St. Mary’s RC Primary School, Bo’ness

Our nursery children were whisked away on a magical Scottish adventure today as they visited the Barony Theatre for a special performance by Scotland’s National Orchestra. The enchanting story of Yoyo & The Little Auk, written by Stewart Ennis, was brought to life through a beautiful blend of live orchestral music, animation, and interactive storytelling.

The children were captivated as the story unfolded: the little auk is discovered by Yoyo, a kind-hearted girl who is preparing for her favourite event of the year — the Inverkithkin Ceilidh! But Yoyo faces a big problem… she has no costume.

With the help of her grandparents and their collection of treasures from around the world, Yoyo and the little auk embark on a heart-warming journey of creativity, culture, and kindness. The story celebrates multiculturalism, migration, and the beauty of Scotland’s natural world.

There was even a short interactive workshop before the film began, where the children learned how different instruments sounded and how they could be used to tell parts of the story. It was a wonderful way to introduce them to the world of classical music in a hands-on, playful way.

A big thank you to the Barony Theatre and Scotland’s National Orchestra for offering such an inspiring and accessible performance. Yoyo & The Little Auk is a shining example of how music, storytelling, and imagination can spark joy and understanding in even the youngest of minds.

We can’t wait for our next cultural adventure!

We are incredibly proud to share some exciting news from our Primary 2 class, one of our pupils has been awarded a Blue Peter Badge!

This special recognition was given for sharing thoughtful and enthusiastic reviews of the books he has been reading at home and in school. His love for reading and his ability to express his opinions clearly and creatively truly impressed the Blue Peter team.

What makes this badge even more special is its unique design and eco-friendly origins. The badge was designed by the beloved children’s illustrator Quentin Blake, whose illustrations are instantly recognisable to fans of Roald Dahl and many other classic children’s books. Even better, the badge is made from recycled fridges, making it a wonderful celebration of creativity and sustainability!

Receiving a Blue Peter Badge is a rare and exciting honour, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for our young reader. It’s a fantastic reminder of how sharing our passions, especially a love of books, can lead to amazing opportunities.

Well done!

Today, our Head Boy and Head Girl had the special privilege of representing our school at Mass in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, where the relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis was present.

Blessed Carlo, often called the “Cyber Apostle,” is remembered for his deep faith and devotion to the Eucharist, as well as his ability to use modern technology to share the Gospel. His relic being hosted at the Cathedral offered a meaningful opportunity for young people across Scotland to connect with his inspiring example of living faith in today’s world.

Pupils from across the diocese joined the congregation in prayer and reflection, experiencing a truly memorable moment of faith and community. It was a wonderful occasion for them to witness the wider Church coming together and to draw inspiration from Blessed Carlo’s life, reminding us all of the importance of living with kindness, service, and devotion in our everyday lives.

We are proud of our Head Boy and Head Girl for representing our school so well at such a significant and uplifting event.

This week we say a very special farewell to our wonderful Support for Learning Assistant, Mrs Rose, as she begins her well-deserved retirement.

For over 25 years, Mrs Rose has been at the heart of St. Mary’s, supporting pupils and staff with patience, care, and dedication. She has not only shared her skills and knowledge but also her warmth, kindness, and humour, filling our school days with laughter and joy.

We are so grateful for the incredible contribution she has made to our school community, and she will be deeply missed by us all.

On behalf of everyone at St. Mary’s, we wish Mrs Rose all the very best for this exciting new chapter ahead. Thank you for everything!

This week we gathered together to celebrate the birthday of Our Lady. It was a special occasion for our school community, filled with prayer, reflection, and joy.

We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our Parent Council, who kindly provided a snack and drink for all of the children to enjoy as part of the celebration. Their thoughtfulness helped to make the day even more memorable for our pupils.

We are so grateful for the continued support of our Parent Council in helping us to mark these important moments in our school life.

Today, our school came together to celebrate the birthday of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Although her feast day is officially marked on the 8th of September, we were on holiday then, so we chose to gather in prayer and celebration today instead.

We began our day with a beautiful Mass, where the children reflected on Mary’s special place in our faith and joined in prayer together as a school community.

Back in class, pupils took part in birthday celebrations for Mary. Primary 3 were especially busy as they created thoughtful and colourful birthday cards to honour her. Their creativity and care shone through in each design.

It has been a joyful day filled with prayer, creativity, and celebration – a lovely way to honour Mary’s birthday with our St. Mary’s family.

Following on from Friday’s message, we will be attending 10:00am Mass to celebrate Our Lady’s Birthday. Parents are warmly welcome to walk with us, we will leave the school at 9:40am.

We will confirm in the morning whether our family picnic will go ahead in the afternoon as unfortunately, the forecast is rain.

Our Primary 7 pupils have been diving into the topic of stewardship as part of their Religious Education. Through thoughtful discussions, the children have been learning what it means to take care of the world around them, and why it matters.

Stewardship is all about the responsibility we have to care for creation – not just for our own benefit, but for the wellbeing of others and future generations.

To bring their learning to life, P7 pupils created posters encouraging others to be Stewards of the Earth and to be more mindful about how we treat the environment.

Well done, P7, for leading by example and showing what it means to care for our common home.

We are delighted to introduce our newly elected P3–7 Pupil Council representatives for this school year. Each class has voted for the pupils they feel will best represent their views, share their ideas, and help make our school an even better place to learn and grow.

A huge congratulations to all of our successful candidates! Being chosen by your classmates is a wonderful achievement and shows the trust and respect they have in you.

The Pupil Council plays an important role in giving every child a voice, and we are excited to see the fantastic ideas, projects, and contributions our representatives will bring to school life this year.

We also want to say a big well done to everyone who put themselves forward. It takes confidence and courage to stand up and share your ideas, and we are proud of each and every one of you.

We are delighted to introduce our new Head Boy, Head Girl, and Depute Head Pupils for this school year! A huge congratulations to each of them on being selected for these important roles. They have already shown great leadership, responsibility, and commitment to our school community. The Senior Leadership Team can’t wait to work alongside them this year as they help to represent our pupils, contribute to the ethos of the school, lead by example, and play an active role in the life of St Mary’s. Well done, we are so proud of you all!