9th June 2023 Newsletter

This week’s top news & reminders

Would you like to visit our hens Pip and Sparkles? We have lots of slots available. Just click here! Rabbits join them next week, and guinea pigs soon after :)

Well done to our Year 4 pupils who took their 12×12 Multiplication Test this week. Learn more about how we teacher times tables here.

It’s going to be hot in the days and weeks to come – please remember sunscreen, hats, water bottles and comfortable uniform.

Thank you to our 5 volunteers from VirginMediaO2 who helped us on our grounds this week. Could your company lend us one of your vounteering days? Let us know.

 

Mr Applegate says…

… a huge thank you to Kat Long for being our fantastic IT Technician over the past few years. Today was her last day, and we’re grateful for how she has supported us and moved us forward in tech across the school.

… thank you to our volunteers who answered our plea for help to complete the farm. It’s 95% there!! Look what you’ve helped to create (and FOSM & parents of course!).

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What’s next? We’ll be working on our wooded areas including Forest School and hedges at the back, as well as our Year 3 Reflection Garden.

Finally, I’m so proud of our children, staff and community. Leading our school is a real privilege.

Have a great weekend.

Class Buddies for September

Please make sure you’ve completed this form – Thinking about classes for September (one per child please)

Book Fair

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In the coming weeks, we have our school book fair. It’s a chance for children to become excited about books and enjoy reading. There are a variety of books on sale, and the school gets commission for each book sold. This summer you get 3 books for the price of 2 with the cheapest book free!

Each class will visit the book fair stall. If you’d like your child to buy some books, please send them in with an amount between £3 and £12 in cash in a named envelope on the day below. For Year R, the book fair is after school in the Key Stage 1 playground – please can parents/carers attend with your child.

If you would prefer to pay online and not physically visit the book fair, you can do so here.

When is my child visiting the book fair?

Wednesday 14th June

  • Year R classes– after school with parents (on the KS1 playground weather permitting). Please allow a few minutes for us to set up.

Thursday 15th June

  • Year 1 & 2 classes – during the school day.

Friday 16th June

  • Year 3 & 5 classes – during the school day.

Monday 19th June

  • Year 4 & 6 classes– during the school day
  • NEW- Children of any year group may visit after school with parents (on the KS1 playground weather permitting). We are hoping to have a card machine available for this after school session.

 Thank you for your support!

Such joy in looking after Pip and Sparkles!

Make a booking here!

Basingstoke Day – can you help?

Like our French Culture Day, we’re having a celebration of the diversity of ethnic cultures within Basingstoke. This will help the children understand that they are part of a wider and fascinating world, and celebrate the amazing cultures we have in our town. We’re calling it “Basingstoke Day”, and it will take place on Friday 14th July. We would love to hear from any parents and families from a variety of cultures, and would be prepared to get involved. We know from the success of our recent French Day that language, art, music and food might all play a part in this – but there is so much more that we might explore, and we would love to invite local people into the school to share their culture and country. There is a huge diversity of cultures now in Basingstoke, which has enriched our community so much in recent years. If you think you might be able to help, please let us know via adminoffice@stmarksce.org.uk
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FOSM Updates

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Please check your child’s bookbag for our Summer Fayre raffle tickets.

Regular FOSM Information

Kids Pretty Mudder

Well done to Daniel in Year 2, who completed a mudder for Cancer Research – raising over £175! An Agent of Change badge is coming your way :)

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School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

Everyone

July:

  • 5th – Transition Morning – children find out their new classes and an hour with them.
  • 15th – Basingstoke Culture Day

Year Group Events

Year R:

  • 30th June – Bucklebury Farm trip

Year 2:

  • 23rd June – Hillier Gardens trip

Year 4:

  • Wed 14th – Fri 16th June – New Barn residential trip

Year 6:

  • Thurs 15th June – Winchester Cathedral Service (school jumpers needed)
  • Thurs 29th/Fri 30th June – Secondary school transition for most children (full uniform)
  • Wed 12th July – Year 6 Production @ 6.30pm
  • Thurs 13th July – Year 6 Production @ 2pm and 6.30pm
  • Fri 14th July – Year 6 Leavers’ Disco
  • Thurs 20th July – Leavers’ Service
  • Fri 21st July – last day
  • If your child(ren) usually has free school meals and you would like some support with covering the extra food costs, please contact Vicky Elms (v.elms@st-markscofe.hants.sch.uk) so that we can arrange a food bank voucher on your behalf. 

Music of the Week!

Contradanze by Vanessa-Mae

Vannesa-Mae is a Singaporean-born British violinist. Her music style is self-described as “violin techno-acoustic fusion”, as several of her albums prominently feature the techno style with the classical style.

Star learners

Star Learner Awards:

Year R
Puffins – Oscar, Parrots – Sergio, Penguins – Kiret

Year 1
1P – Lena, 1M – Charlie, 1CL – Riley

Year 2
2B – Lewis, 2G – , 2BB – James

Year 3
3C – Amber, 3T – Amaya, 3SB – Armaan

Year 4
4W – Charlotte and Abi, 4S – Max, 4PR – Hannah and Isobel

Year 5
5SP – Florence, 5DS – Marianna, 5F – Sebastian

Year 6

6P – Betsy, 6B – Zach , 6C – Zion and Freya

Quietest Class!

KS1: Puffins

KS2: 6B

Star Reader Awards:

Year R
Puffins – Liam, Parrots – Luca, Penguins – Rebecca

Year 1
1P – Rachel, 1M – Emily, 1CL – Lettie

Year 2
2B – Gracie, 2G – , 2BB – Charlie

Year 3
3C – Aria, 3T – Mimi, 3SB – Ruby

Year 4
4W – Eli, 4S – Grace, 4PR – Amber and Reece

Year 5
5SP – Charlie, 5DS – Laila, 5F – Sofia

Year 6 
6P – Georgia, 6C – Eddie, 6S – Darcy

Rock Stars

Amazing effort:

Year 3
3C – Jackson, 3T – Benjamin, 3SB – Ben

Year 4
4W – Emily, 4S – Jack , 4PR – Amber

Year 5
5SP – Rhoda, 5DS – Elizabeth, 5F – Cullen

Year 6
6P – Irebami, 6B – Riker, 6C – Aidan

 

Most active class in each year group:

Year 3: 3C

Year 4: 4W

Year 5: 5DS

Year 6: 6B

NumBots best effort:

Year 1: Harry (1CL), Dominic (1M), Emily (1M)

Year 2: Thomas (2B), Zoe (2G), Alfie (2G)

Secondary School Open Days

Community News

Local Events

Regular Notices

Latest Posts

Photo credits:

Photo by Denisse Leon on Unsplash