Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Professor Roisin Coll from the University of Glasgow popped into Cathedral on Thursday 10th October to personally thank the choir for their contribution to the recent Mass for the 25th Anniversary of the School of Education. Professor Coll listened in to part of the children’s weekly rehearsal and choir members were delighted to receive a Glasgow University bag containing a thank-you card, pen, rosary and (we mustn’t forget!) caramel wafer. Many thanks to Professor Coll for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit Cathedral Primary.

Parents Evening takes place this coming Thursday, 10th October.

As you know, Cathedral teachers use stampers and highlighter pens to give pupils high-quality feedback on their learning so that they know what their strengths are, as well as their next steps. ‘Milestone Moment’ stickers are also used to show key points in each child’s learning journey.

You will have the opportunity to see your child’s various jotters at Thursday’s Parents Evening and are invited to use the leaflet which will be sitting with their jotters to talk to them about this term’s learning.

Here are the main prompts from the leaflet:

Mrs Mellon worked her usual magic in Winners Wynd recently when she gave the children’s wellbeing area an inspiring make-over. Should any Winners Wynd learner feel overwhelmed and need a bit of quiet time, they can now head off into the countryside, settle down to an activity from the wellbeing basket and… BREATHE! What a beautiful and peaceful space to support our children’s wellbeing.

Primary 6 hosted a table-top exhibition on Monday 7th October to showcase their fantastic Egyptian homework projects. The children have absolutely loved learning about Ancient Egypt this term, from the pyramids to the River Nile to the fascinating subject of mummification, and this was reflected in their incredible creations.

Mr Young got a bit of a surprise when he logged into his emails on the morning of Saturday 5th October. These two Primary 7 learners had prepared and sent a PowerPoint about litter which they asked Mr Young to include in the next whole-school assembly on Monday 7th October. The boys did a great job delivering their informative and humorous presentation to the rest of the school, inviting their peers to tap into their ‘inner Lorax’, the grumpy yet charming movie character who fights to protect his world. Well done to both of you for extending your learning beyond the classroom and for being so passionate about improving the Cathedral environment.

As newsfeed readers will be aware, Cathedral school choir sang at a special Mass in Glasgow University Memorial Chapel on Friday 20th September to mark the 25th anniversary of the School of Education. The following two links, showcasing our choir’s exceptional talent, were recently posted on X by the St Andrew’s Foundation:

https://x.com/StAndFoundatio1/status/1839225656070090803

https://x.com/StAndFoundatio1/status/1839216850510528632

Mr Young won’t be at his usual spot saying ‘Good Morning’ to pupils and parents on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th October as he’ll be attending the annual national conference for Catholic Primary Head Teachers. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and will bring together almost 200 Catholic Head Teachers from across Scotland. Fr Gary Chamberland, Director of the Notre Dame-Newman Centre for Faith and Reason in Dublin, will be the main speaker.

Mr Young, who is the current President of CHAPS (Catholic Headteachers Association: Primary Schools), thought it might be helpful for Cathedral parents and carers to know what his two days out of school will entail. The conference programme can be accessed via the link below:

CHAPS conference 2024 Pilgrims of Hope

Mr Young enjoyed a sneak preview of Primary 7’s learning showcase, all about Amazing Africa, on Wednesday 2nd October. Through words, music, dance and art, the boys and girls presented an array of fascinating information on African geography, wildlife, culture and famous figures, including Nelson Mandela. The showcase concluded with an African proverb which offers wise advice to us all:

‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’

Well done, Primary 7, on your vibrant and fascinating showcase: your families and the rest of the school are in for a treat when they see it on Friday 4th!

House Captains held the first Smart School Council surgery of the year in the outdoor classroom on Wednesday 2nd October. The monthly surgery works alongside our suggestion box and gives Cathedral learners the opportunity to speak to House Captains about things they’d like to see change or improve in our school. Suggestions this month include getting more playground toys for Primary 1 pupils and offering more vegan options in the dining hall. House Captains will bring the various suggestions to the next Smart School Council communications team meeting and agree on those which will be taken forward during Term 2.

As part of our Campus Connections programme, a group of Cathedral pupils joined their friends from Firpark and Clydeview Primary Schools on Tuesday 1st October for ‘Beats of Brazil’. Learners from across the campus had great fun trying out the drums and enjoying a bit of limbo dancing. What a fantastic way for Cathedral pupils to live-out our second school value of ‘Connection’!

You can read more about Campus Connections via the link below:

Campus Connections | (glowscotland.org.uk)