Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Primary 3 learners made the scenic journey to Largs on Friday 12th June to spend a fascinating day at Vikingar. Our young historians found themselves in an 8th Century Norwegian longhouse where they experienced a day in the life of a Viking. A Viking storyteller told the children how Vikings lived, what they ate and drank, where they slept and the reasons that caused them to leave their homelands. The children loved trying on replica helmets and armour and even got to hold swords, shields and axes.

This was Cathedral’s first visit to Vikingar, but it definitely won’t be the last!

As part of our learning about living things, the children used recycled materials to design and build their own insect homes. This led to thoughtful discussions about what all living things need to survive, including food, water, shelter and care. Their curiosity and enthusiasm shone through as they explored why these needs are so important in our environment.

Outdoors, the children investigated natural materials found in our local surroundings. They collected flowers, leaves and sticks, using them creatively to mix into their playdough. Through play, they explored the different patterns and imprints that flowers and other natural objects can make.

We have also been celebrating the children’s wonderful achievements from outside nursery. They proudly shared their experiences, goals and trophies with their friends, talking about the dedication, perseverance and hard work behind their successes. It has been lovely to see them celebrating one another’s accomplishments and building confidence through sharing.

The boys and girls beginning Primary 1 at Cathedral Primary in August had their second induction visit on Thursday 11th June. The children enjoyed an exciting adventure trail around the school with their new Primary 7 buddies. This gave them the opportunity to visit lots of different spaces including the dining hall, the library, the playground and even Mrs Duffy’s office where they each received a Head Teacher award. Our young learners finished off in their new Primary 1 classroom and awarded a certificate for their effort.

We have absolutely no doubt that the boys and girls will have grown in both centimetres and even more confidence by the time they start the big school on Wednesday 12th August!

Our Ignite Junior Chaplaincy Team, together with Mrs Carroll, are leading an inspiring Faith in Action journey. Guided by the belief that God calls us to be stewards of His creation, they have proposed the development of a new green space at the heart of our playground. This special area will reflect our faith, support local wildlife and offer pupils a peaceful place for prayer and reflection.

Today, the team confidently presented their ideas to Mrs Duffy through a carefully prepared PowerPoint presentation. Their vision is to create a meaningful, faith‑inspired garden designed with and for our pupils.

All learners will have the opportunity to contribute by creating items for the garden, ensuring the whole school community plays a part in bringing this space to life.

Sustainability is central to the project. The team is committed to reusing, repurposing, and recycling materials wherever possible. Their thoughtful design targets are outlined below.

We wish our Grand Design Team every success as they begin this exciting new venture.

A year on from Cathedral’s inspection, when the school and nursery received very different outcomes, Care Inspectorate returned to our nursery yesterday and today. I am delighted to report that the inspection went extremely well, with the nursery being graded ‘Very Good’ across all indicators and inspectors saying we’re well on our way to ‘excellent’.

Cathedral Nursery has been on a significant journey over the past year – often uphill – and this outcome reflects the commitment, resilience and determination of the whole team. Together, they have invested a tremendous amount of effort, while also ensuring everything was in place for this week’s inspection.

This result is a testament to the strength of the leadership and to the dedication of the entire nursery team, who have embraced significant change, much of it delivered at pace.

I wanted to share this positive news with you and place on record my sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved. This is a well-deserved achievement of which the entire team, families and children should be immensely proud.

As always, I thank you for your continued support.

Marie Clare Duffy

Head Teacher

Primary 2 pupils spent a fun-filled day at Five Sisters Zoo on Tuesday 10th June. The children had the opportunity to see lots of different animals including bears, arctic foxes and red pandas.

The boys and girls rounded off their visit with fun in the soft-play area and, before they left, were complimented by Five Sisters Zoo staff on their enthusiasm and exemplary behaviour. Well done, AMAZING Primary 2s!

Our Primary 1 learners had a fantastic day together at Almond Valley in Livingston on Tuesday 9th June. The children enjoyed a tractor ride, had great fun at the play park, reached for the stars bouncing on the big green pillow, built a holiday village in the giant sand-pit and were fascinated by all the different animals they met, including llamas and giant tortoises. What an incredible end to a successful year of learning in Primary 1!

Mrs Duffy was delighted to join these young learners as they proudly presented their story maps for their reading books. Our budding authors and illustrators showcased impressive literacy skills, confidently explaining the plot, describing characters in depth and sharing their creative thinking.

It was wonderful to see how engaged they were in discussing their ideas and we know parents will be just as proud of the understanding, imagination, and enthusiasm they brought to their work. A fantastic celebration of storytelling and early literacy.

We were delighted to welcome a Care Inspectorate Team to Cathedral Nursery today. They had a truly lovely first day with us, spending time in playroom, chatting with children and getting to know our wonderful staff . As always, our children were their usual confident, curious selves and made our visitors feel right at home.

The inspectors will be back in the nursery tomorrow morning (Wednesday), and they would very much value your feedback as part of our ongoing journey of continuous improvement. Your voice matters deeply to us — it helps shape our priorities, celebrate what’s working well, and identify where we can grow even stronger.

If you are dropping off or collecting your child tomorrow morning, please feel free to speak with the inspectors. They are keen to hear from families and appreciate any reflections you wish to share.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. Together, we make Cathedral Nursery the warm, nurturing and inspiring place our children deserve.

Mrs Duffy

Head Teacher