St Mark's CofE Primary School

January 30, 2026

30th January 2026 Newsletter – Spellings, Mobile Phones and more

A few notes from Mr Applegate

There’s a lot coming up!

Papaya online webinar all about helping parents with impact of tech on children. Tues 3rd Feb 7:30pm for 45mins – it’s definitely worth 45mins of your time, and it’s free. Have a glass of something at the same time!, watch it with a friend, or both!
Over 90 children take part in Dance live on Thursday; it’s a huge dance performance at Portsmouth Guildhall. We wish them all the best! And thank you Mrs Boyle for your leadership here 🙂 You are incredible.
Children’s Mental Health Week – 9th Feb – a range of activities at school to celebrate and learn what keeps us healthy and safe.
Safer Internet Day – Tues 10th Feb – Tech Free Tuesday across Basingstoke! Avoid tech for leisure time.

Have a great weekend! Mr Applegate

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Spellings at St Mark’s

All parents and carers will have received an email this week from Mrs Rosso and Mrs Chapman. Please look out for your child’s weekly spellings which will come home on paper and via email. Please speak to your child’s class teacher if you are having difficulty logging onto Spelling Shed.

Papaya Webinar for all parents

A really helpful webinar to help parents understand the impact of tech and smartphones on children’s mental health, and how to support them.

Tuesday 3rd Feb 7:30pm – 8:15pm – Link here
Thursday 26th Feb 6pm – 6:45pm – Link here

Mobile phones…

… have been in the spotlight this week. The tide is turning from debating if they are a problem for children, to finding solutions to keep them safe. Remember, our school rules are:

2025/2026 – Y6 can bring in smartphones and Y5 brick phones, both handed to the teachers; Yrs R-4 no phones!
2026/2027 and onwards – Y5/6 brick phones only, Yrs R-4 no phones!

School Crossing Patrol Update

As yet, Hampshire County Council have been unable to fill the position of School Patrol Officer. If you or someone you know would like to apply for the post, please see the job advert in the community section below. We are therefore sadly still without any crossing supervision at the lower end of Woodbury Road. Please take extra care!

⭐ 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 Winners

Penguins, 4SB and 1B

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

Year 1 creativity club!

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
Spring 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

Tuesday – Indoor PE

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

Monday – Outdoor PE

Friday – Indoor PE

Year 3

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 4

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Year 5

Monday – Indoor PE

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Year 6

Wednesday – Indoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE
Spring 1 Forest School Days - for 5 weeks from 12th January
Year 3

3D Tuesdays Jan: 13th, 20th, 27th, Feb: 3rd, 10th

3SP Wednesday Jan: 14th, 21st, 28th, Feb: 4th, 11th

3BR Thursdays Jan: 15th, 22nd, 29th, Feb: 5th, 12th

Year 4

4M Mondays am Jan: 12th, 19th, 26th, Feb: 2nd, 9th

4SB Mondays pm Jan: 12th, 19th, 26th, Feb: 2nd, 9th

4C Fridays Jan: 16th, 23rd, 30th, Feb: 6th, 13th

Bridge

Fridays Jan: 16th, 23rd, 30th, Feb: 6th, 13th
Spring After School Clubs -from 12th January

Spring Clubs

Starting week beginning: 12th January except for KS2 Choir which begins on 19th Jan

Finishing week beginning: 23rd March

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

School Access: via KS1 gate except for Dance Live and Chill Out

Mondays

KS2 Choir – starts 19^th Jan – Collect from: Small Hall

KS2 Drawing Club – Collect from: 5E

Y1&2 Construction Club – Collect from: 1BM

Tuesdays

Y1&2 Board Games & Colouring Club – Collect from: 2M

Y3&4 Recorder Club – Collect from: 3D

Mindfulness Club– Collect from: 2P

Dance Live – Collect at 4:45pm from: Main Hall via external doors/gates

Wednesdays

Chill Out Club– Collect at 4:00pm from: Church via Foyer

Y1&2 Boom Whackers Club – Collect from: 2P

Thursdays

Y1 Creativity Club – Collect from: 1C

Y3&4 Netball Club – Collect from: Year 6

Y5&6 Netball Club – Collect from: Year 6

Y4&5 Lego Coding Club – Collect from: 5F

KS2 Orchestra – Collect from: Small Hall

Fridays

KS1 Choir – Collect from: Small Hall

Football Club- Collect from: 2P
Spring 1 Learning
Year 1 Spring 1 A Toy's Story Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 2 Healthy Me Happy Me! Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 3 - From Bean to Bar - Topic Web.pdf

Year 4 - Exploring the UK - Curriculum Information Leaflet.pdf

Year 5 Spring 1 Terrible Tudors - Curriculum Leaflet.pdf

Year 6 - Frozen Kingdoms - Spring 1 Curriculum Information 2026.pdf

Year R newsletter Spring 1 2026.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 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

NHS Courses for Parents

Click here for details:

Wednesday 28 January 2026 Anxiety – understanding and strategies to support young people 9:30am – 4pm.

Click here for details:

A free event FOR PARENTS AND CARERS to help families better understand the needs and difficulties that young people can face and how to manage potential issues/concerns they have about their young person.

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).

30th January 2026 Newsletter – Spellings, Mobile Phones and more

A few notes from Mr Applegate

This week’s homework and learning

Agents of Change Home Challenges

Spellings at St Mark’s

Papaya Webinar for all parents

Mobile phones…

School Crossing Patrol Update

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ Attendance Updates ⭐

Weekly Attendance Winners

Penguins, 4SB and 1B

St Mark’s Photo Reel

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

Helpful Information

Spring Clubs

Find out all about FOSM here.

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

NHS Courses for Parents

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