HM Inspectors from Education Scotland will be visiting Cathedral Primary School and Nursery to conduct an inspection during the week commencing Monday 12th May 2025.
During the upcoming inspection, Cathedral Primary will be inspected on four main quality indicators from How good is our school? 4:
1.3 Leadership of change
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
Cathedral Primary has developed pictorial overviews which summarise our school community’s self-evaluation against each of the above quality indicators. These can be accessed via the link below:
On the first afternoon of the inspection, Mr Young will discuss Cathedral’s strengths and next steps with the Managing Inspector, based on the school’s ongoing self-evaluation. Under each of the Quality Indicators below are some of the strengths and good practice Cathedral wants to share and celebrate with inspectors during their time in the school. Written in parent-friendly language, the statements draw on key aspects of Cathedral’s inspection ‘self-evaluation summary form’. Each bullet point includes links to additional information and real-life examples which will ensure parents, carers, our various partners and our older learners have a sound knowledge and understanding of Cathedral’s strengths and help them prepare for the important part they’ll play in our school and nursery inspection.
1.3 LEADERSHIP OF CHANGE
- Gospel values and our Catholic ethos permeate the entire life and work of our school.
School community prays outdoor Stations of the Cross |
Junior Chaplains lead Cathedral learners in the Examen |
Mr Young attends Catholic Head Teachers conference |
- Our learners are at the heart of everything we do and, through Smart School Council, play a lead role in driving forward change and improvement.
Smart School Council reaches out to local community |
Cathedral hosts consultation on school inspections |
House Captain represents Cathedral at pupil conference |
- Learners across the school demonstrate our values of love, connection, perseverance and growth in their attitude, work, words and actions.
Primary 2 pupil paints beautiful picture for Mr Young |
Cathedral teams up with Firpark and Clydeview to support local foodbank |
House Captains and Easter bunny surprise local residents |
Primary 4 pupil shows impressive maths skills |
Pupils reach milestone in literacy |
- The Head Teacher has a clear, ambitious and strategic vision for the school and Cathedral’s Annual Improvement Plans have led to improved outcomes for learners.
2023/24 Annual Improvement Report |
- Cathedral regularly welcomes practitioners from other establishments and supports change and improvement in other schools.
Cathedral hosts visitors from two different schools |
Cathedral learners and teachers team-up with Falkirk school |
- Learners have regular opportunities to contribute to the ethos and life of the school.
Contributing to the ethos and life of our school |
Hats of hope for Brain Tumour Research |
- Learners have a range of leadership opportunities including House Captains, buddying, Junior Chaplains and Young Leaders.
Primary 6 pupils successful at buddy interviews |
IGNITE Junior Chaplaincy Team |
Young Leaders deliver lunchtime clubs |
Primary 4 learner leads coding club |
- In the most recent survey, almost all parents and carers said the school takes their views into account when making changes.
New Relationships & Behaviour policy launched |
House Captains gather 2025 celebration ideas from parishioners |
Refreshed anti-bullying policy |
- Cathedral’s committed Parent Council supports ongoing change and improvement.
2.3 LEARNING, TEACHING & ASSESSEMENT
- Cathedral’s ‘Learning, Teaching & Assessment Framework’ ensures consistency in approaches and standards across the school.
Learning, Teaching & Assessment Framework |
- Cathedral pupils are highly engaged and motivated learners who take responsibility for their own learning.
Primary 1 learners create small world inspired by storybook |
Primary 2 learner creates fantastic poster |
Primary 3 learners embark on new science project |
Primary 4 learners make their own Jubilee doors |
Primary 5 learners make wunderbar Lederhosen! |
Primary 6 learners construct moving windmill |
Primary 7 plan Christmas dinner within budget |
- Cathedral’s Active8 approach allows learners to lead their own learning and maximises engagement, challenge and personalisation and choice.
Active8 & Cathedral’s overarching pedagogy |
Cathedral buzzing with learner-led learning |
Second group of parents enjoy Active8 Family Learning |
- Cathedral’s overarching pedagogy (the way in which we plan, teach, organise, facilitate and support learning) ensures an appropriate balance of adult-led, adult-initiated and learner-led learning.
