Dear Parents
Covid Cases at Cardinal Newman
This week, I’ll start with a Covid update, to keep everyone in the picture about the situation at school. From almost no cases in the middle of last week, we have seen rapidly rising cases at Cardinal Newman over the weekend and into this week. These are mainly, though not exclusively, centred on four classes which are now in contingency measures; these are: Y5 Emerald, Y5 Sapphire, Y4 Coral and Y2 Violet Classes and parents in those classes were informed as soon as we hit the contingency threshold. There are currently cases in every year group. The rise has slowed towards the end of the week and we hope that cases in school may now have peaked.
As with many other schools and businesses, the implications for staffing in school have been significant this week and we are grateful to staff who have stepped in to cover their colleagues absences and who have stepped up to cover classes where necessary! Staff commitment to the welfare and education of our children is really admirable and we are very blessed to have such flexible and committed staff at Cardinal Newman. We are grateful to parents who have volunteered to support with cover and who have sent messages of support during this difficult time!
Thank you for working together with us to support your children. Let’s keep on together!
Year of Pilgrimage
On Monday in Collective Worship, our Y6 Pilgrimage Guides Leo and Ellie introduced the children to the Ten Ten “Year of Pilgrimage.” We are delighted to be participating in this national initiative and our children were exceptional at making links to journeys in The Bible, from Noah’s Ark, to Mary riding on a donkey, to Jesus carrying his cross. We considered pilgrimage as a journey to help us grow in friendship with God - one of the children identified that our whole lives are a pilgrimage (a moment which made all the adults in the hall pause in wonder - from the mouths of babes are great truths proclaimed!) Most of our pilgrimage year will be virtual visits, to Rome, to Lourdes and to Santiago, but we hope to make a local pilgrimage in the summer term (to somewhere slightly less exotic!) so watch this space for more information!
Ruby Class Mission Week
Well done to Ruby Class who presented their Mission Week work at collective worship this morning. It was lovely to hear their voices raised in song and to see them present confidently to their parents. They joined the parish for Mass at St Erconwald’s on Tuesday and they have been fundraising this week to raise money for a listening bench in the Prayer Garden, as part of their service to our school community. Well done Ruby Class!
Year 4 - Thanks from Princess Alice Hospice
Well done to Year 4 whose letters to the Hospice elicited a lovely letter of appreciation - the Hospice sent photos of the children’s “Blue Letters” displayed for all their staff to enjoy! We are so glad we could spread a little love with our letters!
Mufti - St John Bosco House
On Monday 31st January, the children who are in St John Bosco House can wear mufti to celebrate his feast day!
Music Festival at Salesian School
This week we have heard that two of our children have been selected to represent Cardinal Newman at a Music Festival at Salesian School later this year - well done Sophie (Y6) and Carlos (Y5). Well done also to three of our Y2/Y3 boys who have been identified to trial for Westminster Cathedral Choir! Good luck to all of you and keep up your music practice!
Parent Association
The Parent Association committee have put forward a plan for the coming term and we are grateful to the class reps who take on and organise the events such as cake sales, discos and fairs.
Our current Parent Association Chair and Vice Chair are planning to stand down in the summer term - these roles are not onerous, but they are vital in co-ordinating the PA fundraising and overseeing the formalities of the PA, which is a charitable body. We would love to have a new team up and ready to take over the reins - please have a chat with your friends and come forward as a group to support the school in this important role!
The Parent Association, over the last five years, have funded a number of projects for Cardinal Newman, including:
IT Suite computer hardware
Interactive whiteboard replacement
Class set of tablets (Learnpads)
Hall lights and sound system replacement
Minibus (part-funded)
Tiered seating (part-funded)
Reading book replacement
There are also a number of regular events which are funded by the PA, including the World Book Week visits, the Christmas panto, Shakespeare workshops and the day to day running costs of the minibus.
It is important to our school that the Parent Association continues to thrive - so please do get in touch with Mrs Burnham if you have any ideas about the future for our PA!
Thank you for your continued support!
All best wishes for the weekend
Catherine Burnham
Headteacher
Fulham FC Foundation Soccer Schools are for children and young people aged 5 to 14 years of any ability or gender. Whether this be for a first time footballer, or someone with some experience, why not come along and give it a go! See all the details in the link below. Price: £23 per day. Link: 
Esher Tag Rugby - still has places available in all year groups for Tag Rugby after school on Fridays. Please book via this link 
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
