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

Our P4 Explorers Club had great fun celebrating British Science Week. To get inspired, the children read the story “The Curious Why”, which sparked lots of interesting discussions and questions about how and why things work.

After the story, the young scientists took part in two exciting experiments. First, they made their own ice cream using a clever scientific method. The children placed flavoured milk in a small zip-seal bag, which was then put inside a larger bag filled with ice and salt. As they shook the bag, they discovered how the ice and salt mixture made the temperature cold enough to freeze the milk into ice cream!

Next, they put their engineering skills to the test by designing and building their own boats. Using a range of materials, they carefully constructed their creations and tested them to see if they would float.

It was a fantastic afternoon of curiosity, creativity and hands-on learning, and our Explorers Club scientists did a brilliant job investigating, experimenting and working together.

Some of our Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils took part in the Cross Country event at Callendar Park today. The children showed great determination as they tackled the course and represented the school brilliantly.

We are very proud of their effort, resilience and excellent sportsmanship throughout the race. Well done to everyone who took part!

To celebrate World Book Day, Primary 7 teamed up with Primary 1 for a fun-filled morning of reading and book-themed activities.

The children worked together to complete a Book Detective Hunt, searching for clues and solving questions linked to different stories. They also got creative by designing and making their own colourful bookmarks to use when reading their favourite books.

One of the highlights of the morning was paired reading, where Primary 7 pupils shared stories with their Primary 1 partners. It was lovely to see the older pupils supporting the younger children and helping them develop their love of reading.

A fantastic morning was had by all, celebrating books, stories and the joy of reading together! 📖✨

Primary 1 have been learning all about what it means to be a good friend. As part of their learning, the children created their very own friendship spells! They thought carefully about the ingredients needed to make and keep good friendships, such as kindness, sharing, helping others and including everyone.

After creating their magical spells, the children practised their writing skills by creating instructions explaining how to make them. They used sentence starters First, Next, Then and Finally to organise their ideas and clearly explain each step.

It was wonderful to see the children thinking about how their actions can help others feel happy, included and valued. Well done, Primary 1, for spreading a little friendship magic! ✨🪄

We are delighted to congratulate our February Head Teacher Award winners.

This month, awards were presented for Kindness and Learning, recognising pupils who have demonstrated outstanding effort, positive attitudes and care for others in our school community.

A special well done goes to the whole of Primary 2, who received a Head Teacher Award for their fantastic performance at their class assembly. They showed confidence, teamwork and great enthusiasm, we are so proud of them!

Well done to all of our award winners. Keep up the wonderful work!

Recently, our Headteacher, Mr McPeake, met with our Pupil Council representatives to review our school values.

While our existing values have guided us well over the past few years, the group agreed that there were quite a lot of them and, visually, they appeared very busy. The Pupil Council felt that simplifying and refining our values would make them clearer, more memorable and easier for everyone to live by each day.

Together, they looked carefully at what we already had, discussing which values felt most important and which could be combined or adapted. It was a thoughtful and mature conversation, with pupils sharing honest opinions about how our values should reflect our school community today.

By streamlining our values, we aim to create something that is meaningful, easy to understand and truly representative of who we are as a school.

We look forward to sharing our updated values with you soon and continuing to build a positive, supportive and inspiring school community together.

Inspired by the hit TV show The Traitors, Mr McPeake has secretly selected a  group of traitors among the staff… and now the game is officially ON!

🕵️ The Mission

The children have been recruited as loyal “faithfuls” and are working together to identify the hidden traitors before members of staff are dramatically “eliminated” from the game. Each day brings new clues, suspicious glances in the corridor, and plenty of excited whispers in the playground!

Who can be trusted? Who is playing a double game? The suspense is building by the hour.

🛡️ Hidden Shields

Adding to the excitement, protective shields have been hidden throughout the school. If a member of staff finds a shield, they are safe from elimination! This has led to some very enthusiastic (and very determined!) searching high and low across classrooms and corridors.

The buzz around school is incredible, children are discussing theories, forming alliances, and carefully watching staff reactions. The teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving on display has been fantastic to see.

❤️ Raising Funds for a Great Cause

This exciting whole-school challenge isn’t just about fun and mystery – we are also proudly raising funds for SCIAF.

Through this initiative, our pupils are learning about solidarity, fairness and supporting communities around the world. Donations will go towards helping those most in need, making a real difference beyond our school gates.

🤩 The Excitement is Real!

We can’t wait to see who will be unmasked next…

Watch this space – the traitors won’t hide forever! 👀

At our Early Learning Centre (ELC), we believe that learning is enriched through meaningful connections – not only within our setting, but across our wider community. Recently, we had the absolute pleasure of working with residents from Bo’ness Care Home for a very special intergenerational Bookbug session.

The Power of Intergenerational Connections

Intergenerational experiences like this bring enormous benefits for everyone involved. For our children, spending time with older adults nurtures empathy, confidence, and communication skills. They learn patience, kindness, and respect, while gaining a deeper understanding of the world beyond their immediate circle.

For the residents, these visits offer opportunities for social connection, stimulation, and shared purpose. The energy and curiosity of young children can be incredibly uplifting, sparking conversation and treasured memories.

Most importantly, these sessions remind us that community matters. When different generations come together, something truly special happens – stories are shared, friendships are formed, and everyone leaves smiling.

Looking Ahead

Following the success of this Bookbug session, we are excited to continue developing our partnership with Bo’ness Care Home. We look forward to more shared stories, seasonal celebrations, and creative activities in the months ahead.

A huge thank you to the residents and staff who welcomed us with warmth, enthusiasm, and kindness.

Here’s to many more moments of intergenerational joy!

A huge well done to our wonderful Primary 2 pupils who did a magnificent job leading their Lenten assembly for their families this week. The children spoke with such confidence as they explained the significance of Lent and why it is a special time in the Church’s calendar. They used the Stations of the Cross to thoughtfully share Jesus’ journey, helping everyone in attendance reflect on the season.

The afternoon continued with a lovely ‘stay and play’ session, where it was fantastic to see parents and carers engaging in activities alongside the children. There was a particularly touching moment when Mrs Mein shared a photo presentation, taking a trip down memory lane from the children’s very first visit to Primary 1 as nursery pupils right up to the present day. Seeing how much they have grown and flourished was a proud moment for staff and families alike.

A sincere thank you goes to Mrs Mein, Mrs Shanks, and Mrs Russell for their hard work and dedication in preparing the children so thoroughly for the assembly. Their support ensured the children felt ready and inspired to share their learning with their families.