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Bumper Newsletter – 23rd October – happy half-term!
Message from Mr Applegate
What a long half-term! The children have coped brilliantly, parents and carers have been so supportive, and the staff have worked incredibly hard. Thank you everyone. We are so grateful.
We trust parents’ evening was helpful for those who have had it. By and large the technology worked very well. We’re feeding back any issues to the developers.
FOSM have been amazing too! See the fundraising below. We are so grateful for their efforts. Remember, it’s not too late to join the committee – just email chair.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk to find out more. Many hands make light work, as well as strengthening our community.
Remember, for those in Year 3 and above, school dinners increase to £2.50 from November 2nd. This is set by Hampshire CC, not the school. (They are free for younger year groups!).
The deadline for the Christmas cards order is Wed 4th November – the order sheets have gone home today.
Have a good, restful week, Mr Applegate
Road Safety
This week in school the children have been thinking about road safety and we have talked about the importance of staying safe when out walking and on our bikes. With the half term holiday approaching, please can you remind your children about the green cross code and the importance of staying safe on and near the roads. We have had some local residents that are concerned about how a few of our children are behaving around the roads. 
Story Competition- win £20, £30 or £40! McCarthy and Stone will also donate £250 to our school!
Deadline for entries -27th November!
FOSM Update
We are so grateful for everyone’s generosity, including the following amounts raised so far:
- Scavenger hunt – £370.70 – enjoy!
- Car Wash – £448.08 – hard work, but great time.
- Cllr Reid’s grant – £700 – thank you!!
- Non-uniform – £910.73 – just amazing.
- Nearly New Sale – £205 – fab!
- Donation from grandparent – £200 – wow!
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Can your business or company help us raise money? Get in touch if it may be an option!
FOSM Fundraising Thermometer
Covid Updates
- We’ve made it through the half-term with no positive cases at school. Thank you for your support and efforts. Let’s keep it up as cases rise nationally.
- When you exit the school site, can we ask that you move off the main paths if you are chatting with others? We don’t want to stop the chat, but do want to enable easy, socially-distanced movement. Thank you.
- We’ll continue asking all adults to wear face coverings. It’s always best to only remove these once well away from the site and other people.
- We’re working on the logistics of it still, but we may be able to have singing at times from after half-term.
A lovely Autumn day
Sign-up for our school prayer points mailing list
Would you like to join our prayer points mailing list? In conjunction with Immanuel church, this is a new opportunity to receive by email a half-termly prayer point list for our school. Click here to find out more.
Flu Immunisation
Just a reminder to complete your flu immunisation form, if you haven’t done so already. The nasal vaccination will take place on Thursday 12th November. Please complete the form to indicate whether you do or do not give consent.
You can complete the form using the link below. Our school code is SH131450.
Thank you.
Parents’ Evenings – Online
These will also be held online. You will receive an email giving details for booking a time slot soon. Your video meeting will last a maximum of 10 minutes (it cuts off at 10 minutes!). The video service is run by the same UK company that book the parents evening – you will be given a link, and no additional software/app is needed. To be clear, it’s not Google Meet or Zoom.
- 4th Nov 2020, Wed 15:40 – 17:40
- 11th Nov 2020, Wed 16:00 – 18:00
Just go to https://www.parents-booking.co.uk/stmarks
RockStars Headliners
Star Learners Last Week!
Well done to:
- Year R: Ayaan, Noah, Jimmy
- Year 1: Phoebe, Alyssa, Sienna
- Year 2: Jaiden, Meredith, Freyja
- Year 3: Freddie, Rebecca, Harry B, Ayden
- Year 4: Liam J, Tom, Ruby
- Year 5: Scarlett, Toby, Darcy
- Year 6: Sophie B, Evie-Rose, Hannah
Simba Update
We’ll be introducing Simba very slowly to St Mark’s from 9th November. It’s lovely that the children are very excited about him, although we are extremely mindful that some children are cautious about .
Please do let the children know that not all 630 pupils will see him every day! It will increase over time, but managing the children’s expectations is important.
