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Mr Applegate

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A busy first week back in Year 2!

What a fun time we've had during our first week back of the second part of the spring term!


Our Hook Day
On Monday, to get started with our science topic, we did lots of exciting arts, craft and games activities linked with our learning about life cycles. You probably spotted our dragonfly life cycle hats which we loved making! See our attached knowledge organiser and topic web to find out more about what we will be learning this half term. 
World Book Day
We all had such a wonderful time on Thursday's World Book Day: Book Swaps, Teatime Tales, Masked Readers, Book Doors, Mr Wonka's Factory visit and much more! Here are some pictures of the book doors that we made in Year 2! 
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Don't forget to spend your book day voucher on one of the many super £1 books: https://www.worldbookday.com/books/ (2B's will be sent home on Monday). We also launched a take home book bag/box full of exciting new books and a hot chocolate to drink. We are aiming for each child to take the book bag/box home at some point between now and the end of the summer term. When it comes to your child's turn, do spend some time enjoying the books together. 
We also launched a Masked Reader Competition which closes on Wednesday 9th March at 9am. Entries can be given to the class teacher or submitted via the Google Classroom class page. See Google Classroom for more details. 
Other reminders: 
PE is on Friday and children should come in wearing their PE kits.
Our Library visit is on a Monday. Please ensure children bring in books to swap on a Monday as it is difficult to visit at other times. 
Homework for year 2 is at least 20 minutes per week on numbots/ttrockstars, daily reading (at least 4 times per week) and spellings (see Google classroom).  All children should be secure with their 2,5 and 10 times tables by the end of Year 2, so any additional practise in these area would be beneficial. Tt rockstars is great for developing speed of recall and is great fun too! Note: login details for this are the same as Numbots. 
Telling the time: Towards the end of this half term, we will be learning to tell the time, initially to the nearest quarter hour and then to five minute intervals. As this is an area children can often struggle with, it would be helpful if you could spend some time regularly talking to your child about how to tell the time on an analogue clock (clock with a face), particularly talking about the position of the minute and hour hand. It is often much easier for children to develop their understanding of time when working 1:1, so we appreciate any support that you are able to give your child with this. 
Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, then please don't hesitate to contact us via email: year2@stmarksce.org.uk
or catch us at the classroom door. 
We look forward to seeing you all at our parents evenings over the next few weeks. 
The Year 2 Team. 
pdf icon Year-2-Knowledge-Organiser-Me-and-You-Spring-2.pdf
pdf icon Year-2-Me-and-You-topic-web-Spring-2.pdf

What a busy and fun week in Year 1!

What a brilliant and busy week we have all had in Year 1. We started the week with our toy museum where the children loved sharing their learning from last half term with each other across the year group. We were also really excited about Year R joining us and we loved giving them a tour of our museum. It was great fun!

On Thursday, we visited Milestones to help start our new project, ‘On the Move’. The children were very excited about the coach trip and then loved looking at and exploring all the different vehicles. We learnt all about Thornycroft and loved sitting on the old bus, comparing it to the coach that we arrived on. The children were brilliant at using their observation skills to find different parts of the vehicles and showed great curiosity throughout the museum. Please take a look at the knowledge organiser at the end of this post to find out more about this term’s learning.

On Friday, we had another exciting day in Year 1 celebrating our World Book Day. The children loved seeing everyone’s costumes and talking about the different books they were from. Throughout the day, the children were very creative exploring different books and creating their own class displays. 

Thank you for all your on-going support.

Year 1 Team

Year 1 On the Move Topic Web 2022

Year 1 On the Move knowledge organiser

4th March Newsletter – WBD Celebrations, FOSM events, amazing children and more

A note from Mr Applegate

  • Stop Press – FOSM Bags2School drop-off – 10am-12pm Saturday at school. More details below!
  • The children have been amazing this week for World Book Day- as have the adults! We’ve all had a lovely few days. Year 6 was transformed into the Chocolate Factory too, and all the children got to pay a visit. Thank you for everyone’s involvement and efforts.FIRSTNEWS_820
  • We had a KS2 worship about Ukraine this week. If you’d like to give money to support, you may like to go through the British Red Cross site here. 
  • A free, child-friendly newspaper about Ukraine can be found here.
  • A reminder that we are a nut-free school. Please be careful – even Pesto contains nuts!

Mr Applegate

FOSM News and Dates!

  • Don’t forget to bring in your Reading Sponsorship money – thank you!
  • We desperately need some help filing a tax return. The accounts are in good order, we just need an accountant to help with the return. If you can help, please email treasurer.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk
  • Bags2School – Donate any unwanted clothing and have a spring clean of your wardrobes! FOSM have arranged a Bags2School collection on Friday 11th March. There is also a Saturday morning drop off on 5th March between 10-12 at school (main hall).

Year 6 was transformed!

Parents’ Evenings

Details have been emailed out. Please contact the office if you have not received it.

Parents’ Eve (1/3) – Weds 16th March – 4-6:30pm
Parents’ Eve (2/3) – Weds 23rd March – 3:40-5:50pm *
Parents’ Eve (3/3) – Weds 30th March – 4-6pm

* Note that 6C’s second session will be on Thursday 24th March, not 23rd March

What are we learning this term?

Natterhub

The topic this week is….

https://natterhub.com/blog/top-tips-digital-citizens

Well done Freddie!

