Following the reinspection visit by HMIE to St Andrew’s Primary and ECC in February HMIE have provided the following letter to parents and carers. We are delighted with the report which recognises the hard work and tireless commitment of our whole community: staff, pupils, and families in ensuring our commitment to providing a quality education for young people in preparing them for the future.
You can access the report by clicking here: INSPECTION REPORT 2026.
The Galloway Diocese Youth Office (RCDG Youth) who run events for Young People in P5 and upwards invite children to join them for their Easter Youth Gathering on Saturday 18th April. The day runs from 11.00 am – 4.00 pm in St Teresa’s Church, Dumfries, with free transport provided from St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock.
The day is completely free of charge and includes:
Many of our young people have taken part in their events over the last year, and in particular the monthly Youth Evenings in St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock, and have had an extremely positive and enjoyable experience meeting up with friends and making new friends too. The events are a particularly good opportunity for P7 pupils to meet other young people from across the cluster and to make friends ahead of their move to S1, although the day is open to any young people in P5 and up.
For full details and to register your child to take part, please see the Youth Office’s website: Easter Youth Day – RCDG Youth
The Diocesan Youth Office (RCDG Youth) invites young people in P6 and up to join them for the 2026 Advent Youth Retreat. The retreat takes place at Gowanbank SU Centre (near Darvel) from 27th-29th November and is open to any young person currently in P6-S3 (P7-S4 at the time of the retreat).
Over the weekend, young people will take part in a range of different elements including:
Last year the group welcomed 29 young people from across the Diocese and they look forward to returning this year and welcoming even more young people along. The weekend costs £140.00 per person if you register before Easter, however bursaries and grants are available from RCDG Youth for any families in need, or for any families with more than one child wanting to take part. When registering, a £50.00 deposit is required.
To see photos from last year you can see their promotional video here: 2026 Advent Youth Retreat Promotional Video.
Or for more information and to register, see their website: Advent Youth Retreat – RCDG Youth
The latest version of the School Handbook has now been compiled and can be read here.
The handbook includes a range of different important information for you as a parent/ carer including details around contacting the school, our curriculum, commitment to the care and support of your child, and how you can get in touch should you have any concerns.
We’re committed to ensuring that we always provide the best possible care and education for your child by ensuring that our school is a caring and nurturing environment. As part of this commitment, we regularly review our work, policies, procedures, tracking and attainment.
Our goals for the coming year are shown in our Establishment Improvement Plan which can be found here.
Our review of our commitments over the past year are shown in our Standards and Qualities Report which can be found here.
Our Diocesan Youth Office has a number of fantastic events coming up soon for our young people in P6 & P7.
Sunday 21st December – Advent & Christmas: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Join them for an evening for their next monthly Youth Evening in St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock from 5.00 – 7.00 pm, beginning with Mass at 7.00 pm. There will be a range of games and activities led by their S3 Junior Leaders, a pizza supper, as well as a short talk on the meaning of Advent & Christmas and how we can prepare to welcome Christ this Christmas. All are welcome. If your child is coming for the first time, please complete a consent form online: https://youth.rcdg.org.uk/youth-evenings-registration/
Saturday 10th January – Christmas Youth Day
Join with young people from across the Diocese as they gather to celebrate Christmas on Saturday 10th January from 11.00 – 4.00 pm. The day consists of a range of different games and activities, as well as Mass, and some short talks reflecting on Christmas – all led by their S3 Junior Leaders. The day is free of charge and lunch is provided. If your child is interested, please sign up online: https://youth.rcdg.org.uk/youth-p6-s4/christmas-youth-day/
Galloway Youth Online Store
The Diocesan Youth Office are selling a range of stocking fillers, including a 2026 Calendar featuring a range of pictures from all of their events this year, mugs, pens, and Christmas Cards. All proceeds go towards supporting their work and ensuring equal participation for all young people regardless of means. You can check out their store online: https://youth.rcdg.org.uk/shop – order online and collect from your local parish.
We work closely with all three of our cluster parishes as part of the P3 and P4 Sacramental preparation. At the beginning of the year, our parishes are in touch with the parents of all children in P4 to register those who wish to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist in the coming year, whilst P3 parents are contacted in January to register their child for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
To contact our parishes/ chaplains directly, please see the details below:
St Joseph’s RC Church – kilmarnock.stjoseph@rcdg.org.uk
15A Hill Street, Kilmarnock, KA3 1HB
Click here for the 2025/6 Sacramental Dates.