Primary 1 pupils (and Mrs McCoy!) WOW parents at Family Learning event |
Primary 5 learners sample German food |
Easter themed learner-led learning |
- Cathedral’s curriculum captures our learners’ interests, engages their emotions as well as their brains and encourages them down new paths where each turn in the road reveals something new and exciting to discover.
Never a dull day in Cathedral! |
- Cathedral learners benefit from an exciting, engaging and highly relevant Broad General Education which includes all Curriculum for Excellence Experiences & Outcomes across all curricular areas.
Primary 3 learners construct model of Jerusalem |
Spooktacular science in Primary 4 |
Primary 6 learners showcase Egyptian homework projects |
Primary 4 take audience on exciting tour of North Lanarkshire |
Primary 5 engineers collaborate in bridge building |
Primary 3 whisk audience off to different climate zones |
Primary 4 combine coding and spelling |
National Schools Singing Programme |
Cathedral hosts classical concert |
Cathedral GOMA (Gallery of Magnificent Art) |
Standing ovation for Lion King |
Primary 5c perform inspiring dance routine |
Cathedral parent delivers engaging presentation on Spanish |
- Cathedral learners work with their teacher to co-design learning spaces, ensuring they are ever-evolving and enrich current learning.
Learning Streets: you said… we did! |
Smart School Council Action Board updated |
- Cathedral’s Parental Engagement and Family Learning programme provides regular opportunities for parents and carers to share in their child’s learning.
Jan – June 2025 Family Learning programme
2024/2025 Learning Showcases |
Digital family learning continues |
Play Zone hive of activity during Family Learning |
Second group of parents enjoy Active8 Family Learning |
World Book Day Family Learning |
- Cathedral learners have regular opportunities to learn outside the classroom and beyond the school building.
Visits to Heritage Centre continue |
Primary 6 delve into world of pathology at Surgeons’ Hall Museum |
Primary 5 delve into the past at Stirling Castle |
Primary 7 enjoy fantastic first day at Lendrick Muir |
Primary 1 inspired by visit from Fire Service |
- Cathedral taps into the knowledge and expertise of parents/carers to support and enhance learning.
Passions run high in Cathedral court case |
Cathedral parent delivers engaging presentation on Spanish |
Cathedral pupils fascinated by space presentation |
Reading book brought to life by Cathedral parent |
- Cathedral learners are equipped with the language of learning and are able to talk about their strengths and next steps.
Cathedral pupils continue to develop the language of learning |
Celebrating learning journeys |
Celebrating learning journeys |
- Cathedral parents and carers are supported to talk to their child about their learning.
Talking to your child about their learning |
- Parents and carers know how their child’s learning is assessed.
How is my child’s learning assessed? |
3.1 ENSURING WELLBEING, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION
- Love and Connection are two of our school values. We work hard to maintain positive and mutually respectful relationships across our school community and work together to repair these if they get damaged.
Relationships & Behaviour policy |
Cathedral dances the night away at Shorts & Shades Disco |
Staff wellbeing area gets autumn refresh |
Thousands raised for charity as Mrs Loose crosses finish line |
- Cathedral learners feel valued, happy, safe and secure. Standards of behaviour are exemplary.
After school fun in the autumn leaves |
Primary 5 learners show exemplary behaviour |
Crazy hair brings colour and fun to Cathedral |
- Cathedral learners and staff have a shared understanding of wellbeing, based on the eight wellbeing indicators, and all indicators are covered in the school’s health and wellbeing programme. Parents and carers are supported to talk to their child about their wellbeing each month.
Talking to your child about their health and wellbeing |
- Cathedral’s Universal – Additional – Intensive framework for supporting learners’ health and wellbeing ensures learners who self-refer or are referred by their teacher get the support they need.
Supporting learners’ health & wellbeing
Parents and carers join Cool Connections session |
Pupils celebrate end of Seasons for Growth |
- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child articles are embedded into the day-to-day life and work of the school.
MEET RORY, our Rights Respecting Schools mascot! |
- Learners receive their entitlement to two hours of Physical Education each week, supplemented by other opportunities to be physically active.
