Extra Curricular Activities

Games Club

This group is run by Mrs. B. McQuillan on Mondays at lunch time. 

The pupils play online games, they enjoy using the drawing and painting software to expand their creativity and the pupils have also worked with coding software.

The group has a Christmas Fayre selling DVD, video games and all this technological to raise school funds.

We hope to be instilling some motivation for pupils to go further with ICT related subjects and careers when they leave school.

OLSP News Team

Run by, Miss. McInnes of the Art and Design Department on Wednesdays at lunch time, students learn the framework for becoming journalists, learning to resource, record information, write in a reportage style and photograph. Pupils writing for the News Club have had their work published in the School Newsletter, local press, online and had reports featured on BBC School News Report 2016. Professional Journalists and professionals from the entertainment industry have also visited the club and delivered presentations and discussions on the industry. 

The group has won several awards and been recognised at several national events such as:

BBC School News Report 2016, Scottish Education Award for Creativity 2014, Amazing Things 2011, Tullochan Trust Award 2010, Respect Me 2008-2010, 2012, National Anti-Bullying Conference 2008.

Artclass

Mr. D. Dunlop of the Art and Design Department  runs the Artclass group every Wednesday at lunchtime, but members have to be quick as it is only open to a limited number of pupils! 

Pupils create content for an ongoing art magazine podcast that is featured on iTunes and Youtube. With only a few episodes per year the podcast has still managed to attract hundreds of thousands of downloads and has spawned off into several serial Youtube series including ‘Spoiler Review’ and worked on the BBC School News Report 2012-2015 and with Blue Peter in 2014.

The group has been recognised for their hard work and efforts at several events such as: 

Scottish Education Award for Creativity 2014, No Knives, Better Lives 2013 (Silver Trophy), Nominated for Education Blog of the year  (Blogawards) 2012, Featured on BBC News 2012, Special Commonwealth Games feature recorded for Blue Peter 2012.

Film Club

Onto another winner, the, Film Club, led by Mr. D. Dunlop meets every Thursday at lunch time. Again, this has limited numbers so pupils are urged to wait outside his room like they would at the cinema for the latest addition of the, 'Star Wars' franchise. 

The film making club have created a huge number of short films that have gained recognition both locally and nationally. Pupils learn how to build concepts, storyboard, make props and sets and compose and edit shots into a professional film. 

It has been integral to helping the school achieve manys of its awards and achievements and has been instrumental in most of the school’s running ILCs such as: 

'Judy’ – Film Freeway Award 2014,  10 Second Film Award 2014, Artisan Gallery Exhibition 2014, Scottish Education Award for Creativity 2014, Small Cinema Exhibition in the school 2014, Amazing Things Award 2014, ‘Voodoo’ WeCTV Film Competition – Silver Award 2013, ‘Avatar’ – Amazing Things Award 2013, Respect Me 2011, Film Freeway Entry No Knives Better Lives 2011 (Exemplar). 

Art Competition Club

The Art Competition club is an ongoing project that doesn’t necessarily meet up weekly, but facilitates pupils to enter local and national competitions. It is not exclusive to art competitions, but has submitted many pupils into many visual competitions with multiple successes. 

The club has been the recipient of numerous awards:

Rotary Club Photography Competition Winner, Runner Up and 2nd Runner Up  2016, Source Photography Competition Winner – Environment 2015, Library Card Competition 2015, Levengrove Logo Competition 2015, Ed Sheeran Portrait Competition (judged by Ed Sheeran) Competition 2011, Aesthetica Creative Competition 2011, Booxfactor ‘Design a Superhero’ Competition 2011.

Sketchbook Club

Organised by the Principal Teacher of the Art and Design Club, Mr. Kelly, the club is designed for senior students to help promote work at home and prepare them for University and College applications. The Sketchbook Club enables students to explore and experiment with different materials, techniques and developing ideas towards an outcome.

Science Club

The Science club is formulated by Mr. J. O'Reilly of the Science Department on Mondays at lunch time.

Specifically for the S1 cohort of the school, the aim of the group is to expand knowledge of science in fun and practical ways.

Homework Club

The Homework Club is organised by the Head of Support for Learning, Mrs. D. Stewart every lunch time for S1 and S2. The club helps pupils who need support in their homework or need a quiet place to study whilst they familiarise themselves with the demands  of high school.

OLSP Competitive Teams Football Teams

Run by a team of teachers, the football teams welcome all year groups to engage in competitive sport and also increase their physical wellbeing. Meetings and practices are organised on a week to week basis.

Under 13s - 

Under 14s - boys -  Mr. Brown and Miss.  McGarvey

Under 15s - boys - Mr. Forrester and Mr. Stern

Under 16s - boys - Mr. Hutton and Dr. Gallagher 

Under 18 - boys -  Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Sutherland

Under 13/15 - girls - Mrs. Redford

Under 18 - girls - Mrs. Redford

The staff offer coaching sessions to each team and also lunch time competitions for S1 - S6.

The teams also take part in various regional and national trials and competitions.

Tiny Feet Club

Run in collaboration with the Religious Education Department as part of our Health and Well-being programme and, in particular, our obligation as a Catholic school to raise sexual health awareness through the national religious education programme ‘Called to Love’, we have started a lunchtime club to introduce pupils to an innovative and creative new programme “Tiny Feet”.

This programme provides a stimulating and enjoyable environment in which to gain an appreciation of the wonder of human life. 

Recently, we were delighted to host a visit by the local SPUC group (Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) which was enjoyed by our S1 pupils.

The Tiny Feet club is on in the RE department every Thursday at 1pm.

OLSP Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry was founded 15 years ago, in America and there are now hundreds located in churches in America and Canada. Our Prayer Shawl Ministry is one of only two located in Dumbarton; the other is in St Patrick’s parish. 

The purpose of the shawls (large or pocket-sized) is to bring solace, comfort, hope and warmth to those either suffering from loss or celebrating a life event. They are blessed by our school chaplain, Monsignor John Hughes and attached to each shawl is a medal and a prayer of blessing:

“May God’s grace be unto this shawl – warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing; may this mantle be a safe haven – a sacred place of security and well-being; may the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love.”

The shawls are never sold, but instead are given away to those in need such as our Seasons for Growth students or our SSVP senior citizens. Perhaps you know of someone who is feeling low or sick or is in hospital and would like a shawl. 

Request forms are available at the school office or at the RE department.

As the group grows, we hope our pocket shawls will be given to lots of people in our community, but we need your support. Please come along to help. We can teach you to knit!!

We gather together to knit the shawls every Friday lunchtime in the RE department (Room 513). 

Donations of wool gratefully received.

Annual Shakespeare by Heart Competition

Organised by the members of the English Department, students select a speech or part of a speech from any of Shakespeare’s plays and present it to an audience.  Some students inject a little drama, use props and even come in costume. 

Public Speaking Group 

Ms McVean, Mrs McDevitt and Miss Gavin hold weekly meetings and hold debates to develop the speaking and writing skills of members.  

We attend a host of events including local authority and national competitions where our students deliver speeches or debate against other teams. 

Library Club

Organised by our school librarians, Mrs. Enama and Mrs. Allan, the pupils are invited to the library at lunch time to work on arts and crafts or to take part in reading activities. All activities are related to the seasons of the year, specific events within or outwith the school or international events such as World Book Day.