St Bartholomew’s is now on Twitter! This will not replace the website or Head Teacher’s blog, but will be used to post short pieces of important information and provide parents, carers and friends with up-to-the-minute updates when we’re out and about on trips and excursions. Our new Twitter page will be given a major trial run this coming Thursday when the whole school heads off to the pantomime in Glasgow. Unfortunately, we can’t take you all with us (sorry!) but we can keep you up-to-date with photos and comments via Twitter throughout the day. It would be absolutely fantastic to have lots of followers before Thursday arrives, so please download the Twitter app (or log-on via a computer), search for @bartholomew_st and start following us today!

The electricians have now completed their work in the oratory, leaving us with a prayer space even more beautiful and peaceful than before; all that remains is to give the room a fresh coat of paint in the new year. The refurbished oratory has a new feature ceiling, accent lighting above each of the Stations of the Cross and spotlights to pick out special features such as the altar back-drop. We are one very, very blessed primary school! And this leads me onto my last piece of news…

December is certainly turning out to be a month of good news for St Bartholomew’s. A letter arrived on Thursday from Bishop Joseph Toal granting the school permission to have the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the oratory. The school was gifted a beautiful tabernacle by the Passionist community, Glasgow, back in June and we are both delighted and honoured that the Bishop of Motherwell has granted permission for this to be placed permanently in our oratory and used to reserve the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Toal writes:

“With the provision of the oratory and its good use by the pupils, staff and local community I think it will be a blessing for the school to have the Blessed Sacrament reserved there also…. I look forward to visiting St Bartholomew’s School and praying in the oratory…. and I pass on my blessing to the whole school community.”

Sincere thanks to Bishop Toal from our whole school community.