St Mark's CofE Primary School

January 24, 2025

24 January 2025 – Newsletter

A note from Mr Applegate

Another busy week with plenty of wind and rain!

For Years 1 and 2, we welcomed a Rabbi as part of our enrichment of our RE learning about the Jewish faith. The children were fascinated.

It was great to have the Police visit us, too – for good reasons! – part of the Year R ‘People Who Help Us’ project.

Year 6 parents- a reminder of the Year 6 SATS information evening next Weds 29th Jan, 6:15pm – main hall.

Have a great weekend, Mr Applegate 🙂

This Week's Homework & Learning

Listed here for all Yr1-6 children.

Click here

Community Litter Pick – become an Agent of Change

Children’s Mental Health Week: 3rd-9th February

This year’s theme for Children’s Mental Health Week is “Know Yourself, Grow Yourself”. We want to celebrate children building resilience, embracing self-awareness and forming strong connections with others.

To help us to encourage our children to reflect on themselves, we are going to have a special non-uniform day. This will be on Friday 7th February. We would like each child to come to school wearing an outfit that expresses themselves. This could simply be their favourite clothes, an outfit with a splash of colour, a traditional attire that celebrates their culture, or an ensemble that showcases their beloved hobby. We want everyone’s creativity to shine.

Please donate: We would like to use this non-uniform day as an opportunity to raise money for a special project which we will begin planning during Children’s Mental Health Week. We hope to transform the area by our beautiful lion mural to make a Reflection Garden which will be used as an area for promoting wellbeing.

Mud House Update!

🐔 Book a Farm visit here! Nice and Easy 🐰

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 near reception.

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 1 2025.pdf

Year 1 – A Toy’s Story – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 2 – Healthy Me Happy Me – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 3 – From Bean to Bar – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 4 – Spring 1 Exploring the UK – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 5 – Spring 1 Terrible Tudors – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 6 – Spring 1 Frozen Kingdoms – Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

UKHSA-should-I-keep-my_child_off_school_guidance-A3-poster_

⭐ Star Learners ⭐

⭐ Star Readers ⭐

⭐ Quietest Classes ⭐

Parrots and 6C

⭐ 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 1 Term 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

Tuesday – Indoor PE

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 3

Tuesdays – Outdoor PE

Year 4

Monday – Outdoor PE

Year 5

Tuesdays – Outdoor PE

Fridays – Indoor PE

Year 6 (updated)

Wednesdays – Indoor PE

Fridays – Outdoor PE
Spring 1 Term Forest School Days
Forest School from 13^th Jan

Year 3

3D – Wednesday am

3SG – Thursday am

3P – Friday am

Year 4

4SB – Tuesday pm

4PR – Wednesday pm

4C – Thursday pm
**NEW** After School Clubs
Clubs List Spring Term 2025

When do clubs begin?

Clubs will begin w/c 20th January except for Key Stage 1 Choir which began on Friday 17th January
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

The Blue Danube: Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss II was an Austrian composer mainly composing light music for waltzes or operettas. The Blue Danube is one of his most famous pieces of music inspired by the Danube river that flows through many countries in Europe.

Being a parent is tough!

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

Online Parenting Courses

Parental control guides

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).