Thank you to all who were able to attend last Sunday for the start of year Family Mass- the children sang beautifully.
This morning we held our annual 'Welcome Assembly' for our Reception Year children and their families.
Garnet Class led a lovely assembly, full of their memories of their former years at Cardinal Newman.
It was great to see so many parents who were able to share the moment.
Have a lovely weekend,
Gerry Flower
Catholic Life
Family Prayer Session
Please join us for our Family Prayer Session, which takes place every Friday morning from 8:15-8:30am in the school chapel. The aim is for families to gather and pray, the session is led by parents and all are welcome - please bring your children.
Please can we kindly remind you mobile phones should not be used onsite for safeguarding reasons. Thank you for your co-operation.
News/notes
Grandparents' Day
Grandparents Day is celebrated on Sunday 5th October across the UK, and we are delighted to be hosting a special afternoon dedicated to the grandparents in our community here at Cardinal Newman. We warmly invite grandparents to join us on Friday, 10th October, from 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. in the school hall. During the afternoon, we will be serving light refreshments while each year group visits the hall to perform a song they are currently busy rehearsing.
To support us with our event, we are asking for donations of cake to be sent in on Thursday 9th October which we will have children serving on the day.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing this memorable afternoon together.
Sickness
The health and safety of our children and staff is paramount; we therefore remind you that in line with our school policy, children who have vomiting or diarrhoea must be kept at home for 48 hours after the last episode. It is important that this rule is followed to prevent the spread of infection across the school.
Please email all absence related messages to absence@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk and not office@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk, or alternatively, you can ring the absence line to leave a voice message.
Further information on reporting sickness and absence to school can be found on our website here.
First Holy Communion Programme's 2026
St. Erconwalds
St Erconwald’s First Holy Communion Programme 2026 application form is available now from their website. Last day of enrolment will 31st of October. However, in order to be able to run the sessions, we need Catechists and helpers. If you can spare a bit of time from January to June 2026, please contact Susana at the Parish office either by email walton@abdiocese.org.uk or by phone on 07494 749833. We really want to hear from you! Thank you and God Bless
Please note, children will need to be registered by their parents. Please look out for an email from the Parish Office inviting you to My ChurchSuite where you can then add your children.
All Saints
First Holy Communion Application Forms are available from the back of All Saints church or to download from the Parish website at www.stbarnabasmolesey.org
The application forms need to be returned to St Barnabas Parish office, Molesey by Friday 10th October 2025 at 11am. The Parish office only opens from 9.30am, Tuesday to Friday.
Please note: applications will not be processed unless they include all necessary information and documentation.
Curriculum consumables fund
As you may know, we have a long tradition at Cardinal Newman of organising exciting hands-on activities for the children, such as cooking and gardening and themed days. These have traditionally been funded by a small annual parent donation ("Cooking Money"). If you would like to support this initiative, you will find a "Curriculum Consumables fund" option on your Scopay account which will allow you to make this donation for your child's class this year. Please logon to Scopay.com rather than using the Scopay app which does not show everything correctly.
Winter Uniform
Children are required to wear full winter uniform from Monday 3rd November (first day back after Half Term).
Salesian Christmas Market
We are holding our SPA Christmas Market at Salesian School, Guildford Road, 25th November 2025 from 4pm to 8pm. Stalls cost £20; if anyone is interested, please email spa@salesian.surrey.sch.uk
School Lunches
Our catering provider is Impact Food. If you have any issues with booking meals please email primary@impactfood.co.uk. Please be advised that the school office is unable to book or change meals for your child.
Tissue box donations
We would welcome any donations of boxes of tissues. Please can you drop them into the Office. Thank you
Birthday treats
At Cardinal Newman, we love birthdays… with this in mind, we have implemented the 'Birthday Book' initiative. Many parents generously send class treats into school when it's their child's birthday. Instead of sweets or chocolates though, you may like to support our idea to donate a lasting treat…a new book for the school/ class library! By donating a book on your child's birthday, pupils across the whole school will benefit and the gift will be treasured and shared for many years to come.
Children are invited to write a small note in their book, or we can always add a beautiful book plate to the inside front cover, so we know who has donated it. It is our aim to enable all pupils to enjoy reading for pleasure, and with your support, our library shelves can be boosted with the latest releases!
What book will you donate for your birthday? It doesn't have to be a brand-new book. It could simply be a pre-loved book from your own collection that you wish to donate; a book from a charity shop; or you may wish to purchase a new book to donate. It is entirely up to you. If you are looking for inspiration, the website https://www.booksfortopics.com/booklists/recommended-reads/ has a fantastic selection of age-appropriate books for each year group or you can talk to your child's class teacher for recommendations.'
Please note if you do send sweets/treats into school they will be returned to parents.
Thank you for your continued support with reading at Cardinal Newman.
