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14th November 2025 Newsletter – Sibling Photographs, Christmas Fayre and more

A few notes from Mr Applegate

Sibling photographs and individual photos for children who were absent for September’s session will take place this Monday 17th November. See below.
Well done to our Year 6 pupils who have had the most amazing week on residential at PGL. One of the best groups we’ve ever taken! And it was remarkably dry!
Thank you for your donations for Children In Need today. Every penny makes a difference.
Finally, Christmas is coming to St Mark’s! Please see here about the full details, including how to get tickets for all of the performances – ticket ordering password will be released at 6pm on Monday!

Have a great weekend, Charles

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Christmas at St Marks – click below!

Photographs for Siblings and Absentees – THIS MONDAY

On Monday, the photographers will be back in school. They will take group photos of any siblings who currently attend St Mark’s. If your child was absent for September’s session, they will have their photos taken on this day as well. Please ensure that children who are having their photos taken are wearing polo shirts and green school jumpers/cardigans on their top halves. PE kit and Forest School clothes can be worn on their lower halves or sent in a bag for them to change into if necessary.

Wellies for the fields!

We want children to be getting on the fields for break and lunch… but it’s quite muddy! Our rule is that in order to go on the field, children must bring in wellies for the field when it’s wet or muddy. This saves our carpets!! Thanks

Head Lice

Please can we ask you to keep an eye out for head lice as we have a few reported cases unfortunately.

St Mark’s Photo Reel

🎄 Christmas Fayre Donations and Exciting News from FOSM! 🎄

We’re getting ready for our Christmas Fayre and would love your help to make it extra festive! 🌟 We’re collecting unwanted Christmas decorations to add some sparkle to the event, as well as clean, child-friendly soft toys for our popular Toy Tombola. 🧸 Donations can be dropped off to FOSM on the KS1 playground after school on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th November.

We’re also excited to share that FOSM now has a brand-new Facebook page and Instagram account to keep you updated on all our activities and events! 💚

Facebook: Friends of St Mark’s Basingstoke

Instagram: @friendsofstmarksbasingstoke

Come follow us and stay connected! ✨

How to get in touch:

chair.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk;

secretary.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

School Tours for Year R Sept 2026

If you know someone who has a child starting school in Year R in Sept 2026, please share with them this link: www.stmarksprimary.net/join

⭐ 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 98% 🤩

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

School Clubs and After School Care Provision: Planned Absences

Please always tell us if you have a change of plans for the end of the day and your child is no longer going to ACE Kids (formerly SCL), Hatch Warren After School Club or a club run by us.

Our Careers Fair Is Coming! Feb 2026

Can you help? Sign up here.

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

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

Helpful Information

Year Group Information Videos
After School Clubs - continuing from Autumn 1
Meals
Autumn 2 Learning...
_Year R newsletter Autumn 2 2025.pdf

Year 1 – Polar Explorers – Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 2 – Fire Fire – Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 3 – The Mystery of Metal – Curriculum Informatin Leaflet.pdf

Year 4 – Raging Rivers – Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 5 – American Road Trip – Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 6 – Keep Calm and Carry On – Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf
Autumn 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

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 3

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Last 2 weeks of the term after Forest School Ends:

3SP & 3D: Monday – Outdoor PE

3BR: Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 4

Friday – Outdoor PE

Last 2 weeks of the term after Forest School Ends:

4SB: Tuesday – Outdoor PE

4C: Wednesday – Outdoor PE

4M: Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 5

Monday – Outdoor PE

Wednesday – Indoor PE

Year 6

Monday – Outdoor PE

Wednesday – Indoor PE
Autumn 2 Forest School Days - for 5 weeks until 8th December
Year 3

3SP and 3D Monday

3BR Friday

Year 4

4SB Tuesday

4C Wednesday

4M Thursday

Bridge
FOSM
Full School Calendar
Music Tuition Info
Children in (or due to be in) KS2 are invited to apply to learn to play an instrument.

Applications open each April.

This year’s applications for instrumental tuition have now closed.
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

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.
Illness - should I keep my child off school?
Have your contact details changed?
Child Care Vouchers

For those of you who have access to childcare vouchers/tax free accounts, please note that these funds can only be used for childcare before or after normal school hours, e.g breakfast club and after school clubs, but not for day trips/residential trips. This is the government directive. Both SCL and HWASC accept the vouchers.
September price increases

Breakfast Club:

Early session (7.30am): £5.50
Middle session (8.00am) : £3.00
Late Session (8.20am) £1.50

St Mark’s After School Clubs: Prices of clubs can vary due to the number of resources used. Most are £2.50pw but please check individual clubs when applying.

School Dinners: £3.20

Circle of Security

Community News

Regular Notices

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).