On Saturday, Freddie (Year 4) competed in the British Biathlon Championships (Under 9 Boys). He came 2nd overall and his team also came second – so he’s added another 2 silver medals to his British Championship tally this year, taking him to 5 overall! Freddie is now British Silver medalist in Biathle, Triathlon and Biathlon all in his first year of competing! Super work Freddie – we’re all very proud of you!

Parish of Basingstoke Down

With effect from 1st March,  Immanuel Church, Hatch Warren, and St Mark’s Church, Kempshott, are united as one parish – ‘The Parish of Basingstoke Down’ – with Rev Nicola Such as Vicar of the new parish.  Basingstoke Down is the historic name for the area in which the two Anglican churches will be working together, and covers Kempshott, Hatch Warren and Beggarwood together with the new estates at Hounsome Fields and Basingstoke golf course.  Services will continue to be held at St Marks church Kempshott and at Immanuel church in St Marks School, details of which are on the parish website.

St Mark’s school is already working in partnership with the new parish and looks forward to closer links in support of our pupils.  

Wear a Hat Day – 25th March

On 25th March, we’re celebrating Wear a Hat Day. This is run by Brain Tumour Research. Some of you will remember Jayden, a St Mark’s pupil who passed away of a brain tumour (the blue and red chair by the KS1 playground is in memory of him – painted in Spiderman colours!).

We’ll have donation buckets on the gate if your child would like to wear a hat to school (with normal school uniform!). Thank you.

⭐ Star Learners ⭐

Star Learner Awards:

  • Year R: Oluwapemisire, Albie, Mia K, Ishan, Alfie P. Zoe
  • Year 1: Nico, Phoenix, Rudi, Eva G, James, Ayla
  • Year 2: Edward, Maicie, Camila, Alfie, Lola, Avani
  • Year 3: Leelan, Sophia, Freddie, Riley, Maicie, Braden
  • Year 4: Owen, Cullen, Manuel, Harry B, Josh C, Ella
  • Year 5: Liam, Tom, James S, Alexis, Imogen, Trinity
  • Year 6:  Charlie, Amelia, Zach H, Erica, Sophia M, Matthew

Rock Stars 

Amazing effort :
  • Year 3: Joshua H, Isabelle C, Lucas W
  • Year 4: Olivia N, Freddie F, Elizabeth B
  • Year 5: Kalel A, Eunice O, Irebami A
  • Year 6: Lucy L, David R, Travis W

Most active class in each year group:

  • Year 3:  3T (best in KS2!)
  • Year 4:  4PG
  • Year 5:  5SP
  • Year 6:  6C
Numbots best effort:
  • Year1: Maya, Callan, Bailey-Rose, Alex, Arianne, Daisy Bre
  • Year 2:  Kayla, Harrison J,  Riaz,   George J., Harry, Tina

Star Reader Awards:

  • Year 1: Finley C, Joshua W, Kyla; Alfie A, Zach H
  • Year 2: Kayla, Harrison J,  Riaz,   George J., Harry, Tina
  • Year 3: Isobel G, Daniel, Beatrice
  • Year 4: Keegan, Harry B, Ashley M, George H, Elliott O
  • Year 5: Chloe G, Sam L, Marissa S, Alby, Kayla V, Noah W
  • Year 6: Stanley, Matthew, Samanta, Lucille, Igor

Music of the week!

Pachelbel was a German composer who lived from 1653 – 1706. His music was from the Baroque era which comes before the classical period. In music, a canon is made by different instruments that plays the same music starting at different times. Can you hear it in this piece of music?

Enjoy these videos made by Jack in Year 3!

Community News

Girls Football (ages 5-11)

Hatch Warren Phoenix have recently set up a new football training group for girls aged 5-11, and are looking to get more girls involved. Training is run by fully qualified coaches and held 9:00-10:00 on Sunday mornings at Hatch Warren Infant School. No previous experience necessary and all abilities warmly welcome!

If you or someone you know might be interested in joining this friendly and fun group, feel free to contact Malcolm Leake via chairman@hatchwarrenphoenix.co.uk or 07787 133212.

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.

Regular Notices

Latest Posts

Year 5 – What are we learning about in Spring 2?

Welcome back to school after half term! In Spring 2, we will be taking a geographical stance on our learning again as we begin our topic on Europe. We are really excited to spend these upcoming weeks exploring our own continent and in particular, focusing on one key area in France. The children have previously learned about Paris in their St. Mark’s journey so it will be really good to challenge any geographical stereotypes the children have about France, by studying an alternative region. What makes an identity unique? This key question will underpin the majority of our learning for this half term. 

Please find our Topic Web and Knowledge Organiser attached to give you a deeper insight into our upcoming learning. We look forward to catching up with you all at our parents evenings this half term too. 

The Year 5 Team 

Year 5 Spr 2 – Knowledge Organiser

Year 5 Spr 2 – Topic web

Spring to life!

The children so enjoyed our topic last term ‘People Who Help Us.’ We were very fortunate to be visited by the police service, the fire service and a GP and these visits really did ignite the children’s interest and promote so much discussion, role play and learning. We are grateful to those who gave their time to come and tell us about their important roles. We hope that your child enjoyed telling you about these special visits!

One of the other highlights of the term was celebrating Chinese New Year; making Chinese music, dancing like a Chinese dragon and making money envelopes, lanterns and Chinese dragons. 

This half term our topic is ‘Spring to life!’. Please click here to read this term’s newsletter which briefly outlines the topic and explains a little about what we will be focussing on across the curriculum. 

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 

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