St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Bo’ness

This week, Primary 5 shared a wonderful message with the whole school — the importance of saying “yes” to God, just like Mary did. Their assembly reminded us that, like Mary, we can show courage, kindness, and faith in our own lives, even when we might feel unsure.

Through their reflections and prayers, Primary 5 helped us think about how trusting in God’s plan and showing love to others can make a real difference in the world around us.

The children also sang beautifully throughout the assembly, especially during our school hymn “The Girl Who Said Yes to God”, “Ave Maria”, and “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”. Their singing filled the hall with warmth and faith – a lovely way to celebrate Mary and the message of hope she brings.

Well done, Primary 5, for sharing such a thoughtful and inspiring message with us all, and thank you to your teacher for helping you prepare so well. You have truly reminded us to be brave, kind, and full of faith – just like Mary.

Primary 7 had a fantastic trip to Douglas Park to round off their Climate Change and Stewardship topic. During their visit, they became Climate Detectives, exploring the park to look for clues that show how the environment might be changing due to the climate. They used their thinking skills to analyse what they saw and worked together using great teamwork skills to discuss their findings and consider what they might mean for the local area.

They also took on the role of Carbon Heroes, using their knowledge to come up with practical ideas for how Douglas Park and the wider community could reduce their carbon footprint. From planting more trees to encouraging active travel, Primary 7 showed great creativity and responsibility as young stewards of the planet.

It was a brilliant way for them to bring their learning to life and to see how small changes can make a big difference!

A huge well done to our cross country team who represented the school so brilliantly at Callendar Park this morning! The pupils showed fantastic determination, resilience, and self-motivation as they took on the challenging course.

It was wonderful to see everyone giving their best effort and showing great focus from start to finish. We are incredibly proud of how they demonstrated key skills such as perseverance, confidence, and a positive mindset.

Today, at assembly, our pupils learned an important lesson that goes far beyond the classroom walls –  the importance of respecting our planet.

The pupils discovered how recycling helps reduce waste, save energy, and protect wildlife. They learned how to sort materials like paper, plastic, metal and glass.

It was clear that our pupils had not only learned the facts about recycling, but had also developed a deeper sense of responsibility toward the world around them.

Together, we can all make a difference — one recycled item at a time.

We are delighted to congratulate all of the children who received a Head Teacher Award this September!

These awards recognise pupils who have gone above and beyond – showing exceptional effort, kindness, perseverance, and enthusiasm for learning. Each recipient has demonstrated our school values in action, setting a wonderful example for others.

From settling in well to a new environment to acts of friendship and responsibility, every child who received an award should feel incredibly proud of their achievement.

Well done to all our September stars! You’ve made a brilliant start to the new school year, and we can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.

Keep shining brightly, we’re so proud of you!

This week, some of our classes took part in Restart a Heart training – an important initiative that teaches children how to perform CPR and respond in an emergency.

During the session, pupils learned about what to do if someone is unresponsive, how to call for help, and the basic steps of CPR. They also had the chance to practise chest compressions and experience how teamwork and quick thinking can help save lives.

The children showed great enthusiasm and maturity throughout the session. We are so proud of how engaged they were in learning such an important life skill!

This week, we had the opportunity to visit St. Andrew’s RC Primary School to explore their inspiring learning environments designed to support pupil-led learning. It was wonderful to see how their spaces encourage independence, collaboration, and creativity.

A special thank you goes to the pupils at St. Andrew’s, who confidently shared their vast knowledge and deep understanding of how each area supports their learning. Their enthusiasm and ownership of their environment were truly impressive and gave us plenty of ideas to take back to our own school.

We would also like to extend our thanks to Mr Short for his support and for facilitating this visit. Partnership working like this provides valuable opportunities for us to learn from one another and share best practice across schools.

We are excited to use what we learned as we begin our own project to transform an area of our school into a high-quality, pupil-led learning space. This visit has provided valuable insight into how thoughtful design can empower children to take an active role in their learning journey.

We were delighted to come together this week for our Whole-School Achievement Assembly, where we celebrated the fantastic achievements of our pupils from Primary 1 through to Primary 7.

From sporting triumphs to personal goals and academic accomplishments, it was truly inspiring to hear the wide range of successes being shared. Every pupil who stood up to talk about their achievement did so with pride and confidence – and rightly so!

These moments give us all a chance to recognise the effort, determination, and resilience our children show in so many areas of their lives, both in and out of school. It was wonderful to see our whole school community come together to cheer each other on and celebrate everyone’s unique strengths.

A huge well done to all the children who took part, we are so proud of you!

We are delighted to announce that one of our Primary 6 pupils has successfully completed the Nessy literacy programme. This is a wonderful milestone, and we couldn’t be prouder of all the progress he has made.

Since beginning the programme, this pupil has made great progress. Their reading fluency has improved, spelling has become more accurate, and they have grown in confidence when tackling new and more challenging texts.

Completing Nessy is about more than just academic skills, it also shows real perseverance and resilience. This pupil has demonstrated that with consistent effort and a growth mindset, challenges can be overcome. These are qualities that will benefit them not just in literacy, but in every area of school life and beyond.

Well done!

We’re excited to invite you to a very special Stay & Play Music Session at nursery, and we’d love for you to be part of the fun!

🗓 Date: Monday Mornings until 10th November 
⏰ Time: 9.15-9.45
📍 Where: Nursery

Our wonderful Youth Music Initiative instructor Cameron will be leading the session with singing, musical games, and instrument play – and we’re inviting YOU to stay a little longer and join in with your child!

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

• See what your child has been learning in their music sessions

• Share a joyful experience together

• Sing, move, and play along with instruments

• Meet other parents and join in the nursery buzz!

Whether you love to sing or just enjoy watching your little one light up with music, everyone is welcome- no musical experience needed!

So drop off your coat, warm up your vocal cords, and let’s make music together. We can’t wait to see you there! 🎵