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25th April 2025 Newsletter – Summer leaflets, FOSM Readathon, DanceLive and more

A few things to do?…

Please return your FOSM Easter Readathon reading log and, if used, the sponsorship form and any cash raised by Monday 28th April. More details are below.
Parents in Years 1-5 – complete the Parents’ Evening Survey here.
Does your child attend a school club? See the yellow “After School Clubs” section below.
If your child will be in Key Stage 2 from September 2025 and they are interested in taking up an instrument, let us know here by 28th April please.
FOSM Disco is Friday 9th May – details to follow 🪩

A note from Mr Applegate

Well done to our DanceLive team who performed at Portsmouth Guildhall last night. They were incredible!
You may be interested to know we are full in Year R for September 2025, with quite a waiting list. We look forward to welcoming our new children and parents soon. We’ll also be full in all other year groups.

Have a great weekend, Mr Applegate :)

What's your child learning this half-term?

Find out here….

Click here

This Week's Homework & Learning

Listed here for all Yr1-6 children.

Click here

🐔 Book a Farm visit here 🐰

Book a fun free day out for your family!

Click here

St Mark’s Photo Reel

Congratulations to Emily who has won Swimmer of the Quarter (Jan- March) at her Swimming School. Well done superstar! ⭐

Our Reading Buddies system has begun!

Highwood Ridge

A reminder that this road has signs not to park between about 8.30-9.30am and 2.45-3.45pm.

📚 FOSM Easter Readathon📚

FOSM are challenging every child at St Mark’s to read as often as they can for the Easter Holidays!

You can read a paragraph, a page, a chapter or even a whole book, or multiple books! The challenge is designed to keep children reading over the holidays and to help fundraise for our school.

For online sponsorships: please use our Just Giving page here or use the following web address www.stmarksprimary.net/readathon.

Gift Aid: Make your donation 20% more by ticking the ‘Gift Aid’ box. Please note, you must be a UK taxpayer for us to claim Gift Aid from your sponsorship.

For cash sponsorships: please use the sponsorship form.

Please return your paper reading log and, if used, the sponsorship form and any cash raised by Monday 28th April.

The forms and paper reading log have been sent home this week but you can download a new copy here: Easter Sponsored Readathon – Details and Forms.

THANK YOU!

Child Care Vouchers

For those of you who have access to childcare vouchers/tax free accounts, please note that these funds can only be used for childcare before or after normal school hours, e.g breakfast club and after school clubs, but not for day trips/residential trips. This is the government directive. Both SCL and HWASC accept the vouchers.
Can you help Year R?

The Year R Team are developing their outdoor provision. We are looking for some items which you may have at home and be able to donate to us. The following items are what we are hoping for:

If you can help, please contact the year R team at yearr@stmarksce.org.uk

Thank you so much.
Help us to improve drainage, lighting and more!
Have your contact details changed?
School Office area rules
Parents' Evenings

Foodbank Friday

Many local supermarkets host a permanent donation point where people can leave the donations they purchase during their visit but we would also like to set up a station in school where children can feel that they are making a difference to help others.

We are encouraging children to occasionally bring in an item of food, which they can put in a box in our School Office.

We will update the list each week or you may prefer to download the Bank the Food App. This will update it weekly on the items we’re running low on. It’s a great app and you only need to download it and select Basingstoke Foodbank as preferred. You can also activate notifications which means you’ll get a reminder when you visit the supermarket, so you never forget to donate. It lets you know the items they most need.
Illness - should I keep my child off school?

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ 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%.

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

Reminder of the new rules

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

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

FOSM Events
Meals
*NEW Summer 1 PE Days
PE Uniform details can be found here. Remember, football shirts, hoodies, or general day-to-day clothing are not acceptable as PE kit.

Year R

Monday – Outdoor PE

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 1

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Year 2

Wednesday – Indoor PE

Friday – Outdoor PE

Year 3

Monday– Outdoor PE

Thursday – Outdoor PE

Year 4

Monday – Swimming

Wednesday – Swimming

Year 5

Tuesday – Outdoor PE

Wednesday – Outdoor PE

Year 6

Friday – Outdoor PE
*NEW Summer 1 Forest School Days
Forest School from 22^nd April for 5 weeks

Year R Tuesday am:

22.4.25 – Penguins

29.4.25 – Puffins

6.5.25 – Parrots

13.5.25 – Penguins

20.5.25 – Puffins

Year 1

1TM– Wednesday am

1M – Thursday am *

1BM – Friday am *

*correction

Year 6

6C -Tuesday pm

6B – Wednesday pm

6F – Thursday pm

Bridge

Friday pm
*NEW After School Clubs

Clubs List Summer Term 2025

UPDATE: KS1 Choir will NOT restart until Friday 9th May.

Clubs will start week commencing: 28th April except for Orchestra which begins on Thursday 24th April.

Clubs finish week commencing: 7th July
Music Info
Children in KS2 are invited to apply to learn to play an instrument.

If your child will be in Key Stage 2 from September 2025 and they are interested in taking up an instrument, let us know here by 28th April please.
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

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin (c. November 24, 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an African-American composer and pianist. Joplin is also known as the “King of Ragtime” because of the fame achieved for his ragtime compositions, music that was born out of the African-American community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=pMAtL7n_-rc

Being a parent is tough!

Parent Counselling Sessions

Your child’s mental health…

Understanding your child: from toddler to teenager
Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing
Understanding the impact of the pandemic on your child
Moving up to secondary school for children with additional needs
Understanding your own trauma

Click here for free online training

Online Parenting Courses

Parental control guides

Community News

Regular Notices

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).

25th April 2025 Newsletter – Summer leaflets, FOSM Readathon, DanceLive and more

A few things to do?…

A note from Mr Applegate

What's your child learning this half-term?

This Week's Homework & Learning

🐔 Book a Farm visit here 🐰

St Mark’s Photo Reel

📚 FOSM Easter Readathon📚

⭐ Weekly Achievements ⭐

⭐ Attendance Updates ⭐

Weekly Attendance by Class

School Dates, Lunches, and Clubs

In worship this week…

Music of the Week

Being a parent is tough!

Parent Counselling Sessions

Your child’s mental health…

Online Parenting Courses

Parental control guides

Community News

Regular Notices

Does your child need after school care?

How to talk to your child about online safety

Going to be absent?

Quick Links