Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Class visit

  Fri 27 Feb 2026

  Year 3 have started a new D & T topic this Term "You've been framed". They visited Ikea to explore a variety of frame designs before coming back to school ready to design their own. We look forward to the final result at the end of this term.

  

• Inspire Visitor

  Fri 13 Feb 2026

  This week, we were visited by Rhiannon Davies who works for a media company called Jellyfish. Rhiannon shared how children could create stories looking at pictures and how her passion had led her to the job she is doing now.

  

• Love of Learning

  Fri 13 Feb 2026

  We celebrated children who had been recognised across the school for their love of learning. Each child was invited to the Top Table and sat with a friend while being served by Year 6 children. One child declared "This was the best day of my life!".

  

• Numbers Day

  Fri 06 Feb 2026

  We celebrated the NSPCC by finding different ways of wearing numbers and having lessons which focused on working together and patterns in number.

  

• Open afternoon

  Fri 23 Jan 2026

  Our parents dropped into school for our Open afternoon today. They spent some time in class and then found out more about how we teach reading at St. Mark's. As this is the National Year of Reading, we felt that it was important to share the highlights and also some books.

  

• Maths

  Fri 16 Jan 2026

  We have been making sure that all of the year groups use concrete manipulatives in maths. Year 6 engaged with the resources and are now dividing and multiplying with confidence.

  

• Reading for pleasure

  Fri 09 Jan 2026

               Did you know that the number of children who are reading for pleasure is decreasing each year. This year is the National Year of Reading and we at St. Mark's are keen to encourage our children to read for pleasure more. We already have  Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) time in school and now we are adding informal book talk sessions as well. You can support our drive to improve reading for pleasure by using the following questions as prompts when reading:

   Key Questions for Informal Book Talk:

  You can use these prompts to guide conversations with your child/ children when reading:

  1. Before Reading
     • What made you choose this book?
     • Have you read anything by this author before?
     • What do you think this book might be about from the cover or title?
  2. During Reading
     • What’s happening in the story so far?
     • How do you think the character is feeling right now?
     • Can you predict what might happen next?
  3. After Reading
     • What was your favourite part of the book? Why?
     • Did anything surprise you in the story?
     • Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
     • Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve read or experienced?
  4. Deeper Thinking
     • What message do you think the author is trying to share?
     • If you could change one thing about the story, what would it be?
     • Which character would you like to meet and why?

  

• Choir at the Manse

  Fri 19 Dec 2025

  The choir fulfilled one of their 10 good deeds (11B411) promises by performing at the Manse  which is on Portland Road. One of the residents who danced the most was 103!

  

• Working with Caterlink

  Fri 05 Dec 2025

  Year 5 & 6 were able to work with Paris from Caterlink and enjoy the experience of making their own biscuits.

  

• Culture Vulture 11B411

  Fri 05 Dec 2025

  Years 2, 3 and 4 went to Fairfield Halls to watch musicians perform a variety of compositions. It was the first time some of our children had seen an orchestra playing.