Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Cathedral learners and staff took part in a prayerful journey around the school grounds on Tuesday 2nd April, marking our annual outdoor Stations of the Cross.

Each station was thoughtfully led by a group of Primary 7 pupils, with the 12th Station featuring a large wooden cross placed on top of the hill, creating a powerful focal point for reflection.

Throughout this Lenten experience, the children showed great reverence and respect, making it a powerful opportunity for our whole school community to come together in prayer and quiet reflection during Holy Week.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

You may have spotted on our newsfeed recently that Primary 5 learners in Winners Wynd have been diving into Textile Technology as part of their Scottish Wars of Independence topic. They began by designing their own tartan before carefully transferring their patterns onto fabric.

On Tuesday 30th March, Mr Young was treated to the grand reveal when two learners proudly showcased their meticulously pleated, hand‑sewn kilts, strutting down the makeshift catwalk of his office with confidence and flair!

It was one of those Cathedral moments that perfectly captured the creativity, skill and spirit of our wonderful learners.

Lenten almsgiving on Friday, 27th March, held special significance for the Cathedral community as Mrs McCarthy continues her treatment for a brain tumour. In a show of solidarity and hope, learners and staff wore their “Hats of Hope” throughout the day, coming together to support the search for a cure for all types of brain tumours. Their efforts raised an impressive £372.67 for Brain Tumour Research, a testament to the love and unity at the heart of the Cathedral family.

Throughout the week beginning 23rd March, Cathedral Nursery has been delighted to host our Stay and Play sessions, along with a sponsored Bear Hunt. We welcomed parents, grandparents and other special people into the nursery to share in the children’s learning and daily experiences.

These sessions offered families a wonderful opportunity to see what a typical day looks like, explore the nursery environment, and join in with a range of activities alongside their child. The atmosphere was full of curiosity and connection as children proudly shared their favourite areas and invited their grown‑ups to play and learn with them.

This week has been full of rich opportunities for our young learners to connect, create and explore.

We’ve been focusing on building positive relationships and supporting the children as they learn to listen to one another. Through group discussions and shared activities, we explored how our emotions can change and talked about how we feel in different situations. This helped us deepen our understanding of empathy and discover new ways to express ourselves.

One of the most popular areas this week was the playdough table. The children looked closely at recipes and ingredients, then experimented with exciting additions such as lemon zest, porridge oats, and dried pasta. They carried these skills into our baking area, where we investigated where lemons and limes come from before deciding to make our very own lemon cake. Tasting their creations was a highlight, and the children loved sharing their thoughts on the different flavours.

To support early literacy, we went on a rhyming-word hunt. Using flashcards as visual prompts helped the children understand what makes a word rhyme. Before long, they were challenging each other to think of new rhyming pairs, turning it into a fun and lively game.

Following the publication of Cathedral’s highly positive inspection report, Mr Young has been asked by North Lanarkshire Council to undertake a secondment from 1st April 2026 until June 2027, supporting wider work across the local authority in learning and teaching, inclusive practice and leadership. During this time, Mrs Duffy will serve as full-time Acting Head Teacher.

A letter from Mr James McParland, Chief Officer (South), can be accessed via the link below:

Changes at Cathedral Primary School

Mr Young was delighted to find all six Primary 6 and 7 classes gathered in Ambition Avenue on Tuesday 24th March. Under the musical direction of Mrs Shevlin, the children were busy rehearsing songs for this year’s school show, Oliver.

Mr Young enjoyed an energetic and enthusiastic performance of ‘Food, Glorious Food,’ which showcased the pupils’ hard work and excitement for the upcoming production. The show will take to the stage on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June.

Here at Cathedral, we take great pride in ensuring every learner receives their full entitlement to a Broad General Education.

On Monday 23rd March, Mr Young visited Winners Wynd and found these Primary 5 learners immersed in Textile Technology. As part of their Scottish Wars of Independence topic, they had designed their own tartan and were carefully transferring their patterns onto fabric.

There’s plenty of excitement still to come as they prepare to pleat and sew their very own kilts in the weeks ahead!

After last week’s disappointment of cancelling our forest visit due to high winds, the beautiful sunshine on Thursday 19th March more than made up for it.

Our young learners took part in a whittling activity, developing a new skill and adding another string to their bow. They listened carefully and followed all safety instructions, both when using the tools and while toasting marshmallows over the fire.

During our session, we discovered an injured red-tailed bumblebee. The children showed wonderful care and patience, spending time trying to help it. After offering some sugary water, our tiny visitor began to drink and soon showed signs of recovery. It was a lovely opportunity to demonstrate empathy and learn how we can support our forest friends.

The ever-popular rope activities continued, with climbing skills and confidence improving week by week. Our young learners are also becoming increasingly responsible, embracing the challenges and opportunities that the forest environment provides.