Cathedral gains Gold School Sport Award |
Primary 5 take gold in cross country finals |
Cathedral excels in football tournament |
Cathedral and OLHS team-up for after school club |
Cathedral pupils try out judo |
- Cathedral is proud that bullying incidents are rare in our school community. However, the school’s anti-bullying policy is closely adhered to whenever they occur.
- Cathedral fully complies with statutory requirements and codes of practice around Child Protection and Safeguarding.
Child Protection & Safeguarding |
- We work hard to keep Cathedral’s pupil attendance above the local authority and national average.
Cathedral’s attendance rises to almost 95% |
- Cathedral works with a range of partners to support learners’ wellbeing.
Cathedral learners explore online safety |
Parents equipped with vital information on online safety |
Cathedral pupils learn about mental health |
- Cathedral celebrates its diversity.
Read website in language of your choice |
Library display highlights Black History Month |
Primary 7 pupils capture learning in stunning poster |
Family Learning responds to Cathedral’s diverse community |
- Cathedral’s Poverty Proofing policy ensures there are no financial barriers to learners fully participating in the life and work of the school.
Cathedral learners work with NLC Tackling Poverty Team |
Tackling Poverty Team offers advice at Parents Evening |
Cathedral receives stock of brand new Communion dresses |
3.2 RAISING ATTAINMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT
- Cathedral has a culture of aspiration, ambition, and love of learning, resulting in high levels of attainment.
Packed cathedral for Primary 7 graduation |
Celebrating learning journeys |
Primary 1 learners share impressive maths work |
Primary 4 pupil shows impressive maths skills |
Primary 5a awarded Reading Class of the Week |
Primary 1 pupils impress Mr Young with their amazing reading |
Incredible independent writing in Primary 1 |
Primary 3 pupil creates impressive piece of writing |
- Cathedral has effective systems in place to monitor and track each learner’s attainment and achievement. This ensures every learner gets the right support at the right time, giving them the best possible chance to attain and achieve to their full potential.
Tracking your child’s attainment and achievement |
- Effective differentiation within the classroom supports all learners to attain and achieve to their full potential.
Active8 & Cathedral’s overarching pedagogy |
- The strategic deployment of the school’s Attainment Team provides high-quality personalised support and ensures all children make good progress in their learning.
- Targeted family learning builds the capacity of parents and carers to support their child’s learning at home.
Pupils and parents enjoy Fresh Start family learning |
Pupils and parents enjoy family learning workshop |
Pupils and parents enjoy learning together at homework club |
Parents and carers trained in Immersive Reader |
- Come Clubbing @ Cathedral offers a wide range of extra curricular opportunities for our learners.
Junior choir club off to rousing start |
Board games club gets underway |
Chess club kick-starts 2024/25 Come Clubbing @ Cathedral programme |
Primary 3 pupils enjoy lunchtime football club |
Mr Young impressed at sign language club |
Budding chefs develop their culinary skills at cooking club |
- Cathedral’s Rose Trainer Achievement Award helps our learners develop themselves as successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. Wider achievements are regularly celebrated at assembly and on the website newsfeed.
Rose Trainer Achievement Award |
Cathedral pupil proud mascot at Celtic Park |
Cathedral celebrates a knock-out Wider Achievement |
Cathedral pupil performs in ‘The Sound of Music’ |
Cathedral pupil excels in swimming |
Primary 4 shares wider achievement with Mr Young |
- Smart School Council gives every learner a voice and helps drive forward change and improvement.
Smart School Council reaches out to local community |
Cathedral hosts consultation on school inspections |
- Cathedral uses its Pupil Equity Fund strategically and effectively to improve outcomes for learners.
Inspiring ‘Talk for Writing’ family learning workshop |
Pupils reach milestone in literacy |
Pupils and parents enjoy learning together at homework club |
Pupils and parents enjoy family learning workshop |
Award winning author, Ross MacKenzie, opens new school library |
Instrumental tuition returns to Cathedral bigger and better than ever |
Primary 7 round off first day at Lendrick Muir around campfire |
