings for children in Years 1 to 5 will be held on Weds 23rd and Weds 30th April. Please book your appointment here.

Young Person’s Mental Health Advice Session

*NEW Free Easter Messy Church
Child Care Vouchers
BAYC- Sing Alongside Event for ages 9-18

Do you love to sing?

Come along to the free Sing Alongside event at BAYC- Basingstoke Area Youth Choir on Thursday 27th March at 5:15-7pm at Queen Mary’s College!

Take part in the choir’s rehearsal, learn some new songs, sing alongside other young musicians, and perform at the end of the session!

Date- Thursday 27^th March 2025

Time- 5:15-7:00pm (Informal performance to parents/guardians at 6:45pm)

Location-Performance space in Charles Butler Building at Queen Mary’s College, RG21 3HF

For ages 9-18

BAYC is a Rock and Pop Choir for children aged 9-18 and they take part in regular performances across the year, including the Anvil in Basingstoke.

Book your place today:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYX38BbwAvSB2OXQ5QzwFV_5MVYrB8jCSDkad4sxwhSAxH-g/viewform?usp=header
Can you help Year R?
School Council - Charity Easter Egg Collection
Help us to improve drainage, lighting and more!
Have your contact details changed?
School Office area rules

🐔 Book a Farm visit here 🐰
Foodbank Friday

Many local supermarkets host a permanent donation point where people can leave the donations they purchase during their visit but we would also like to set up a station in school where children can feel that they are making a difference to help others.

We are encouraging children to occasionally bring in an item of food, which they can put in a box in our School Office.

We will update the list each week or you may prefer to download the Bank the Food App. This will update it weekly on the items we’re running low on. It’s a great app and you only need to download it and select Basingstoke Foodbank as preferred. You can also activate notifications which means you’ll get a reminder when you visit the supermarket, so you never forget to donate. It lets you know the items they most need.
What is your child learning this half-term?
_Year R Newsletter Spring 2 2025.pdf

Year 1 On The Move – Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 2 Amazing Me in the UK – Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 3 What’s Inside – Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 4 Vikings – Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 5 Exploring Europe – Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 6 Temples of Doom – Curriculum Information.pdf
Illness - should I keep my child off school?

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ Attendance Updates ⭐

Our target over the year is 97%. Last year’s attendance was 95.8% – above national levels, but we’d like it to be much higher.

Our current attendance percentage is 96%.

Weekly Attendance by Class

What's the impact on missing school?

Categories	Learning days lost
Acceptable sickness & unforeseen absences.	98% = 4 days
	97% = 6 days
	96% = 8 days
Attendance below 95% is of concern to the school & you will be contacted automatically.10 days unauthorised absences for holidays over the year mean you will only achieve 95% attendance. Sickness & medical appointments, although usually unavoidable & authorised, will add further to your child’s absence record.	95% = 10 days
	94% = 12 days
	93% = 14 days
	92% = 16 days
Poor attendance Attendance below 90% is a serious concern. Your child has now missed nearly 4 weeks’ education. You may be referred to the Early Help team at the local authority.	91% = 18 days
	90% = 20 days
	89% = 21 days
	88% = 23 days
	87% = 25 days
	86% = 27 days
Very poor attendance	85% = 29 days
	84% = 31 days
	82% = 35 days
	80% = 39 days

Reminder of the new rules

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

View the full calendar here. Subscribe on either Chrome/ Android or Apple

FOSM Events
Meals
Spring 2 PE Days
PE Uniform details can be found here. Remember, football shirts, hoodies, or general day-to-day clothing are not acceptable as PE kit.

Year R

Monday – Indoor PE

Thursday – Indoor PE

Year 1

Monday – Outdoor PE

Tuesday 25^th February ONLY – PE

Year 2

Wednesday – Indoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 3

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Indoor PE

Year 4

Monday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Indoor PE

Year 5

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Friday 28^th February ONLY – PE

Year 6

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE
Spring 2 Forest School Days
Forest School from 3rd March for 5 weeks

Year 1

1BM – Tuesday pm

1M – Wednesday pm

1TM– Thursday pm

Year 5

5E – Wednesday am

5P – Thursday am

5DS–

Friday 7th March am

Friday 14th March am

Tuesday 18th March am

Friday 28th March am

Tuesday 1st April am
After School Clubs
Clubs List Spring Term 2025

When do clubs restart after half term?

Clubs will restart straight away after half term.
Music Info
Full School Calendar
Information - breakfast and afterschool clubs, uniform etc
Breakfast Club – just show up – details here.

SCL after-school club – click here for full details.

Uniform – click here for details, including Skoolkit ordering

School bags – can be ordered here

Absence – Please report absences via phone or email here by 9am. If you need to request a future absence, please use this form.

Are you eligible for Free School Meals and further funding for the school? Check online here.
Foodbank Support

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

Adiemus: Karl Jenkins

Karl Jenkins is a Welsh composer and musician. Adiemus is one of his most well-known pieces, used in adverts.

Being a parent is tough!

Parent Counselling Sessions

Your child’s mental health…

Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager
Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing
Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your child
Moving up to secondary school for children with additional needs
Understanding your own trauma

Click here for free online training

28th March 2025 Newsletter – Dance Live & MudHouse, Yr 3 & 4 Easter Performance and Competition Winners

A note from Mr Applegate

This Week's Homework & Learning

St Mark’s Photo Reel

The moment our Mud House friends in Tanzania found out that we won DanceLive together!

Well done to our Year3/4 Team

FOSM Easter Competition Winners!

Year 3 and 4 Easter Performances

Scooters

Parents’ Evening

Young Person’s Mental Health Advice Session

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ Attendance Updates ⭐

Weekly Attendance by Class

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

Being a parent is tough!

Parent Counselling Sessions

Your child’s mental health…

Online Parenting Courses

Parental control guides

Community News

Regular Notices

Does your child need after school care?

How to talk to your child about online safety

Going to be absent?

Quick Links