6th November, 2026


Dear Parents/Guardians,

It was lovely to see the children return from half-term in their smart 'winter uniforms'. We began the shortened week with Mass, celebrating the feast of All Saints – it was an uplifting way to begin the week.

It was a big week for our year 5 sports teams as the netball team took part in a festival at St George's and the boys played their first football match of the half-term – the children had a great time and represented the school superbly.

This morning the assembly was on the topic of Diwali. The children learnt about the festival, when it occurs, what it celebrates and how it is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. 

As you can see, the new group rooms are completed and already in use with a range of activities including individual/small group music lessons led by Surrey Arts. Surrey Arts presented at the Key Stage 2 assembly this week with the aim of providing a wider offering of lessons. If interested, please see the flyer in today's newsletter.

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.

 

Solemnity of All Saints

We began our new term with a beautiful Mass celebrated by Fr Richard and led by our Year 6 pupils for the Solemnity of All Saints. This was a particularly special occasion for our school community, as we celebrated the feast day of one of our local parish churches. Through prayer, scripture and song, we reflected on the lives of the saints and the many ways they inspire us to follow Jesus through acts of faith, kindness and service. We thank Fr Richard and Year 6 for helping us mark this important celebration and for leading us so reverently as we started the new term together.

 

Book of Remembrance - November 2026

During the month of November, we remember and pray for our loved ones who have died.

Our Book of Remembrance will be available in the school reception area before school each morning throughout November. Families are warmly invited to add the names of loved ones they wish to remember and keep in our prayers.

As a school family, we will hold all those named in our hearts and prayers during this special month of remembrance.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

 

Follow the Mark 10 Mission here

https://www.themark10mission.co.uk/the-mark-10-mission

 


Mobile phone use onsite

Please can we kindly remind you mobile phones should not be used onsite for safeguarding reasons. Thank you for your co-operation.


News/notes

School Tours for Prospective Parents - Open Mornings

We welcome prospective Reception parents to our upcoming open days to learn more about our lovely school:

Friday 8th January 2027:                       10am – 12pm 

Please click the link here to book your slot.

We look forward to meeting you all.

 

Emma Leach Support Session

We are delighted to invite all parents/carers to an informative and supportive session delivered by Emma Leach, Outreach Teacher from Freemantles School.

Emma will share practical strategies and advice to help parents and carers better understand and support their child's needs at home. The session will focus on simple, effective approaches that can make a positive difference to family life and your child's wellbeing.

This session is suitable for all parents and carers of neurodivergent children, whether your child has a formal diagnosis or not. Please note that this is an open invitation that has been shared with the whole school. We would be delighted for anyone who wishes to join us to attend.

Date: Wednesday 18th November 2026
Time: 9-9:30am
Location: School Hall

Whether you are just beginning to explore neurodiversity or are looking for new ideas and strategies, this session offers valuable insights and practical suggestions to support your child to thrive.

Please let the school office know if you will be attending.

We look forward to welcoming you.

 

Medical Reporting Guidelines 

As outlined in our medical reporting guidelines, we would like to inform you that you will receive an email whenever your child receives first aid during the school day. This will ensure that you are kept fully informed of any accidents or incidents, however minor, and any treatment that has been provided. This will replace the paper head bump/accident forms that we usually send home.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

 

Surrey Arts Music Lessons for Y4-6

 

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.

 

 


Parents Association Notes

Please see letter from the PA here

To contact the PA, please email: PA@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk  

 

Circus - 24th April 2027

 


Weekly Class Attendance

 


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

We currently have no vacancies at Cardinal Newman School.

 

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.

www.teachsoutheast.co.uk 

Fast track apply here

 

 

Vacancies at the Xavier Trust

 

To find out more about vacancies within the Xavier Catholic Education Trust, please click here


Autumn Term Clubs 2026

After Crafts - For more information, please click here

Ballet - For more information, please click here

Chess Club - Please book via Scopay

Engineering club - Please find flyer here

French Club - Please find flyer here

Footbellas Girls Football Club - Please find flyer here

Gaelic Football - Please book via Scopay

Irish Dancing - Please email lgsoid@hotmail.co.uk

iRock  - Please find flyer here

Judo class - Please contact Diane Capon on 07960 699 077 or email diane.capon@sky.com

Karate - Please email waltonjka@gmail.com

Mini Dance Performers - Please click here for more information

Planet Soccer - For more information, please click here

Spanish club - Please click here for more information.

Theatre4kids - Please email julia@theatre4kids.co.uk

 

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.


Y6 Mobile Phones

If Y6 children wish to bring their mobile phone to school, they should 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. Please note that smart phones are not allowed.

All phones must be labelled with the child's name. 


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 on inourplace to ease moving up transitions.

Click here for:

  • 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. 

You can read more here: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/

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) 


To see the full Calendar of Events, click here.


School Day: 8.40 am - 3.15 pm     Office opening hours: 8.00 am  - 4.00 pm Monday - Friday

Arch Road, Hersham, KT12 4QT    T: 01932 222536   E: office@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk