You’ll notice lots of new photographs dotted around our website today. These were taken by John Wilson Photographers and, I think you’ll agree, add the final professional touch to our new-look website.

We are delighted to welcome a representative from SCIAF to our assembly today. The boys and girls will hear about the vital work of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, who work amongst some of the poorest people of the world, and the Prayer Group will present the charity’s representative with a cheque for £400 – the fantastic sum of money our school community raised for SCIAF during Lent. The Bible says: ‘Do not forget to do good and to help one another, because these are the sacrifices that please God.’ (Hebrews 13:16) Many thanks to everyone in St Bartholomew’s for remembering our brothers and sisters around the world who need financial support and for giving so generously during Lent. Your money will make a real difference.

Today is Miss Mooney’s last day in St Bartholomew’s. Thank you for everything you have given to the school during your time with us. We will really miss you… please keep in touch!

Both Monday and Tuesday are holidays for pupils. Have a fantastic long weekend, boys and girls! See you bright and breezy on Wednesday morning!

Rehearsals are now underway for our whole-school end of year show, ‘A Night on Broadway’. Primary 1 have made a great start learning their two songs from ‘The Jungle Book’, Primary 6 have already developed very convincing Cockney accents for their two ‘Oliver’ numbers, and the Primary 4’s lifted the roof of the music room yesterday with their enthusiastic singing of two hits from Mama Mia! As for the nursery children, they’ve already mastered an ultra-tricky word: Super-Cali-Fragil-istic-espi-ali-docious! Make sure Thursday 20th June is in your diary – it’s going to be a fantastic show!

There’s been a slight delay to the fitting of our new windows this week. However, the Primary 6 classroom will be completed before the end of the week.

Great to see the sun shining again today. It looks as if the start of May has finally brought the arrival of spring. During the month of May, St Bartholomew’s Primary keeps the Catholic tradition of reciting the Angelus, with a bell ringing at 12 noon each day to call our school community to prayer. For those of you who would like to join us in this May devotion, the words of the prayer can be found in the ‘Faith’ section of our website.

Today, 1st May, is dedicated to St Joseph the Worker. We ask St Joseph to pray for the many, many hard workers in the St Bartholomew’s school and parish communities. ‘Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for people, knowing that the Lord will repay you.’ (Colossians 3: 23, 24)

We have a fantastic group of very supportive parents here at St Bartholomew’s and I thought it might be an idea to put a question to this morning’s blog readers: Have you ever thought about joining the Parent Council? It’s a great opportunity to play a lead role in taking the school forward and making a real difference to the education of your child. The Parent Council AGM will take place on Tuesday 28th May. There’ll be a chance to hear about what has been achieved this year and new office bearers will also be nominated and elected. It would be fantastic to see a good number of parents at the meeting. The Parent Council is there to serve and be the voice of all St Bartholomew’s parents, so please put the 28th in your diary. St Bart’s needs you!

The Parent Council has arranged for the Primary 7’s to bag pack in Asda for school funds on Friday 31st May. However, this is dependent on finding enough parent helpers to supervise on the day. This is a nice, easy way of raising money, so please help out if you possibly can. Thank you.

Mrs Gillooly returns from maternity leave next week and it will be lovely to have her back in the school. Of course, this means that Miss Mooney will be leaving us. She has been a real asset to the school this year and a valued member of the team. St Bartholomew’s will be very sad to see Miss Mooney go, but we wish her all the very best as she takes up her new post in St Timothy’s.