Parking
Parking is available in the Coronation Rec car park which is just a short walk away from school. Alternatively, you can park for free at Hersham station car park on Walton Park with a permit which you can obtain by emailing the school office your car registration plate.
Please also note that parents dropping their children off for Breakfast Club or any morning clubs are not allowed to park in the school car park.
Year 5 enjoyed a day at Hampton Court Palace in support of their history topic. The children participated in two workshops exploring the Tudors and world trade, as well as the kitchens and the favourite food of Henry VIII. We look forward to sharing our new knowledge of Hampton Court Palace in our u...
On Sunday 28th September, our school community gathered for our Annual Family Mass, beautifully led by Father Richard. It was a joyful and meaningful occasion, bringing together families, staff, and pupils to mark the beginning of the new school year in prayer and celebration.
A special moment du...
On Thursday 25 September, a group of children from Year 5 had the privilege of attending the Mission Together Jubilee Mass at St Theodore’s Catholic Church, Hampton. The Mass, celebrated by Bishop Jim Curry, brought together schools from across the Dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Southw...
National Online Safety: Wake Up Wednesday Guides for Parents
We would like to make you aware of our ‘online safety’ advice, guidance and support page called ‘Wake Up Wednesday - what parents / carers need to know’.
Wake Up Wednesday, created by The National College, aims to inform parents and carers on topics such as social media platforms, gaming, and IPad security. They include top tips, important reminders and reality checks on a wide range of online safety topics. They are a great resource to keep up to date with the issues children may encounter.
We will post relevant articles of interest that should help you and your child here on our website.
We thank you for your ongoing support in assuring the safety of our pupils online.
Vacancies
Vacancies at Cardinal Newman
There are currently no vacancies.
Teach Southeast Teacher Training
TRAIN TO TEACH WITH OUTSTANDING ITT PROVIDER XAVIER TEACH SOUTHEAST
We always welcome people who want to discuss routes into teaching – we might be biased but we believe there is no better job than teaching young people and shaping the next generation! We would encourage anyone thinking of teaching to get in touch so that they can come to visit and find out more.
We are proud to be a partner school of Xavier Teach SouthEast, a SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) provider working in and around our local area. Xavier Teach SouthEast provides all trainees with high quality training, in both primary and secondary settings, to enable them to develop into competent and confident professionals.
Trainees are well prepared through first-rate complementary placements which ensure that they gain substantial practical experience, developing their evaluative and practical teaching skills effectively. In-school expert mentors and external subject trainers have consistently high expectations and work collaboratively to ensure training is coherent and highly relevant to the needs of trainees.
Xavier Teach SouthEast have had two consecutive Outstanding judgements and are highly regarded in the local area; we love working with them and hope you will too.
For more information please call them on 01932 578 682
Or visit the website to view their prospectus or sign up to a SCITT open morning www.teachsoutheast.co.uk
Teach SouthEast
Please find a list of the forthcoming recruitment events for Xavier Teach SouthEast. If you know of anyone considering a career change or who would like to know more about getting into teaching, please encourage them to come along! Additionally, our fast track form is now live on the website, so if you know someone already wanting to become a teacher or a brilliant TA or similar in one of our schools, they can use this link to apply now before DfE Apply opens for applications in October.
Judo class - Please contact Diane Capon on 07960 699 077 or email diane.capon@sky.com
Mini Dance Performers - Please click here for more information
Planet Soccer - Please click here for more information.
Spanish club - Please click here for more information.
Ukelele Club - Please find flyer here and book via Scopay
Homework Club (Y3-Y6)
Homework club runs from 3.15 pm - 4.15 pm Monday - Friday, cost is £5 (free if your child attends Whizz Kids after-school club). Please book and pay for via Scopay.
Music lessons
During school hours, music lessons can be arranged through Surrey Arts. Please contact them directly by telephone on 01483 519303, by email at surreyarts@surreycc.gov.uk or visit the Surrey Arts web page for more information. You can subscribe to the Surrey Arts newsletter here.
Lost Property
Please collect lost items from the lost property box in the KS1 playground. Please label everything clearly so it can be returned to the owner. Please note it can take some time for items to reach the lost property box depending on where they were lost.
Items not claimed from the lost property box will be disposed of periodically as it quickly builds up. Thank you.
Communicating with your child's teacher
Messages for teachers can be put in your child's reading/homework diary/bookbag, eg. pick up arrangements, homework issues, lost property, requesting a meeting with the teacher or anything else you would like the teacher to know.
For KS2 children, please remind your child to tell the teacher that the message is in there.
Absences should still be communicated via the office. (see below)
Pick-up notes
Please note that if someone other than a parent/carer is picking your child up, you need to let the teacher or the office know. Please put pick-up notes in your child's reading/ homework diary or bookbag.
For KS2 children, please remind your child to tell the teacher that the message is in there.
Children will not be released with someone else unless we have been notified of it.
