Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Primary 3–7 brought festive cheer to Cathedral Primary on Wednesday 3rd December with a wonderful programme of carols and poems.

The concert opened with Primary 4’s joyful renditions of Ding Dong Merrily on High and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. Each year group then took to the stage to perform two carols and a spoken piece, delighting the audience with their talent and enthusiasm. Highlights included Primary 5’s lively It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Primary 6’s spirited 25th of the 12th and Primary 3’s beautiful Come, Come, Come to the Manger. Primary 7 closed their set with an energetic Merry Christmas Everyone, before Primary 3 rounded off the concert with a fantastic performance of Oh, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.

Adding sparkle throughout were narrators Michael and Janice, whose humour and charm kept the audience entertained between acts.

A huge well done to all the children for their outstanding performances, and many thanks to their teachers for their preparation and guidance, as well as to the support staff for transforming the hall into such a festive setting.

To help Cathedral school and parish community prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, Mass will be celebrated at 8.15am in the Investigation & Innovation Hub every Tuesday and Friday during the season of Advent.

We warmly invite all pupils, staff, parents, and parishioners to join us.

‘This time of Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord, who will visit us all on the feast of Christmas, but also, each one, in our own hearts.’ (Pope Francis)

Primary 3/4 learners enjoyed a fantastic rugby development session with Grant Talbert from Dalziel Rugby Club on Thursday 27th November. Through fun drills and activities, the children learned new skills, practised teamwork and discovered the excitement of the game. Grant’s enthusiasm inspired everyone to give of their best and there were smiles all round by the end of the session.

It was a fantastic introduction to rugby, inspiring Cathedral learners to stay active and embrace new sporting opportunities. Many thanks to Grant and Dalziel Rugby Club for investing in our young learners.

During their recent visit to the Cathedral for confession in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, the exemplary behaviour and reverence of our Primary 7 pupils did not go unnoticed. Mr Tony Coia of St Mary’s Parish, Lanark, was deeply moved by the children’s prayerful presence and devotion.

As a gesture of kindness and encouragement, Tony generously gifted each Primary 7 pupil a Christmas card on Thursday 28th November, accompanied by a blessed cloth from the pilgrimage site of Medjugorje in Bosnia. The cloth bears the words of Our Lady: “If you knew how much I loved you, you’d cry for joy.”

Cathedral extends heartfelt thanks to Mr Coia for his generosity and for sharing such a meaningful gift with our learners.

The dining hall and gym were alive with festive excitement as families gathered for Cathedral’s Christmas Fayre on Thursday 27 November. Children and adults alike enjoyed a wonderful variety of stalls and activities including handmade crafts, face painting, tombola, Christmas karaoke, and even a bouncy castle.

A special highlight was a visit from the REAL Santa, who made the journey all the way from the North Pole to meet the children and join in the celebrations. Mr Young wasn’t in the least surprised to discover that every single Cathedral learner has made it onto Santa’s ‘nice’ list!

By the time 6 o’clock arrived, the Fayre had raised an incredible £3100 for school funds. A HUGE thank you to our hardworking fundraising committee and all the Cathedral elves who helped make the event such a success.

Our nursery has been buzzing with curiosity and creativity as our young learners explored big questions about the world around them through rich, playful experiences.

We began by learning about the planets and discussing the difference between day and night. Children shared their observations of what happens at different times of the day and reflected on how routines — from morning jobs to lunchtime and home time — help us understand what comes next.

Inspired by environmental print spotted in our local community, the children set up their very own McDonald’s drive‑thru! Thanks to a kind parent donation of real packaging, learners took on different roles, created their own signs, took orders, and used their imaginations to bring the experience to life.

Our nursery rhyme of the week was Incy Wincy Spider. Learners loved reciting the rhyme with actions, spotting rhyming words, and building early phonological awareness. Families are encouraged to join in at home and share your learning on journals.

In our construction area, children compared and built models using connector blocks. They explored size, height, and length, used mathematical language, and experimented with balance and stability — fantastic early numeracy and problem‑solving skills in action.

What a wonderful week of discovery and growing confidence for our nursery learners!

Primary 7b had a great time developing their coding skills on Wednesday 26th November. Using coloured tiles and Marty the robot’s colour sensors, our talented coders confidently programmed his movements. Through teamwork and collaboration, they made Marty walk, dance, and even kick a football!

Perhaps we have a future robotic addition to Cathedral’s football team in the making!

On Wednesday 26th November, a team of Cathedral elves reached out to the local community with invitations to our Christmas Fayre, which takes place on Thursday 27th November. Santa’s little helpers delivered invitations along the length and breadth of Milton Street to residents, many of whom joined us for our 150th Jubilee exhibition back in May.

Miss Young has been a much‑loved member of the Cathedral Primary family since joining us two years ago. Always ready with a smile, a helping hand and a calm, diplomatic word on the football pitch, she has made a huge contribution to the life of our school.

Miss Young has decided to pursue a career in Early Years education and will take up a new post at St Timothy’s Nursery, Coatbridge, on Wednesday 26th November.

Cathedral will miss Miss Young’s warmth, patience and understanding. However, we extend our heartfelt thanks for all she has given during her time with us and wish her every success as she embarks on this exciting new chapter.