St Mark's CofE Primary School

March 27, 2026

27th March 2026 Newsletter – Happy Easter!

A few notes from Mr Applegate

It’s felt a long term despite being only 5 weeks 4 days! But the children continued to work hard and give their best, and we are so proud of them.
Well done to our Year 3 and 4 pupils who put on a fantastic Easter performance this year.
As we approach the summer term starting on Monday 13th April, a reminder that the new PE days, Forest School and Clubs information ets are in the yellow section below.
Also, applications for new and continued instrumental lessons have now opened. The applications are for children in Year 2-Year 5 only. Please complete the form which was emailed to you yesterday.
There is still time to pay into our Capital Projects fund via Tuscasi – and use this form for Gift aid.
Finally, I wish you and your family a wonderful Easter break.

Charles

Capital Projects Video

Click here to complete the form (use the SCO online payment, or cash/cheque)

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Year 3 Agents of Change

A huge congratulations to Ruby, Gracie, Amelia and Ella for being such fantastic, courageous advocates! 🌟

These four took our Year Group Agents of Change project to heart and independently used their voices to approach FOSM, asking if they could promote Fairtrade by running a Fairtrade stall at the Easter Egg Hunt last Saturday. Their drive and initiative were truly inspiring.

They organised everything themselves – from posters and leaflets to a fundraising raffle and a lucky dip filled with Fairtrade prizes. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, they raised an impressive £114! The girls are already planning how to grow this total to raise even more money for the charity while continuing to spread awareness of Fairtrade.

We are super proud of each of them and can’t wait to see where they take this challenge next. Keep shining your light and making a difference in our world!

Keep Basingstoke and Deane Clean!

As part of their Keep Basingstoke and Deane Clean campaign, the Borough Council is inviting young people aged 4 to 16 to design a poster that encourages everyone to put their litter in the bin.

Four winning designs will be turned into posters displayed in our parks, play areas and open spaces for a year. Winners will also receive a litter‑picking kit for their school or community group. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see the artwork of our fabulous pupils around the town? If you want to find out more, please click here and please enter using the template which can be downloaded here.

⭐ 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% 😮

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

St Mark’s Photo Reel

Well done to Daisy, our taekwondo champion! This weekend she achieved a silver medal for sparring, a silver medal for board breaking and a gold medal for forms! We are so proud of you Daisy. 🏅

Last half term, Year 3 wrote letters to ‘Mr Wonka’ in the hopes their new chocolate design could be created. Mrs Davies sent our best ones to three chocolate companies. The most local company – Chocolate Craft in Alresford – sent an amazing response and actually created a bar to represent Zach’s and Martha’s design! We are so proud of you Martha and Zach but well done to all our Year 3 Chocolatiers.

🚗🚗🚗 Car Parking in Hatch Warren 🚗🚗🚗

We are very pleased to say that there have been no complaints from local residents this week. Thank you for parking considerately.

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

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

Helpful Information

Parents' Evenings

Our second and final parents’ evenings of the year will be held in March and April depending on your child’s year group. Please see the dates below. We will send you an email, with details of how you can book an appointment online, in the week before booking opens.

Year Group
Appointments
Booking Opens

Year R and Year 6
Tues 3rd March

Weds 4th March
26th January

Years 1 to 5
Weds 15th April

Weds 22nd April
9th March
INSET Days
**NEW** Summer 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

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 1

Monday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

Tuesday – Indoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 3

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Thursday – Indoor PE

Year 4

Swimming

Year 5

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Year 6

Wednesday – Indoor PE
**NEW** Summer 1 Forest School Days
Year R

Mondays – Puffins and Parrots

Fridays – Penguins

Year 1

Tuesdays – 1B

Wednesdays – 1C

Thursdays – 1BM

Year 6

Mondays – 6C and 6P

Fridays – 6DS

Bridge

Fridays
**NEW** Summer 1 After School Clubs -from week beginning 20th April

Summer Clubs

Clubs information has been emailed to parents whose children have been allocated a space.

Starting week beginning: 20th April

(except for Dance Live which begins on Tuesday 14th April)

Finishing week beginning: 29th June

Finish Times: 4:10pm unless otherwise stated below.

School Access: COLLECTION IS VIA KS1 GATE

(except for Chill Out Club/Forest School)

Mondays

KS2 Choir – Collect from: Small Hall

KS2 Drawing Club – Collect from: 5E

Y2 Tennis Club – Collect from 2M

Tuesdays

Dance Live – Collect from: Service Gate via school car park

Y1&2 Construction Club – Collect from: 1BM

Y3 Mission Movement – Collect from: 3SP

Y1 Forest School Club – Collect from Dandelions Gate at 5pm

Y3&4 Recorder Club – Collect from: 3D

Y4-6 Cricket Club – Collect from 3SP

Wednesdays

Chill Out Club– Collect from: Church via Foyer

Y5&6 Dance Club – Collect from: Small Hall

Y5&6 Lego Coding Club – Collect from: 5F

Thursdays

Y1 Creativity Club – Collect from: 1C

Y3&4 Netball Club – Collect from: 2CL

Y5&6 Netball Club – Collect from: 5M

KS2 Orchestra – Collect from: Small Hall

Y4 Cookery Club – Collect from: 3D

Y1&2 Computer Club – Collect from 1BM

Fridays

KS1 Choir – Collect from: Small Hall

Football Club- Collect from: 2P
**COMING SOON** Summer 1 Learning
Year 1 Everything around me curriculum information leaflet.pdf

Year 2 Terrific Tanzania curriculum information leaflet.pdf

Year 3 Amazingstoke curriculum information leaflet.pdf

Year 4 Quivers, Quakes, Eruptions and Shakes curriculum information leaflet.pdf

Year 5 Summer 1 Black and British - Curriculum Information.pdf

Year 6 - Shocks and Sparks - Curriculum Information.pdf

Year R What an adventure summer curriculum information leaflet.pdf
Year Group Information Videos
FOSM
Full School Calendar
Meals
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 opened for our current Year 2 – Year 5 pupils. Please apply here.
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

NHS Courses and Videos for Parents

Witherslack Group Parent Support Webinars

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).

27th March 2026 Newsletter – Happy Easter!

A few notes from Mr Applegate

Capital Projects Video

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Year 3 Agents of Change

Keep Basingstoke and Deane Clean!

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ Attendance Updates ⭐

St Mark’s Photo Reel

🚗🚗🚗 Car Parking in Hatch Warren 🚗🚗🚗

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

Helpful Information

Summer Clubs

Find out all about FOSM here.

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

NHS Courses and Videos for Parents

Witherslack Group Parent Support Webinars

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

Year Group	Appointments	Booking Opens
Year R and Year 6	Tues 3rd March Weds 4th March	26th January

Years 1 to 5	Weds 15th April Weds 22nd April	9th March