St. Brendan's Primary School and Nursery

Primary 3/2 and Primary 3 have had a very exciting and busy Term 2! The children have been working hard in class with Primary 3/2 learning about their Local Environment. They learned about renewable energy and created waterwheels. Also they learned about shops and homes in their local area. The Primary 3 children have been working hard in class learning about The Rainforest. They have been learning about the layers of the rainforest and they drew their own picture of a toucan.

The children all worked hard on their performing skills when preparing for St. Andrew’s Day. I am sure you would all agree that they were all fabulous and lots of money was raised to support St. Andrew’s Hospice.

Many exciting events have  taken place this term which have been enjoyed by the children. The children had an exciting Halloween afternoon where they got to dress up and participate in a range of Halloween themed activities.

This week we had a visit from an author, Debbie Quinn who wrote Leonard’s Lunch. The children had the chance to listen to the story then they had a Q &  A with Debbie. They also learned a dance and had a special visit from Leonard the lion himself! The theme of the story is adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The children have been working collaboratively in class to create their Christmas crafts. Primary 3/2 have made sweetie cones and Primary 3 have made bake at home cookie bags.

This week the children partied together with Primary 1 and 2/1. They all enjoyed dancing, party games, food and a special visit from Santa!

Primary 1 & 2/1 have had such a lovely and busy Term 2. We have been working hard on our performing skills as we prepared for our St. Andrew’s Day performance and we continue to practise for our Carol Service. St. Andrew’s Day was the first time some of the children got to perform on St. Brendan’s stage and I think you will agree they were amazing and did us so proud!

Literacy

We have been continuing to learn our initial sounds and common words this term. The children have been enjoying exploring some new activities during Literacy time as their confidence in using their sounds and words continues to grow. The children have also started to do story writing in class and love using their imagination to create new stories.

Numeracy

This Term we have been learning about patterns in class. The children have had lots of opportunities through play to continue patterns and to create their own patterns. Using the unifix cubes and compare bears to create patterns has been a firm favourite!  We are currently learning all about shapes around us. We have learned about 2D shapes and their properties and have now moved onto learning about 3D shapes. We have been learning all about the properties of 3D shapes as we explore new vocabulary to describe the shapes, such as, edges, corners and faces. The children love exploring these shapes through their tasks and especially enjoy investigating whether the 3D shapes can roll or stack.

IDL

In Term 2 we have been learning all about ‘People Who Help Us.’ The children understand that there are a range of different jobs that people have to provide us with help. They have thoroughly enjoyed exploring some of these jobs through role play within the classroom. We were also very lucky to have Alan, our very own janitor, come and speak to us about crossing patrol. We created questions to ask him and learned a few interesting facts! Some of us even got to try on the uniform!

Carol Service

We have been working so hard in preparation for our Carol Service in the Church. We have been taking our roles very seriously and practising our singing skills. We cannot wait to share our lovely performance with you in a couple of weeks!

A Spectacular St Andrew’s Day Celebration at St Brendan’s

St Andrew’s Day is always a much-loved highlight of the year here at St Brendan’s and this year’s celebration was nothing short of spectacular. Our talented pupils took to the stage this afternoon with confidence, enthusiasm and pride, showcasing a memorable programme of Scottish songs, poems and dances. From traditional ballads to lively reels, they honoured Scotland’s rich heritage and the incredible artists, poets and performers who have shaped it.

The hall was filled with a sold-out audience of parents, carers and family members eager to support the pupils. Their applause and encouragement created a warm, joyful atmosphere that made the event even more special.

Alongside the performances, a successful stall was run with proceeds going toward St Andrew’s Hospice. Thank you to everyone who supported it, your generosity helped make the day even more meaningful and will go a long way in supporting the operations of the hospice.

St Andrew’s Day continues to be a favourite for both pupils and parents at St Brendan’s, and this year truly reminded us why. A huge well done to all our incredible pupils for their hard work and brilliant performances. And of course, a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated teachers, support staff and janitor whose time, effort and preparation ensured the day was a resounding success.

Here’s to another unforgettable celebration of Scottish culture—well done, everyone!

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Mini Vinnies – Caring for our community

This Advent season, our Mini Vinnies have truly stepped into their leadership roles by organising and leading our weekly assembly services. With maturity, kindness and a strong sense of faith, they have helped guide the school community through this special time of reflection and preparation. From planning readings to welcoming classes and setting up the hall, they have brought a calm and thoughtful atmosphere to each gathering.

In addition to their work during assemblies, our Mini Vinnies are also continuing their wonderful initiative to support our local Baby Bank. They are collecting donations to help local families during the festive season, and we warmly invite anyone who is able to contribute.

Donations of clean, warm winter items in good condition can be placed in the boxes at the front entrance of the school. The Baby Bank is currently looking for:

Hats

Gloves

Winter jackets (ages 2–16)

Winter footwear (such as boots)

Warm blankets

Onesies

Oodies

Unopened toiletries

We are incredibly proud of our Mini Vinnies for showing such compassion, responsibility and leadership—both in school and in the wider community. Thank you to everyone who supports this important cause and well done to our Mini Vinnies for making a real difference this Advent.

A huge thank you to Paul Flanagan Joinery!

A huge thank you to our generous sponsor; Paul Flanagan Joinery for providing brand-new football kits for our boys’ and girls’ teams. The pupils are thrilled and the kits have already brought a boost of pride and excitement to training and matches.

Your support makes a real difference, helping our young athletes play with confidence and represent our school in style. We truly appreciate your generosity and look forward to an exciting season ahead in our fantastic new kits!

Celebrating Sporting Success Stories here in St. Brendan’s

Introducing Our New ‘Sportsperson of the Month’ Award!

Our sports Committee have been working hard this term, and we’re excited to share their fantastic new idea—the ‘Sportsperson of the Month’ award! This award celebrates pupils who consistently shine in sports and physical activity across the school.

Each month, one pupil will be selected from each class who demonstrate the true spirit of school sport. When choosing a winner, they will be looking for someone who:

Shows great effort and determination

Demonstrates strong teamwork and fair play

Encourages others and keeps a positive attitude

Represents their class with pride in every activity

Gives their best in every game, supports teammates, and shows outstanding sportsmanship

This award is a wonderful way to recognise pupils who work hard, inspire others and help make PE and sport enjoyable for everyone. We’re proud of the Sports Committee for leading this initiative and we congratulate our first group of winners!

Well done to all pupils who continue to show passion, respect and energy in every sporting opportunity—keep it up!

Celebrating our weekly successes here in St. Brendan’s

This week’s assembly was once again a fantastic celebration of our learners’ achievements. We recognised many pupils who have shown excellence as Successful Learners, Responsible Citizens, Confident Individuals and Effective Contributors. Their hard work, positive attitudes and dedication to learning truly stood out.

Well done to everyone involved!

Strengthening Community Bonds: P6 Pupils Visit Our Local Care Home

This week, our P6 pupils enjoyed a heart-warming visit to our local care home—one of our most valued community connections. Pupils spent time singing carols with the residents, bringing plenty of smiles and warm moments.

We are so proud of how kindly and confidently our pupils represented the school. Visits like this remind us of the importance of friendship across generations and the positive impact simple acts of kindness can have.

Well done to everyone involved—we look forward to our next visit!