September 8, 2023

8th September 2023 – Bumper Newsletter

Important ! St Mark’s Elections!

Children have the opportunity to apply for a school responsbility. Click here for full details, including the online application form.

Applications must be made by Monday 18th September, online, at home.

Ready to apply?

Click here

This week’s top news & reminders

We’re sending out pupil logins this afternoon for Spelling Shed, Numbots/Rockstars, Oxford Owl and Google. Should be with you by 5pm if not already arrived.
We’re a bit short on farm bookings at the moment – click here to book. Thanks!
School bag reminder – In Years R-5, drawstring bags only. You can order from here, or let us know if you need one from school. No big backpacks please, due to space!
Traffic Incident – a car was damaged in a ‘hit and run’ incident on Danebury Road just up the hill, this morning, around 8:30-8:45am. If you saw anything, please let us know. No children or adults were hurt.

Key Information Sessions

Don’t forget to attend these!

YR – 14th Sept, 5:45pm, online (zoom link already sent).
Yrs 1-6 – dates and times on school calendar below. In person at school.

How does reading work?

We use Read Write Inc (RWI) to help children to learn to read. We also have other books for children to take home, too. See the images below which summarise what your child will bring home (will be sorted really soon if not already!). More info here.

What about homework?

Breakfast Club – New Drop-off System

We are aware of congestion issues in our car park in the mornings, and in the hope of easing the problem from Monday 11^th September we are going to trial a new ‘drop off’ system for arrivals to breakfast club between 8am and 8.15am each day.

When driving into the car park, please keep to the left side and there will be a member of staff wearing a hi-vis jacket near the school entrance waiting to accept your child and direct them up the slope to the hall. There will no doubt be several families arriving at the same time, so we would ask you to be patient and join any queue. Please be sure that your child has their bag, lunch box and coat ready to be able to get out of the car when it is your turn.

A note from Mr Applegate

We’ve had a great first week back. Thank you so much for your support of St Mark’s and all that we aim to achieve together as a community. It’s been lovely to see our enjoying being back together, looking well, and very smart!

A huge welcome to our new families and pupils, too. Alongside our 90 new Year R children, we had 13 children join us over the summer. I really hope you feel part of our school soon, if you don’t already.

FOSM AGM – Tues 12th Sept, 7:45pm

The AGM involves a yearly report from FOSM. Everyone is welcome – whether you want to join the committee, volunteer at an event this year or just get an insight into how the PTA works. The PTA is made up of volunteers who meet monthly to discuss fundraising projects and vote on spending requests from the school.

Want to book a farm slot?

Click here

Parent drop-in

Mrs Delves and Mrs Elms are running an informal drop in on Monday 18^th September for parents to come and meet the Pastoral team for a cup of coffee/tea and a biscuit and find out what we do! The school nursing team will also be there to offer advice on toilet training, sleep and eating issues. We look forward to seeing you there from 8.30 – 9.30 in the Church.

⭐ Star Learners ⭐

We celebrate our Star Learners every week. We’ll post them here on Fridays.

⭐ 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 97.3%. Yes!

Weekly Attendance by Class

Is your child too ill for school?

Advice from the NHS

Find out here

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

View the full calendar here. Alternatively, subscribe to our online calendar to keep up-to-date on your mobile. Click on either Chrome/ Android or Apple depending on your phone/computer.

Meals
PE Days
Status: running as usual

Which days?
- Year R – Mondays (indoors) and Thursdays (indoors)
- Year 1 – Mondays(outdoors) and Thursdays (indoors)
- Year 2 – Tuesdays (indoors) and Wednesdays (indoors)
- Year 3 – Mondays (outdoors) and Thursdays (outdoors)
- Year 4 – Mondays (indoors) and Fridays (indoors)
- Year 5 – Tuesdays (indoors) and Wednesdays (outdoors)
- Year 6 – Fridays (outdoors) and either Tues/Weds/Thurs Forest school (outdoors)
What to wear

Children should wear PE kit to school on the days they have PE. When children have gym, please can they bring or wear shorts underneath. PE kit guide:
- Navy or black shorts. Jogging bottoms for outside in cold weather (leggings are fine too).
- PE skirts with cycling-style shorts are acceptable.
- White t-shirt. Please also wear the school jumper to school on PE days. Football shirts are not acceptable as PE kit.
- Trainers for all children.
After School Clubs
- When do clubs start? KS1 and KS2 choirs start week beginning Monday 11th September. Planet Education clubs start week beginning Monday 18th September. All other clubs start week beginning Monday 18th September.
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.
- Hatch Warren Community Centre 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

Well Tempered Clavier by JS Bach

The word ‘clavier’ in the title refers to the keyboard, or piano. Bach composed music within the Classical era.This recording is by a famous modern day pianist Lang Lang.