Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Primary 4 pupils enjoyed a fascinating trip to New Lanark on Tuesday 16th June. As well as the opportunity to explore the former 18th Century cotton mill village on the banks of the Clyde (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the children had three different workshops.

During the course of the day, the children were transported back in time to a Victorian classroom. Dressed as  Victorian pupils, the children practised cursive handwriting and completed arithmetic questions using an abacus.

The ‘Annie McLeod Experience’ was a huge hit with the children. They were taken on a fascinating journey of discovery by the ghost of mill worker Annie McLeod who told her story of life in New Lanark in 1820.The children also enjoyed a guided tour to see how the the villagers of New Lanark lived. They saw an 1820s Millworkers’ House and found out that often ten or more people lived in one room!

What a very different world it was back in the Victorian era!

What an incredible achievement from one of our P2 young learners. This determined pupil completed a full 5k walk to raise awareness and support for diabetes, showing resilience and compassion. Even more impressively, she raised £600 for charity, making a real difference to others in need.

We are so proud of her accomplishment — a shining example of kindness, community spirit and perseverance. This is certainly an achievement worthy of recognition for the Rose Trainer Award and a moment she should feel truly proud of.

Rose Trainer Achievement Award

Our Fabulous Fundraising Committee has generously donated £2000 to enhance our pupils’ outdoor resources for our school yard. This initiative began with a suggestion placed in our Pupil Parliament suggestion box regarding new playground equipment.

Our School Captains consulted with all classes to gather pupil voice and the Cabinet Secretaries for Health and Finance carefully budgeted for a selection of exciting new resources. These include badminton nets, skipping ropes, basketballs and additional equipment designed to enrich break and lunchtime activities.

We extend our sincere thanks to all members of our Fundraising Committee for your continued support of our school and nursery. Your contributions make a meaningful difference to the daily experiences of our children. We would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Mrs McDermott and Mrs Carty, who represent our fundraising team with such commitment.

You can find out more about Cathedral Pupil Parliament by clicking on the link below:

Pupil Parliament |

Our Primary 6 classrooms were transformed into court rooms on Friday 12th June for an engaging Developing the Young Workforce activity, facilitated by Cathedral parent, Mrs Neville. Mrs Neville works as a Sheriffdom Legal Advisor for the Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service and supported our Primary 6 learners to run their very own court case, the case of Oliver and the stolen jewels.  The big question was: did Mr Oliver Twist steal Mr Brownlow’s jewels within the grounds of Cathedral Primary School?.

The children learned about the Scottish criminal court system before taking on various legal profession roles: lawyers, Procurator Fiscal,  Defence Agent, Court Police Officer, Bar Officer, Sheriff, JP, Legal Advisor and Clerk. Other pupils played the accused and the witnesses.

The verdicts in each class were as follows:

Court hearing : Not guilty

Well done to Primary 6 for engaging so passionately in the court proceedings and many thanks to Mrs Neville for giving so generously of her time.

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!