Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow attended a special ceremony last Thursday marking the official opening of a new school named after his predecessor as Archbishop of Glasgow.

Cardinal Winning Secondary School is a merge of the former St Aidan’s and St Joan of Arc secondary schools for young people with additional support needs, and is the first in Scotland to honour the former Archbishop of Glasgow, who died in 2001.

Archbishop Conti officially opened the new school alongside Bailie Jean McFadden, Glasgow City Council’s executive member for education, at a ceremony attended by school staff and pupils as well as council officials.

The two schools merged in June this year, with parents, pupils and staff voting to name the newly-formed school Cardinal Winning Secondary.

Since then, a new fitness suite, hairdressing salon, home economics and science rooms have been created in the school in the first phase of a £1.9 million investment programme. The second phase, due to start early next year, will see new windows installed, a vocational car valeting station and upgrades to the playground. Some of the facilities will be open to the public.

Delight

Archbishop Conti said that he was ‘delighted to bless the school which bears the name of my predecessor.’

“Cardinal Tom was a great champion of Catholic education and always had a special place in his heart for children with special needs,” Archbishop Conti, who presented the school with one of Cardinal Winning’s birettas said. “It is great to think that his name will be remembered in this way and that his legacy of faith and practical care will be lived out in the new school for decades to come.”

High quality education

Gerry McDonald, Cardinal Winning headteacher, said the aim of the new school is to ‘provide education of the highest quality and enable all pupils to reach their potential in becoming successful learners and confident individuals.’

“Education was at the heart of the late Cardinal Winning’s work and to have our new school named in his honour allows his legacy of celebrating life to continue to be remembered for many generations,” Mr McDonald said.

Ms McFadden described the opening of the new school as ‘a joyful occasion.’

“I am obviously delighted to be opening another wonderful school—especially one which honours the late Cardinal Winning in such a fitting way, and offers pupils access to a host of fantastic training and educational facilities,” Ms McFadden said.  “I wish everyone associated with Cardinal Winning Secondary school all the very best for the future.”