Mr Applegate

About Mr Applegate

Posts by Mr Applegate:

March 3, 2022

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 1^st 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)

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.

We need your help! FOSM can’t run without parent support and effort. Please consider how you can help! We’re a friendly group of people wanting to give that bit extra to St Mark’s. Contact us below:

General email – fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Cherie Parker – Chair – chair.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Mandy Mullen – Treasurer – treasurer.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Emma Bryant – Secretary – secretary.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Regular Notices

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.
NHS Symptoms Check
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!

March 2, 2022

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

March 1, 2022

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

February 27, 2022

Prayer Points No. 6

Thank you for taking time to pray for our school and community.

We are thankful for:

For the togetherness of our school community and God’s protection as we have gone through the past 2 years of covid.
The sense of spring – warmer weather, new life springing up and the beauty of the natural world around us.

We ask God:

To help us as we rebuild many parts of our school into a new normal – ie post Covid – keeping what has been better than before, bring back what has been missed, and managing the change of doing things differently. Also, helping children, parents, and staff as we go into this new phase.
For wisdom – to help us settle any nerves and questions as the children hear more and more about the war in Ukraine – that we manage that safely according to what the children can understand.
For children affected by loved ones who are unwell due to cancer, or who been bereaved.
To provide financially and for widsom as we enter into the new financial year – planning budgets and providing for our children in the best way possible.

February 18, 2022

18th Feb Newsletter – Covid updates, Mrs Greer’s farewell, and amazing work from our children!

A note from Mr Applegate

We said “thank you” and “goodbye” to Mrs Greer today as a staff. We are grateful for all that she has given at St Mark’s over the years, and wish her all the best. We also want to say thank you to Mrs West, one of our cleaners, as she finishes next week.
Thank you for your support this term -it’s been a long 7 weeks, but made easier through your help, encouragement and partnership.
We don’t know exactly when government covid restrictions will be relaxed or removed, but rest assured we will act carefully and in good time. We want it to be in a planned way, too. Remember, it’s been 2 years since we’ve had normal assemblies with 650 children in the hall, lunches in the hall, break times with multiple year groups, and more. We’ve got lots of furniture to move back and discussions to have with staff and children. We also want to take what has worked well in our new covid way of working, and blend that in with what we miss from pre-covid days. All of that needs careful organisation and practice. We’ll keep you posted, but please don’t expect everything to change immediately when Boris announces his decision.
A huge thank you to our FOSM team who do so much work in the background. You are appreciated. This also comes with a plea. At the end of the year, we will have vacancies in key roles, including treasurer and secretary and chair. These roles are critical, and we can’t have a FOSM without them. Please can you think about taking on one of these roles, and get in touch if you’d like to find out more. Without these roles filled well before September, we simply will not have FOSM in September 2022. What a sad thought :(
I noticed this article on the BBC this week about Roblox. Children can really enjoy the game, but as with anything, caution is needed. You may want to also take a look at our family agreement, shared on Safer Internet Day.

Have a great half term! Mr Applegate

A farewell note from Mrs Greer

Dear all,

What an emotional last day it has been. Sadly the storm has scuppered my plans to say goodbye in person.

I was sitting the other evening thinking about this week and I knew it was going to be emotional. I have been here since 2010 and I feel like I have worked in most parts of the school under various guises, which is an ongoing joke with Mr Applegate.

I want to say thank you to each and every parent/carer that I have ever worked with over the years. You have trusted me with your children and I feel privileged to have been able to help them. So many of you have sent well wishes and that means a lot to me – thank you. The pupils of St Mark’s, past and present, have been some of the most wonderful children I will ever have the pleasure to meet. I shall miss St Mark’s more than I think I even realise at the moment and I will make sure I pop in to say hello. The staff are some of the best people I have ever met and I have many friendships that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I’d like to finish by saying THANK YOU – two little words but they mean so much.

Take care,

Mrs Greer

Simba’s skills – a video created by Reece in Year 4

What beatiful artwork by Callen and Noah in Year 2!

See what Joshua in Year 1 wrote about St Mark’s- well done!

A lovely poem by Darcy in 6C!

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

World Book Day

World Book Day takes place at St Mark’s on Thursday 3rd March for YR, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6. Y1 will celebrate World Book Day on Friday, 4th March because of a trip on the Thursday.

Click here to read more.

FOSM Readathon!

Click here to download the sponsorship form!

Have You Got an Unwanted Ukelele?

Are you decluttering? Spring cleaning over half term? The Music Team are offering a good home to any unplayed, unloved ukeleles that might be sitting in box in your garage or gathering dust in the back of your cupboard! We’d like to create a set of these instruments in school, so that our children can play beyond their lessons in Year 3 – and we know ukes may be bought in a fit of enthusiasm, and later outgrown. Any condition – we can replace strings! If you can help, please donate your unwanted ukuleles via the office, or speak to Miss Stonehouse, Mrs Parker or Mrs Baird. Thank you!

Thanks!

Natterhub

The topic this week is….

https://natterhub.com/blog/teaching-internet-safety

Music of the week!

Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. Lots of his music has been used in ballets.

In worship this week…

Rev Nicola Such from St Mark’s Kempshott shared with us online.

Community News

Girls Football (ages 5-11)

Girls Football (ages 5-11)

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

Join our Facebook group here.

General email – fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Cherie Parker – Chair – chair.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Mandy Mullen – Treasurer – treasurer.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Emma Bryant – Secretary – secretary.fosm@stmarksce.org.uk

Regular Notices

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.
NHS Symptoms Check
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!

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