Dear Parents
Advent
We have started our Advent preparations in school and our Y2 children are enjoying taking home the Travelling Cribs to share with their families. You can view their feedback on padlet here.
Today we had the Whole School Mass for the beginning of Advent and Fr Ruslan welcomed parents and children to join together to prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus at Christmas in a few weeks time. He gave us a mission of charitable acts this advent. As part of this mission, you may like to donate to the Giving Tree. If so, please choose a present from the online list here, wrap the present and LABEL IT WITH THE GIFT NUMBER (very important to help us know what is to go to whom!) and then bring into school by Monday 6th December.
It is easy – especially with young children in the family – to rush ahead mentally to Christmas here and now! Advent is an opportunity for us all to take some time to “prepare the way for the Lord!”
Our Y4 and Y5 children and some of their families have begun to “prepare the way” in a very special way by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation in school today. Year 6 children and their families will have the opportunity to receive this sacrament in church at St Erconwald’s on Wednesday 8th Dec at 2pm next week and there is also Reconciliation there on Friday 10th December at 7:30pm.
Covid Measures
Thank you for your support this week as we have returned to slightly more escalated Covid measures in schools in line with national guidance. Covid cases in our school are currently very low compared to the local context and that has enabled us to make slightly more positive decisions for Christmas events at the moment. Nevertheless, we are all being very careful within school to enable our children to have the best experience we can in the run up to Christmas.
Staff are continuing to wear masks within school and testing regularly. Children with symptoms – as well as staff – are going to the testing centres for a PCR test and this is really helpful in preventing spread within our community. Some families are choosing to use lateral flow tests regularly too. Thank you for protecting each other and for your support for our necessary Covid measures over the coming couple of weeks.
Christmas Events
As you know, we are hoping that our YR and Y1-3 Nativity productions will be able to go ahead as planned next week. Two tickets per family are available and ticket forms have now been returned to school for allocation. Thank you for helping us to keep the performances as Covid-safe as possible by wearing a mask and taking a lateral flow test before you come into school. It may be worth wrapping up warm / wearing layers as the doors and windows in the hall will be open to aid ventilation! Please make sure that all visitors know there will be no filming at the productions themselves, to allow parents to focus on enjoying their child’s performance without distraction.
The guidance will be the same for the Y4-6 Carol Service which we hope will go ahead in church the following week, but more on that next time! Thank you to all parents who have been so supportive with walking the children back from church – the rehearsals in church are necessary and we couldn’t do it without parental support, so thank you!
Also next week will be the Cardinal Newman Christmas Market - this will be an outdoor celebration on Thursday 16th December, with delicious hot food, mulled wine and the all important bottle tombola and chocolate tombola. We are looking forward to Santa’s Grotto, an Elf hunt and Christmas Carols from the choir. Please do join us in front of the school hall from 3pm.
Fundraising
School Fund – Christmas Production Video Link: A professional videographer parent will be filming the school productions and parents are invited to purchase the video on Scopay. The link will be sent out in due course including the cost. This money goes directly to school to support the purchase of new resources for the children. This year, the plan is to put it towards new reading books.
Parent Association – Cardinal Newman Prayer Book – All of our children have written a prayer for the Parent Association Prayer Book project. The Prayer Book is available to order on ClassList or direct from the PA priced £9. The children’s prayers are very beautiful and give an inspiring insight into their thoughts during this period. We hope the children will enjoy using them and they might even make a lovely gift for aunties and uncles / grannies and grandpas / cousins this Christmastime?
One lovely prayer included is:
God, heavenly father thank you for Jesus’ birth so that he can help and cure our Earth. He really helps me learn to be caring. I’d also like to thank you for inventing sharing. I have lots of kind words and kind acts in my heart and at least that gives me a very big start. Jesus taught us how to love each other just like we were sister and brother.
You have made me a fabulous human being just by helping me to start seeing. You have taught me just how important it is to love everyone. So that now Jesus’ work is done. Alannah, Y4
Governors – Cardinal Newman Bricks – Very few left now, but it would be great to get these sold and ordered before Christmas so that our newly extended “Bricks” wall can finally be finished. Please click here for details of how to Buy a Brick. More information below.
Wrap-Around Care
We have had strong interest in places for Breakfast Club and After-School Club this year and we have taken the decision to continue with the expansion of Whizz Kids from Easter 2022. There will be additional places in both Breakfast and After-School Club. As these are new places, we will follow our Whizz Kids Admissions Policy with one small amendment - preference will be given to children looking for 5+ sessions in the week e.g. 5 mornings or 5 afternoons or 3 days morning and afternoon) as this is most financially viable for the school. All children – including children on the current waiting list - should also register interest by emailing wraparoundcare@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk
Thank you once again for being such a fantastic community, working together to support our children at this time of year. I wish all of you a very happy weekend!
Catherine Burnham
Headteacher
Please find the new school menu for Autumn/Winter 
overnors Fund: Bricks 
Please notify the school office every day your child is absent from school before 9 am so we can adjust dinner figures etc. Please either ring the school office and leave a voicemail or email absence@cardinalnewmanschool.co.uk. Thank you
Travelling Crib – Year 2 - We ask that you upload a photo and / or a few thoughts to our Padlet, about having the Crib in your home for the night. 
Christmas Gift Giving - If you would like to, choose a present from the online list 
