July 12, 2024

12 July 2024 – Newsletter – including optional late start on Monday!!

A note from Mr Applegate

Due to the Euros final on Sunday night, we’ll be doing an optional late start on Monday morning. We”ll be running as normal, including breakfast club, but if you’d like to bring your child in at 10am instead of 8:30am, that’s fine. The gates will be open at 10-10:15am.

Well done to…

Our artists who created an amazing gallery at school this week, and Miss Burgess for co-ordinating it!
Our Year R pupils who took part in a pretend wedding on Thursday!
Our FOSM team for running the Disco on Friday evening. Super work as always 🙂
The 12 volunteers who helped move furniture on Thurs evening, and Theo’s (Y5) dad who made it all possible.

Remember:

Year 3 parents – African drimming concert on Tuesday. Class 3W 9:25 – 9:55. 3D 10.25-10.55. 3SG 11.25-11.55
School Reports get emailed later on Wednesday. Children also meet their new class and teacher on this day.

It was also good to spend time discussing school issues with Cllr Stacey Hart today, including traffic, parking, school crossing patrols and school finance.

Mr Applegate 🙂

What's your child learning next week?

School Dinners from September

… will be increasing in price from £2.80 to £3 from September. This is the first increse in many years. Most other schools are £3.20 or more.

Fines from September!

A heads up! From September, the government are increasing fines for poor attendance (those less than 90% are a real focus) and holidays during term time. They are also putting measures in place to stop holidays being taken year after year in school time, meaning that it won’t be the case that you can just ‘pay the fine’. The second time a fine is issued within 3 years, the fine will be double, and the third time within 3 years, a fine won’t be issued and the case will be presented at a magistrates court (with a likely higher fine and record). We’ll update you more in September.

Olympics Cultural Day – Monday 22nd July!

The Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics is only two weeks away! At St Mark’s we want to mark this incredible sporting event with our very own Olympics Cultural Day! This will take place on Monday 22nd July.

Each class has chosen a country for the day. Please send your children in non-school uniform which includes at least 1 colour from the flag of that country. Click here to see which country your child’s class has.

The day will include lots activities linked to the country as well as a sporting activity. We are looking forward to a fun filled day!

FOSM Events Reminder

⚽⚽⚽ Euro 2024 Football - Teams! ⚽⚽⚽

Penguins – Ukraine

Parrots – Denmark

Puffins – Romania

1BB – Slovakia

1M – Portugal

1TM – Serbia

2G – Slovenia

2CL – Italy

2B – France

3W – Georgia

3D – Albania

3SG – Croatia

4PR – England

4SB – Hungary

4C – Germany

5SP – Spain

5DS – Czech Republic

5E – Turkey

6C – Poland

6B – Austria

6F – Switzerland

Office – Scotland

Mr Applegate & Mrs Ford – Netherlands

Bridge – Belgium

Look after our animals!

We need your help!

Click here

Issue 10 of Cosmic News

St Mark’s PhotoReel

Thank you for helping!

Instrumental Lessons only on Thursday next week.

All HMS Instrumental teachers have now finished for this school year.

There will however still be guitar lessons with Mr Maycock on Thursday 18th July.

⭐ Star Learners ⭐

⭐ Star Readers ⭐

⭐ Quietest Classes ⭐

2B & 4SB

⭐ 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 96.1%. Oh no 🙁

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

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

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

Meals
PE Days
Status: running as usual

Summer 2
- Year R – Mondays (indoors) and Thursdays (outdoors)
- Year 1 – Mondays (outdoors) and Thursdays (Indoors)
- Year 2 – Mondays (indoors)
- Year 3 – Tuesdays (indoors) and Thursdays (outdoors)
- Year 4 – Mondays (outdoors) and Fridays (outdoors)
- Year 5 – Tuesdays (indoors) and Wednesdays (outdoors)
- Year 6 – Wednesdays (outdoors) and Fridays (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
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