Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School

Every change and improvement we make in Cathedral is ultimately about improving outcomes for pupils, so it’s vital our young learners are directly involved in the school’s ongoing improvement process. Pupils had the opportunity to explore Cathedral’s 2023/24 improvement priorities at the first whole-school assembly of the year on Monday 21st August. We have three school priorities this year and these have been put into child-friendly language to make them accessible to pupils:

• Equip me with the language of learning so I can talk about my learning journey, including my strengths and next steps.
• Improve my writing skills by continuing to use ‘Talk for Writing’ in every classroom and giving me daily opportunities to write.
• Develop my digital technology skills and give me opportunities to use these in my learning in every area of the curriculum.

Pupil SIP 2023-24

Parents and carers can access a copy of the 2023/24 Annual Improvement Plan via the link below.

Cathedral Primary & Nursery AIP 2023-24

Following an incredible twenty-eight years working in Cathedral school kitchen, Angela, one of our catering staff, headed off to pastures new on Friday 18th August. Cathedral school community would like to thank Angela for her friendly smile and delicious cuisine over the years. Angela will be sorely missed, but pupils and staff wish her well in her new place of work.

Cathedral pupils returned for the new school year on Wednesday 16th August, including 74 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Primary 1s. Pupils across the school settled in quickly and wasted no time at all getting stuck into their learning. Mr Young was delighted to have pupils appear at his office as early as Thursday to show off their exceptional jotter work.

At a whole-school assembly on Thursday 17th, Mr Young spoke about what makes Cathedral so special and encouraged both pupils and staff to live out the school’s values of Love, Connection, Perseverance and Growth in the year ahead. The children then pledged to commit themselves to the next level of their Rose Trainer Achievement Award.

Cathedral’s set for a fantastic year!

The Cathedral was packed on the evening of 21st June for the Leavers Mass and Graduation. The organ, played by John Pitcathley, added to the beauty and grandeur of the occasion and, in his homily, Fr Lamb encouraged the Primary 7 pupils to let the light of Christ shine through them throughout their lives.

All 89 pupils were presented with their leavers certificate, hoodie, high school tie and Pope Francis Faith Award and a number of special awards were also presented. During his speech, Mr Young spoke about how the children were following in the footsteps of over twelve decades of Cathedral pupils and encouraged them with the words of Abraham Lincoln: ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’

Cathedral school community wishes all of our Primary 7 pupils every success as they move on to high school.

Two pupils and two members of staff from St Michael’s Primary, Moodiesburn, visited Cathedral on Tuesday 23rd May to find out about Smart School Council. Smart School Council, which gives every pupil in Cathedral a voice, has been in place for over a year and has driven forward a number of changes and improvements including the design of our new library and our anti-bullying poster campaign. Three of our House Captains led the tour and talked through how Smart School Council works. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed their visit and left inspired to get Smart School Council up and running in St Michael’s.

Primary 1 pupils took to the stage on Friday 2nd June for their Learning Showcase, all about people who help us. The children spoke out with huge confidence and entertained their families with lots of catchy songs, complete with actions.

What a journey the children have been on in their learning since they started school way back in August… the boys and girls are definitely ready for Primary 2!

Wider Achievements are an integral part of the Cathedral curriculum and a recent achievement of this Primary 4 pupil was truly remarkable. Over several visits to the swimming pool, he swam the equivalent length of the Strathclyde Loch and raised an impressive £342 for SCIAF. Well done!

The sun shone for our parish community’s First Holy Communions on Saturday 13th May, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. 52 Cathedral pupils received Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time.

The Cathedral was packed for the two Masses, celebrated by Fr Lamb and Fr Stephen, and the choir led the music beautifully. Each liturgy finished with the children singing a thanksgiving hymn called ‘You are my strength when I am weak’, followed by the entire congregation lifting the roof with ‘How great Thou art’.

Many congratulations to all of those children who received their First Eucharist and many thanks to their parents, families and teachers for preparing them for the sacrament. We keep the boys and girls in our prayers as they continue on their faith journey.

Cycling is an important life skill and cycling safely, with confidence, is key to enjoyment and participation. Cycling also helps to develop lifelong habits of regular physical activity.

Bikeability is based on the government approved National Standards for cycle training and the above Primary 7 pupils recently achieved Level 1 of the award. Many congratulations to you all!