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Mr Applegate

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We hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas and that the children enjoyed the festivities! We have enjoyed hearing about their Christmas presents and the fun they had during the holidays. 

After our RE focus this week on ‘Jesus as a storyteller’ our topic for the half term is ‘People Who Help Us’. We have some visits lined up from the fire service, police and a doctor and we hope that the children enjoy these visits and it fills them with enthusiasm for their learning! 

Please click here to read the newsletter for this term which briefly outlines our learning.

As always, you can find more information about what we have been learning each day on Tapestry in our ‘Walk and Talk’ post. 

The Year R Team 

Returning to school – a few updates

Happy New Year to you and your family! We trust you have had a good break and have kept well.

  • We return on Wednesday 5th Jan (Tues 4th Jan is an INSET).
  • New PE days for this term: Mondays Yr6 … Tuesdays Yrs 1 & 5 … Wednesdays Yr4 … Thursdays YrR … Fridays Yrs 2 & 3. Note – Yr4 will need to be in PE kit on the first day back
  • The DfE has updated some Covid guidance, but it doesn’t really affect primary schools.
  • Classes closing – although rare, this may happen because of staff shortages. It would be a last resort, and we would always provide online learning. As the Scouts say, “Be Prepared”! What would you do if we sent a text out about a class closure?
  • Laptops – we have a small number available. If you have any lying around (either borrowed from school or an older one you can donate), please send them in!
  • Masks – Children shouldn’t wear masks at school. Staff will do so when outside of their bubble. Parents and carers, please continue to wear a mask on site.
  • Bubbles – We will continue with year group bubbles. Staffing shortages and educational benefits mean that it’s the best way for our children.
  • Self-Isolation period – this continues to be 10 days. However, individuals may now take LFD tests on day 6 and day 7 of their self-isolation period. Those who receive two negative test results are no longer required to complete 10 full days of self-isolation. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period and tests must be taken 24 hours apart. This also applies to children under 5, with LFD testing at parental or guardian discretion. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation after the second negative test result and return to school from day 8.
  • Siblings – if a child or person in your household has to take a PCR test, we would strongly request getting siblings PCR tested, too. Siblings are allowed to return to school if the PCR test is precautionary, although we are supportive with remote learning if the child/ren remain at home until the result comes in.
  • Reporting of positive cases – Please continue to report to covid@stmarksce.org.uk . Include details of start date of symptoms, which symptoms if any, LFD or PCR test results, and keep us updated.
  • Daily testing for close contacts of Covid – People who are fully vaccinated, or children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years and 6 months, identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, should take an LFD test every day for seven days and continue to attend school as normal, unless they have a positive test result or develop symptoms at any time. (Children under 5 are not being advised to take part in daily testing of close contacts. If a child under 5 is a contact of a confirmed case, they are not required to self-isolate and should not start daily testing. If they live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 they should limit their contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19, and arrange to take a PCR test as soon as possible. They can continue to attend school while waiting for the PCR result. If the test is positive, they should follow the self-isolation guidance.)

Year 3 – Another Super Half Term!

We have had another super half term in Year 3. The children have worked extremely hard and we are proud of all their efforts. We have loved unpicking the story ‘The Iron Man by Ted Hughes’ and used this within our English, bookclub, D&T and art lessons. The children wrote some fantastic next chapters of The Iron Man and his adventures. We also designed our own pets for the Iron Man and wrote an explanatory text linked to this. In science, we have been learning about magnets, completing many investigations. We then linked our science with Design and Technology where the children designed, made and played with their own mazes.

We have also enjoyed some winter and Christmas Art more recently. We also completed an act of kindness by making penguin cards for each other in class, we had to be a secret agent as we delivered these to each other! 

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Can we take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for your on-going support and your wonderful presents. 

We look forward to our new project and a new term with your children,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, 

Year 3 Team

Year 4’s Creative Term

What a wonderful half term we have had learning about rivers and India as part of our project 'River of Life'. The children have worked hard and used their creativity within their Topic work, Art and DT. 

Our final website post for the Autumn term is written by our Year 4 pupils – Florence and Monica – who are going to explain their work:

Geography – Journal Pages
This term, we learned about India and the river in India called the river Ganges.The river Ganges is very important to people in India. People in India wash in the river because they believe that when they wash it washes away their sins but there also are negative impacts of the river on life. We made these journal pages after learning about different places along the Ganges. We used  creativity to present and decorate our page.
Journal Pages.png
DT – Making bread
In DT, we made bread and compared it to an Indian chapati and decided which one we preferred. We liked the bread because it had more texture and wasn't that salty but the chapati. The 4 ingredients we used were water, yeast, flour and salt.

Bread making.png
Art – Mehndi and Rangoli Patterns 
In art, we all looked at mehndi patterns and we had to create our own patterns. We looked at lots of designs and saw all of the beautiful patterns.
mendhi.png
Also in art we looked at some Indian fabrics in the hall and noticed some patterns. We designed some Rangoli patterns and after we did our practise, a few days later, we did our neat one and some of them went on display. Fun fact: some people in India put rangoli patterns on their floor to welcome people into their homes.  
rangoli pictures.png

Thank you to Florence and Monica for writing our website post. We wish all the children, parents and carers a wonderful Christmas. See you in the new year!
Year 4 Team

17th December – Christmas Newsletter

A note from Mr Applegate

  • Thank you for your generosity towards our FOSM Christmas party today, and of course to Dave for putting the video together. The children LOVED the party!
  • Remember, you can still give online if you’d like to: click here:  .
  • We hope you enjoyed our Christmas carol events recently! Together we raised £374.72 for Foodbank!
  • Look out for a video link in your emails created by the children in their year group; it was sent out Thursday evening.
  • INSET day – Tuesday 4th Jan 2021! First day back is Weds 5th Jan.
  • On behalf of the staff and governors at St Mark’s, we wish you a restful, safe and wonderful Christmas break.

