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19th September 2025 Newsletter – Monday’s school photos, Elections deadline, homework and more

A note from Mr Applegate

It was great to see an average of 80% of parents attend or watch our key information sessions this week. Links for the recordings are below.

A reminder that if you need to know what your child’s homework and learning is, it’s always on our weekly newsletter. See the section below.

Finally, logins for our online websites will be coming out next week in the back of the green reading logs. We had a bit of a tech hitch with the Spelling Shed logins so need to update them.

Have a great weekend, Charles.

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Rewatch the Key Info Sessions here

Year R – Year 1 – Year 2 – Year 3 –Year 4 – Year 5 – Year 6

Individual school photographs – this Monday 22nd

Please ensure your children are wearing a polo shirt (white or navy) and their green school cardigan or jumper. The photos are head and shoulder shots.
Every child will have an individual photograph taken this Monday 22nd September.
Children with PE
- Please send children in wearing PE kit on their lower halves and polo shirts and green school cardigans and jumpers on the top please.
Children with Forest School (Y2)
- Please send your child into school in school uniform with a change of clothes for Forest School afterwards. 2CL will change straight after as their session is in the morning, 2P will change after lunch. As the individual photos are only of head and shoulders please feel free to send them in Forest School trousers/leggings and trainers, with just school uniform on the top half to make the changing quicker and easier

Wet Play

With OPAL, we’ll be outside a lot more, even if it’s raining. Coats are essential, and wellies and waterproof trousers are a great idea.

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

Election Fever

Don’t forget to apply by 24th September – you can do so here.

Luke Murphy speaks to St Mark's

Wonderful Art Club Lions

OPAL – Do you have any….

We are still looking for any small children’s push chairs/prams (the ones that children would push around, not big ones!) please bring them in to the office.

Do you have contact with anyone who works in a supermarket? We could love some bread crates (slightly thinner than the ones used for home deliveries).

Do you have any contacts with builders or electicians? We are looking to improve our construction area, so we need cable reels, crates, tubes, guttering etc

Any OPAL questions? opal@stmarksce.org.uk

Mr Applegate’s half-marathon for FOSM

Mr Applegate and his daughter Hannah are running their first half-marathon in Basingstoke, all in aid of their chosen charities – FOSM and CancerResearch. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here. Thank you!

St Mark’s Photo Reel

Liam was awarded his yellow belt green stripe this weekend and is very proud of his hard work.

Congratulations Liam! 🌟🌟🌟

KS2 Violin lessons – one place available now!

Due to a family’s relocation, we have unexpectedly had a violin space become available. If you would like to take this space, please can we ask you to complete this form asap. Details of the cost are included on the form.

⭐ 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

Reminder of the new rules

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

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

Helpful Information

After School Clubs - from 15th September

Clubs List Autumn Term 2025

Parents may ONLY access the school from the KS1 Gates

Clubs will start week commencing: 15th September

Clubs will finish week commencing: 24th November

Orchestra will restart after October half term.
Meals
Autumn 1 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 – Indoor PE

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

2CL and 2P Monday – Outdoor until Forest School from 22nd Sept

Wednesday – Indoor

2M Friday – Outdoor until Forest School from 22nd Sept

Year 3

Tuesday– Outdoor PE

Friday – Indoor PE

Year 4

Wednesday – Indoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 5

Monday – Outdoor PE

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Year 6

Monday – Outdoor PE

Tuesday – Outdoor PE
Autumn 1 Forest School Days - from 22nd September
Year 2

2CL and 2P Monday

2M Friday

Year 6

6C Tuesday

6P Wednesday

6DS Thursday
FOSM Events
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.
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

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).