Fr Stephen McGrattan (Parish Priest) – stephen.mcgrattan@rcdg.org.uk
Fr Kevin Rennie (Assistant Priest) – kevin.rennie@rcdg.org.uk
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church – kilmarnock.olmc@rcdg.org.uk
Kirkton Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 2DF
Fr Stephen McGrattan (Parish Priest) – stephen.mcgrattan@rcdg.org.uk
Fr Kevin Rennie (Assistant Priest) – kevin.rennie@rcdg.org.uk
St Matthew’s RC Church – kilmarnock.stmatthew@rcdg.org.uk
Grassyards Road, Kilmarnock, KA3 7SH
Fr Stephen McGrattan (Parish Priest) – stephen.mcgrattan@rcdg.org.uk
Fr Kevin Rennie (Assistant Priest) – kevin.rennie@rcdg.org.uk
ADVENT YOUTH RETREAT
Friday 28th – 30th November
The Advent Youth Retreat is open to all young people in P7 and up. The weekend includes:
The weekend costs £100, however grants and bursaries are available if required. For more information and to register go to: Advent Youth Retreat – RCDG Youth.
MONTHLY YOUTH EVENINGS
St Joseph’s RC Church, Hill Street
for all P6 & P7 in the St Joseph’s Academy Cluster
The monthly Youth Evenings in the St Joseph’s Academy Cluster, based out of St Joseph’s Church, 15A Hill Street, Kilmarnock, have now resumed.
The monthly evenings run from 5.00 – 7.00 pm and are open to all young people in P6 and up. Each evening begins with Mass at 5.00 pm, and continues in the hall from 5.30 pm with a range of different games and activities led by S3 Junior Leaders from the Academy, a short talk on the theme of the evening, and lots of pizza and snacks.
The evenings offer a great opportunity for young people to meet others from across the cluster and to make new friends ahead of the transition to secondary school. If your child is attending for the first time, you can complete a parental consent form online: Youth Events Registration – RCDG Youth.
MARY – THE MOTHER OF JESUS, AND A MOTHER TO US TOO
Sunday 26th October, 5.00 pm
St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock
Join P6 and up from across the cluster for their next monthly Youth Evening, this month reflecting on the theme of Mary: who she is and how she can help us. Join them for an evening of games, activities, pizza, and a short talk on the theme of Mary – all led by the S3 Junior Leaders from St Joseph’s Academy.
Interested? The evening is completely free of charge, just come along. If it’s your first time attending a Youth Office event, please complete a parental consent form online: Youth Events Registration – RCDG Youth.
To keep up to date with all the latest news & events from the Diocesan Youth Office:
The staff and pupils of St Andrew’s Primary School and ECC wish you a Happy and Holy Easter as we celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ our Lord. We have had another great term here and wish you all a peaceful holiday. We look forward to welcoming all of the pupils back after the holidays.
Whilst we rest over the holidays, our parish communities and chaplains will be working hard celebrating Easter. To find Mass times in any of our local parishes, you can check out their website: www.rckilmarnock.org.uk
The school will be closed from 2.30 pm on Friday 4th April until 9.00 am on Tuesday 22nd April.
Today at assembly we wished Mrs Hastings well who, at the end of the school day, will be beginning her maternity leave. Mrs Crawford presented Mrs Hastings with flowers on behalf of the school and, inviting our young people to vote on whether they thought Mrs Hastings would have a boy or a girl, the majority thought she’d have a baby boy – we’ll have to wait and see, but we wish Mrs Hastings well as she starts on her maternity leave.
During Mrs Hastings’ maternity leave Mr Jason Johnstone will be covering as acting head. Mr Johnstone has extensive experience as a head teacher, joining us for the year from Lainshaw Primary School (Kilmarnock). Mrs Hastings reminded our school community to be on their best behaviour for Mr Johnstone, living out and witnessing to our school values: ready, respectful, and safe.
We wish Mrs Hastings well on her maternity leave and welcome Mr Johnstone to our school community.
If you need to get in touch with Mr Johnstone, you can do so by phone (01563 549549) through our school office, or by email: jason.johnstone@eastayrshire.org.uk.