Covid Update

  • We’ve been very fortunate with our relatively low number of positive cases this term. Thank you for everyone’s efforts.
  • I can’t see the government agreeing to another lockdown depsite the rise of national case-rates, but we just don’t know what will happen; as before, we don’t get any advanced warning.
  • Please rest assured that we will always do all we can to keep everyone safe, and continue our cautious approach.

Tech and social media- how do we learn to help our children?

Can I encourage you to think carefully about how your children use technology and social media. It’s a minefield of potential harm, and often as parents we are sometimes one step behind our children depsite our best intentions and efforts. It’s really difficult to keep on top of it and to know how to do that! LondonGridForLearning are runing a short, live session on helping you know how to keep your children safe online. It’s on Monday evening, online of course! 

Monday 20th December at 7pm: www.facebook.com/LGfLDigiSafe/posts

Mrs Smith

I’m sorry to say that Vicky Smith will be finishing at St Mark’s in the middle of January. Mrs Smith has been part of our Office team since 2012 and will be much missed. I know it’s been an extremely hard decision for her, as she loves St Mark’s, but she has been able to find a role that suits her family more. Vicky has brought lots of laughter and fun to our school and office, and we shall miss her enthusiasm and dedication to our school. She brings great perspective to decisions we make about our school, too.  I know you will join me in wishing her well in her new role.
 

Changes in PE days for Spring Term

After Christmas, every year group will be changing their PE days. Below are the new PE days for each year group.
 
  • Monday – Year 6
  • Tuesday – Year 1 and Year 5
  • Wednesday – Year 4
  • Thursday – Year R
  • Friday – Year 2 and Year 3
 These will start on the first week back, so Year 4 will need to be in PE kit on the first Wednesday back (5th January)
 

Immanuel / St Mark’s Kempshot Services

Sunday 12th December
10.30am – Nativity Service (St Mark’s, Kempshott)
6.00pm –  Carols by Candlelight. (Immanuel)

Christmas Eve. (24th December
3.00pm –  Crib Service (Immanuel)
11.30pm – Midnight Service (Immanuel)

Christmas Day
9.30 – Christmas morning service (St Marks (Kempshott))

Road Safety Update

Further to our message last week… if you’d like to petition the council for a zebra crossing here, please contact Cllr Stephen Reid here (he knows about this!).

Upcoming Dates for your diary

  • INSET Day – Tuesday 4th Jan. First day back Weds 5th Jan

Vacancies at St Mark’s

We are looking for 2 friendly, reliable and enthusiastic people to join our amazing cleaning team.

Hours of work are 3.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday with an hourly rate of £9.25 per hour.

If you would like to apply for the position please email the school office for an application form at adminoffice@st-markscofe.hants.sch.uk

Breakfast Club Vacancy – New post 

We are looking for someone to provide high quality care and supervision for children at our Breakfast Club
Hours of work are 7.45am to 8.45am Monday to Friday with an hourly rate of £9.62.
 
Please email adminoffice@st-markscofe.hants.sch.uk for further information and application form.
 

Second Hand Uniform from FOSM

If you need to order any school uniform, please contact FOSM direct at: uniform.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Immanuel Christingle Facebook Post
Cribservice
carols by candlelight
emotional cup
Christmas opening hours 2021-0000

Star Learners

Star Learner Awards:

  • Year R: Jake, Mia L, Orla
  • Year 1:  Isla, Reeva, Gabriel
  • Year 2:  Ben G, Olivia L, Sarah
  • Year 3:  Jack K, Oscar, Henry
  • Year 4: Ellie, Bethany, Millie
  • Year 5: Alastair, Mark, Iremide
  • Year 6:  Freya, Jack B, Poliana

Rock Stars 

Best effort of the week:
  • Year 3: Angelina, Lottie R, Elsa
  • Year 4:  Imogen, Olivia G, Florence, Seth, Charlotte
  • Year 5: Irebami, AJ, Leighton
  • Year 6:  Benjamin H, Sophia E, Nyle

Most active class players:

5SP & 4H Well Done!

Numbots best effort:
  • Year1: Max H, Milo, Mathea
  • Year 2:  Joey, Kayla, Mason

Star Reader Awards:

  • Year 1: Milo, Aiden
  • Year 2:  Olivia H, Elizabeth
  • Year 3: Rebecca, Annabelle
  • Year 4: Harry S, Jack Daw, Issac
  • Year 5: Chloe D-S, Isaac, James S
  • Year 6:  Dylan, Libby

FOSM – Support Our School!

About FOSM

The ‘Friends of St Mark’s’ (FOSM) was formed early in the life of the school. All parents are automatically members and our committee organises social events for children and adults and fund-raising events such as Key Stage discos, Easter Egg Hunts and Summer Fun days.

Over the last few years the ‘Friends’ have donated money that has contributed towards extra resources to benefit the children at St. Mark’s which has included playground equipment, books for the school library, and general school funds. We are now a registered charity, too. Charity number: 1188879

Join our Facebook group here.

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