However, it has generally been a lovely lift to all in a time of needing positive news. The mental health of children is important, as well as overcoming anxieties. Simba is just one way that St Mark’s is helping the children with both of those aspects.
From Last Week
Lunchtime heroes – can you help us?
Do you have a couple spare lunchtimes you could help us out with? We’d love to have a couple more ‘lunchtime heroes’ to help us out with KS1 lunches. If you can do one or more days/week, we’d be grateful. Email the office to find out more!
Do you work at Sainsburys?
They have a community scheme which easily raises money for our school. Let us know if you do!
Reading Books – school or home?!
Do you have any spare reading books at home that you don’t need? Or perhaps some school reading books that need returning (we’re missing a lot!)? Just drop them into the office. Thanks!
Train to teach with Aspire!
Are you intersted in becoming a primary school teacher? Why not find out more at a free zoom session? Find out details anddates here!
British Legion Poppy – Appeal
Because of COVID-19, the Royal British Legion have adapted their poppy appeal this year and are asking others to become involved by putting up decorated poppies in their windows (like the COVID rainbows). We’ll be engaging with this at school too, and learning about remembrance.
A template can be found here: www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate
Regular Notices
Year R Tours – September 2021
Interested in joining St Mark’s for September 2021? We’re running tours and online sessions. Click here to find out more
Extra online session added!
SCL After school care and Half Term Child Care
Click here for Half-term child care booking! Held at Hatch Warren Community Centre.
Click here for regular after school care at St Mark’s.
Covid Reminders
- Use the email covid@stmarksce.org.uk if you have questions or need to report symptoms or a positive case.
- Please keep us updated – for example, of test results.
- Read this letter from Public Health England about symptoms and testing.
- NHS Symptoms Check
- If a child or parent is at home because of symptoms, please keep the siblings off too. IE the whole household needs to isolate, and the person with symptoms needs to get a test.
- We are moving online with homework, spellings and Google Classrooms. If you need help with technology, please do let us know by emailing the office.
- If a child is off school but able to work, then Google Classroom work is available – and it should be completed. Teachers spend a lot of time making sure this work is available so no-one misses out!
Do you have a spare laptop you don’t need?
Do you have a laptop lying around, which we can use to support children at home? Doesn’t need to be new or quick. We blitz it, and install all the software necessary. That way a child who doesn’t have access to a laptop for home learning can really benefit. If you can help, please email the office.
What is your child learning this term?
Read the following for your child’s year group to find out more! It includes information about homework, reading, general expectations and more. The Knowledge Organiser helps you to know the knowledge the children should be learning for their project. Test them and see how they are getting on!
- Year 1 Sensational Senses knowledge organiser.pdf
- Year 1 Sensational Senses Topic web for parents.pdf
- Year 2 Oh the places you'll go! Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 2 Oh! the places you'll go! Topic web.pdf
- Year 3 Dig and Discover knowledge organiser.pdf
- Year 3 Dig and Discover topic web for parents.pdf
- Year 4 Parent Information.pdf
- Year 4 Raiders of the Lost Cities - Knowledge Organiser.pdf
- Year 4 Topic Web.pdf
- Year 5 Connections Space Organiser.pdf
- Year 5 Connections topic web.pdf
- Year 6 Curriculum Information Rumble in the Jungle.pdf
- Year 6 Knowledge Organiser Rumble in the Jungle.pdf
- Year R newsletter Autumn 1 2020.pdf
Online Forms
- Absence Request form – going to be absent (e.g. wedding, funeral, holiday etc)? Use this form
- Pupil Premium Form – have your work/benefit circumstances changed? Complete this form so we can check if your child is elligible for free school meals and other support at school.
- Getting Home Arrangements – tell us how your child gets home each day.
- Mobile Phone Request – for older children needing to bring a phone to school
Recent Posts – have you missed anything?
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).
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Email and Contact Details
If you don’t receive the school newsletter and year group emails via email, you can sign up here!
Remember, if you change your contact details, please let the office know here.