Carols In The Garden

On Monday 20th December, our Year 3 & 4 children will be singing Carols in  our school garden. Parents are invited to come along and join us. We will start at 5pm.  I hope you will be able to come and join us, as this will be the first time we have celebrated Christmas in this way.  Mulled wine and mince pies will be served afterwards.

School Photographs

School photograph orders should will be with us very shortly. These will be sent home with your child.

Art Club

A reminder that Art Club has now finished for this term. This will begin again after the Christmas break.

New Year Attendance and Punctuality;

After our Christmas break we will be working in conjunction with our Education Welfare Officer and monitoring both attendance and punctuality closely. There are still a number of children who are regularly coming into school after the bell at 8.50am. If you have a problem getting your child into school on time and would like to discuss this please call in and see me.

Christmas Party Dates

Friday 17th December Year 5 & 6 Monday 20th December Year 3 &4 Tuesday 21st December Reception 1 & 2 There may be a very special guest visiting us on Tuesday!

Children may come to school wearing their party clothes. All party food will be provided by school.

Tuesday 21st December Year 3 Trip to Newbiggin Hall Library Cancelled

We have been informed that Newbiggin Hall Library, is closed due to damage to the roof caused by the snow. This of course means that our visit has been cancelled.

Carols In The Garden

On Monday 20th December, our Year 3 & 4 children will be singing Carols in  our school garden. Parents are invited to come along and join us. We will start at 5pm.  I hope you will be able to come and join us, as this will be the first time we have celebrated Christmas in this way.  Mulled wine and mince pies will be served afterwards.

15th December Year4 Carol Singing

Tomorrow afternoon, our Year 4 children have been invited to go along to Wheatfield Court Nursing Home in Westerhope  and sing Christmas Carols.  This is a very special time for the residents who always look forward to seeing and hearing the children.  They will return to school by 3.15pm.  

Reception Places September 2011

Please remember any parent who has a child starting Reception class next September applications must be completed and returned to School Admissions by 15th January 2011.

Christmas Craft Club

Unfortunately because our first session of the Christmas Craft Club was cancelled because of the weather, our final session will take place tomorrow (Wednesday 15th December) afternoon 3.15pm until 4.45pm

St. Mark's Children Make Confirmation.

Congratulations to those children who made their Confirmation on Sunday at St. Mark’s Church. The children celebrated a lovely mass with Bishop Seamus and their families.

School Fayre

Dear Parents/Carers


I would like to pass on sincere thanks to everyone who supported our Christmas Fayre last Friday.

I would especially like to say a huge ‘Thank you’ to the Friends of St. Marks, parents and helpers who generously gave up their time to come in and help organize and run our Fayre.

The total amount raised was a fantastic £526.54 this will be used to subsidise trips for our children.

There are a number of unclaimed prizes, details are as follows, you can check ticket numbers at the school office.

Year 5/ 6 Nativity Performance Times

Our Year 5/ 6 Nativity production, Miracle on Bethlehem Street,  will take place on Wednesday 15th December at 2pm and again on Thursday 17th December at 6pm.

Entrance is by ticket only.

Reception & Key Stage 1 Nativity Times

Tuesday 14th December at 2pm and Thursday 16th December at 9.30am.


Reception and KS1 nativity play ’ A Really Noisy Nativity’ - 2pm in school. Further information will be given to your child today.

Further Information regarding our school Nativity Plays will be sent out with your child.
Entrance is by ticket only.

St. Mark's Carol Service

Our Christmas Carol Service will be held in school at 9.am on Wednesday 22nd December.

Free School Meals

Certain new government funding streams will be based on the number of children entitled to free school meals in every school. It is therefore very important that, if you are eligible for free schools meals,. you apply for them. Your child may not want to have a cooked lunch and may prefer a packed lunch but school will lose out of important funding streams if entitlement is not taken up. If this is the case, please come into school and speak to either myself or Mrs Wilcox. The process is simple and application forms are available from the school office.

Christmas Party Dates

Friday 17th December Year 5 & 6 Monday 20th December Year 3 &4 Tuesday 21st December Reception 1 & 2 Children may come to school wearing their party clothes. All party food will be provided by school.

Reception Places September 2011

Please remember any parent who has a child starting Reception class next September applications must be completed and returned to School Admissions by 15th January 2011.

Year 4 Swimming

Due to the bad weather and Christmas preparations there will be no swimming for our Year 4 children for the rest of this term. This will resume again after the Christmas Break.

Guitar Lessons

Mr. Pattison our guitar tutor has informed us that there will be no more lessons until after the Christmas break.

Thank You From Everyone At St. Mark's

Dear Parents,


Hopefully the worst of the snow is behind us now! I have been asked by the Governing Body of St. Mark’s to pass on sincere thanks to parents, children and staff for the commitment and support shown during the treacherous weather conditions last week.