If you do need to let the office know about a last minute pick-up change, please do so before 2 pm if possible.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Y6 Independent Walkers
If your child is in Y6 and you would like to let us know they will be walking home from school independently, please email the office.
Y6 Mobile Phones
If Y6 children wish to bring their mobile phone to school, they just need to drop the phone at the school office before school and collect it after school. Phones should be switched off please and not switched back on until children are off site.
No need to complete any form or email the office.
How to report your child being absent or sick
Please notify the school office every day your child is absent from school before 9 am so we can adjust dinner figures and complete the registers. Please either ring the school office on 01932 222536 and leave a voicemail or email absence@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk. If you email us about an absence, you will not receive an acknowledgement reply due to the large volume of emails we receive in relation to this daily.
If your child has a stomach bug, they should not return to school until 48 hours after the last episode of illness.
Absence Request
If you require a school absence for your child for some reason, please email the school office with the details.
Wellbeing
Surrey Adult Learning
NHS Parent Portal
At the start of the new academic year, we would like to remind you of the NHS school and parent resources available oninourplaceto ease moving up transitions.
easy-to-follow video resources for parents to help support emotional wellbeing during school transitions
online learning and resources with tailored material for supporting children with additional needs and considerations
signposts for practical support and ideas to ensure smooth transitions, including information on mobile phone use and technology
extensive additional e-learning content for parents on childhood development and emotional health from 0-19+
Crisis Helpline
Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service
Sleep and why it matters
Please click here for information on Sleep and why it matters. More videos can be found on the Childrens Health Surrey website here
National Sleep Helpline: We are here to help
At any given time up to 40% of adults and 50% of children (this rises to 80% with a SEND diagnosis) have difficulties with their sleep. Yet in a recent survey, almost 60% of adults felt there was a lack of support for sleep issues. Sleep problems can leave people feeling isolated and lonely.
Our free helpline is run by trained sleep advisors, many of whom are specialists in working with SEND. We can talk to young people directly, or parents (we can also talk to adults, including older people, about their sleep issues).
The helpline is open 5 times a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday evenings 7-9pm, and Monday, Wednesday mornings 9-11am. The number is 03303 530 541.
Support groups and workshops for parents and carers
Parent Wellbeing Service, Barnardo's Referral Form
Please see information flyer here and referral form here for support from Barnardo's Parent Wellbeing Service.
Parish News
St Erconwald's Mass times
Weekday masses
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - 9.30am, Tuesday - 7pm (Adoration & Reconciliation at 6:30pm)
Thursday No Mass
Weekend masses Saturday
Italian mass 4.45pm (except during August)
Vigil Saturday - 6pm Sunday
Family mass - 9.15am
Traditional mass - 11.15am
On the first Sunday of the month, we have our Polish Mass at 1pm
For updates, please check St Erconwald's website here.
St Barnabas and All Saints Mass times
All Saints, Hersham
5:30pm Saturday, Vigil Mass
9:00am Sunday, Mass
St Barnabas, Molesey
11:00am Sunday, Solemn Mass
6:00pm Sunday, Mass
For updates, please check St Barnabas' website here.
eSafety and Safeguarding
Reminder: Keeping children safe online and in the real world
At Cardinal Newman School we are always reminding the children how they can keep themselves safe whether in the real world or in the virtual world. Class teachers regularly use the Zones of Regulation to assess how the children in their classes are feeling. Children are encouraged to share their worries using the ‘What I want my teacher to know boxes’ which are in each Key Stage 2 classrooms and the Worry Monsters which can be found in the Keys Stage 1 Classrooms.
Information to support parents can be found on the school website here.
Please continue to report any safeguarding concerns to Mr Flower (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Mobile phone use onsite
Grandparents Day is celebrated on Sunday 5th October across the UK, and we are delighted to be hosting a special afternoon dedicated to the grandparents in our community here at Cardinal Newman. We warmly invite grandparents to join us on Friday, 10th October, from 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. in the school hall. During the afternoon, we will be serving light refreshments while each year group visits the hall to perform a song they are currently busy rehearsing.
St Erconwald’s First Holy Communion Programme 2026 application form is available now from their website. Last day of enrolment will 31st of October. However, in order to be able to run the sessions, we need Catechists and helpers. If you can spare a bit of time from January to June 2026, please contact Susana at the Parish office either by email 
gistration plate.
National Online Safety: Wake Up Wednesday Guides for Parents 
Please collect lost items from the lost property box in the KS1 playground. Please label everything clearly so it can be returned to the owner. Please note it can take some time for items to reach the lost property box depending on where they were lost. 
Communicating with your child's teacher 
Pick-up notes 
Please notify the school office every day your child is absent from school before 9 am so we can adjust dinner figures and complete the registers. Please either ring the school office on 01932 222536 and leave a voicemail or email absence@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk. If you email us about an absence, you will not receive an acknowledgement reply due to the large volume of emails we receive in relation to this daily. 
