Year 7 Dalesdown Retreat 2025

Miss McManus and our Chaplain Jane Noble are the visit leaders for this trip visits@cncs.co.uk

As part of the Year 7 induction programme we are arranging a two-night retreat opportunity for up to 70 Year 7 students at Dalesdown Retreat Centre. https://www.dalesdown.org.uk

This retreat gives students the chance to get to know each other better, to meet new people and to deepen their friendships.  It is also part of our Mission as a Catholic school to give opportunities for students to reflect on their wider identity and in this case to take time out to reflect on their time at Cardinal Newman Catholic School. 

Dalesdown is a simple but purpose built retreat centre nestled in the South Downs between Horsham and Worthing and offers a number of shared bedrooms, large rooms for activities, dining room. The two nights away will provide opportunities to be together, play games, explore ideas, pray and have fun. 

We will be running two trips from Monday 20th January - Wednesday 22nd January and Wednesday 22nd January - Friday 24th January 2025 each trip will take a maximum of 35 students.  We will allocate students to either of the retreats and students will be with their form group.

The trip will be supervised and accompanied by some members of the school’s chaplaincy team which will include teachers.  We will travel by coach from Cardinal Newman to Dalesdown Retreat Centre and all students will be back by 3.00pm on the day of their return in time to catch the school buses home.

Cost:  The cost of the retreat works out at £155.00 including insurance per student and we invite parents to help cover this cost by way of voluntary contributions. Unfortunately the trip may not be able to go ahead if insufficient voluntary contributions are received.  Our Newman Pledge guarantees all students have certain experiences over the course of their time with us. We will work with families of our disadvantaged students to ensure their child has the same opportunities to attend. We have reserved a number of places to ensure everybody gets the same opportunity and will be in contact with you separately. If you would like to help towards our disadvantaged students taking part and are happy to contribute financially to this a donation can be made via ParentPay under the Visits and Equipment fund.  Please add a note in the basket to say you would like the funds to go towards a Year 7 Dalesdown place, thank you in advance.

Cancellation policy

Please be aware that if you cancel your child’s place we cannot guarantee any payments you have already made will be refunded. We will be travelling via a group booking by coach to Dalesdown.  Once we have numbers and deposits paid with the external company, this booking is confirmed and therefore we are unable to change numbers or individual student bookings.  Any cancellations after this confirmation will need to have a doctors certificate and an insurance claim will need to be provided unless we are able to fill the place with another student.  Unfortunately, we cannot give refunds due to friendships concerns or issues with travel or home sickness raised by parents/carers/students after the confirmation date. 

Travel:  We will travel by coach from Cardinal Newman school to the Dalesdown Retreat Centre and all students will be back by 3.00pm on the day of their return in time to catch the school buses home.

A Parents’ Information Evening will be held on Monday 9th December at 17:00 in the school Chapel.