School Dog
At their meeting of 9/5/19, Governors approved a school wellbeing dog, being convinced of the huge benefits this will bring to students and staff. These benefits have been researched thoroughly and are well evidenced. Visits have taken place to other schools where wellbeing dogs are already established.
Some of the many benefits associated with a school wellbeing dog include support for:
• Reading programmes for struggling readers
• Social development around social skills, responsibility, self-esteem, social interaction
• Emotional health and wellbeing around sadness, stress and anxiety
• Improving poor attendance
There is of course, a full risk assessment, and this will be reviewed on a regular basis. Public liability and health insurance will also be in place.
If you do not wish for your child to have any contact or interaction with our wellbeing dog, please inform us by return of email, along with any particular reason such as allergy to pet hair or phobia, in order that we can compile a central register of any student who should not have any contact with our dog.
You will be able to follow the development of our gorgeous black Labrador, Flora, who is cared for in and out of school by Miss Hill by following the school's twitter page.