Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

These Primary 5 learners had the opportunity to sample a variety of German foods on Friday 28th February including bockwurst, wilstermarsch kase and mini kabanoss. To capture their learning, our learners recorded information on a grid including the appearance, smell, taste and texture of each item. What a tasty end to the week!

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

This Primary 4 learner popped along to Mr Young’s office on Friday 28th February to share a beautiful canvas he painted over the February break. Mr Young loved the texture of the painting and the symmetry created by the path and the trees. What a talented artist we have in our midst!

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

This Primary 2 learner recently created a detailed poster of healthy and unhealthy foods in his own time at home. He was very proud to share his fantastic work with Mr Young on Friday 28th February. What an incredible example of learner-led learning! Well done!

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

Primary 7 was the last year group to make the short walk to Motherwell Heritage Centre on Wednesday 26th February for a workshop linked to Cathedral’s 150th anniversary. Our oldest learners had the opportunity to handle materials connected to Motherwell’s industrial past, including coal and iron, as well as smell carbolic soap (there was unanimous agreement that no-one will be using it next bathtime!). There was also the opportunity to write on slates and handle Victorian artifacts, including a chimney brush and even a potty! A highlight of the visit was a climb to the top of the tower, where Primary 7 learners enjoyed a bird’s-eye view of their hometown, including Cathedral Primary.

Many thanks to the Heritage Centre for organising the workshops and for their continued support with Primary 7’s preparations for May’s 150th anniversary exhibition in St Bride’s Hall.

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

Cathedral hosted a consultation event around a new inspection framework/model on Wednesday 26th February. As a representation of Motherwell Diocese, learners from St Bernadette’s, St Brendan’s, Cathedral, Firpark, St John Paul II, St Mary’s in Hamilton and St Francis of Assisi in Baillieston worked with two inspectors from Education Scotland to share their views on what should and shouldn’t be involved in the inspection of schools. It was encouraging to hear learners from across all seven schools give careful consideration as to how inspections could capture the Catholic dimension of a school.

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

Mrs McMichael and Mrs Murphy from Cathedral’s Attainment Team hosted a targeted family learning workshop on Tuesday 25th February at which parents and carers had the opportunity to learn alongside their child using the Read Write Inc. Fresh Start programme. The Attainment Team also provided parents and carers with learning packs to further support their child’s learning at home. There was a great buzz around the room and parent/carer feedback on the sessions was exceptionally positive.

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

Celebrating their child’s First Holy Communion can place a significant financial strain on families and this is something Cathedral Primary has worked hard to address in recent years. We are delighted to announce that Cathedral received a stock of brand new communion dresses on Monday 24th February to add to our existing collection. Primary 4 parents and carers (as well as Primary 3 families looking ahead to next year) are invited to borrow from our extensive collection of communion dresses rather than go to any unnecessary expense, which could place them under financial pressure. Please call the school and ask to speak with Mrs Duffy or Mrs Campbell, who will deal with all enquiries discreetly.

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

A group of Primary 6 and 7 learners worked with the Tackling Poverty Team on Monday 24th February to explore how the cost of living is affecting them and other families and suggest what the council could do to help. The team were very impressed with the children’s insight and ideas around the three questions:

• How is the cost of living affecting you?
• How does the cost of living affect the wider community?
• What can we do to help?

Cathedral Primary recognises that these are challenging financial times for many of our families. If you are having difficulties, please take a few moments to read the leaflet below to find out what help is out there in North Lanarkshire.

https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/NL%20Money%20Worries%20Leaflet.pdf

Please continue to pray for Pope Francis, as he remains in hospital:

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/nl/olga/2025/02/23/please-pray-for-pope-francis/

Loving and Merciful God,

We come before You in prayer, lifting up Your servant, Pope Francis, in his time of need. You are the Source of all healing, and we ask You to surround him with Your loving presence, granting him strength and recovery. May Your divine grace rest upon him, restoring his health and filling him with renewed vigour to continue leading Your Church with compassion and wisdom.

We place Pope Francis into Your hands, trusting in Your eternal care. May he be comforted by the love of the Church and the prayers of all the faithful. We ask, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that his recovery be swift, and his spirit be strengthened in Your peace. May Your will be done in his life, O Lord, and may Your healing power be with him always.

We offer this prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Here at Cathedral Primary, Friday afternoon is often an opportunity for truly learner-led learning (rather than simply adult-initiated). The above Primary 7 learners spent part of the afternoon of Friday 21st February in their learning street’s Creation Station using the available materials to make intricate paper sushi. They told Mr Young that they intend to extend this learning next week by using their knowledge of electrical circuits to make a conveyor-belt for the sushi. How innovative!

In the same learning street, the learners below headed to the technology zone and used some of the construction materials to build a fantastic space station, complete with fighter jets. Great imagination! Great teamwork!