It has been another wonderful and very busy week at St. Mary’s, full of celebration, creativity, and pride in our pupils.
We proudly celebrated our Stars of the Week, recognising pupils who continue to shine through their kindness, effort, and positive attitudes across school life.
Our children at Wraparound Care got wonderfully festive, making beautiful Christmas wreaths through painting and decorating. Their creativity and focus were fantastic, and the finished pieces were something to be very proud of
A huge highlight of the week was our School Show, where the children truly amazed us all. From the singing and dancing to the confidence on the alter, every child gave their absolute best. The effort, teamwork, and courage they showed was outstanding, and we could not be prouder of how wonderfully they represented our school. Thank you to all staff and families for supporting the children — it was a very special celebration of their talents.
Our Primary 1 and 2 pupils enjoyed a lovely trip to the park, spending time walking around, chatting with friends, and spotting the Christmas decorations. It was a joyful way to enjoy the season together.
We were delighted to celebrate a wide range of academic achievements this week. Pupils received Mathletics awards at Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels, with special recognition for our overall winners. We also celebrated achievements in Times Tables Rock Stars and recognised our Maths Award winners for their dedication and progress.
In phonics, pupils were celebrated for reaching milestones from Peak 1 right through to Peak 11, showing fantastic perseverance.
Our Accelerated Reader achievements were also celebrated, with certificates awarded for:
- 5 or more 100% quizzes
- Progressing through 6, 7, 8… all the way up to 17 perfect scores
- Bronze certificates for 20 perfect quizzes
- Silver certificates for 31 perfect quizzes
- Gold certificates for 35 perfect quizzes
Special recognition was also given for most words read and for pupils who achieved the highest number of 100% quiz results, with raffle winners celebrated too.
We were also delighted to introduce a new award for this term — the ICT Award, recognising pupils who have shown excellent digital skills, responsibility, and enthusiasm when using technology in school.
On Friday - The children learned about the history of the Friel family and how their home once served as a soup kitchen during the Famine, helping to feed the people of Kilrea. They tried on old hats, visited the doctor’s office, and explored the kitchen where the soup would have been made. To finish the experience, the children used VR headsets to watch a short clip showing what life was like at the time.
Our school hampers are now on sale, with adult and children’s hampers available. Tickets cost £5 for a strip of 5, and the winners will be announced next Thursday. Thank you to everyone who has already entered — your support is greatly appreciated.
On Friday, our p3 pupil proudly told us all about his Christmas Jersey Appeal, which he is organising with his daddy to help children and adults in need this Christmas.
Any jerseys that no longer fit or are no longer used would be very gratefully received — one jersey can make a big difference.
Donations can be dropped into school until Friday 19th December at 11am.
All donations will go to Kindness of Strangers.
Thank you for helping spread kindness this Christmas
What a week of achievement, effort, and celebration — we are so proud of every one of our pupils and all that they continue to accomplish.
