At Mawnan CE VA Primary School, we believe in providing a nurturing and enriching environment for our pupils to thrive. As a Voluntary Aided school, we are committed to upholding our Christian values and inspiring our community to "experience life in all its fullness."
It is with great excitement that we introduce Bertie, our very own school dog, who joined our team in September 2024. Bertie is a miniature poodle, a breed known for its child-friendly, calm, and affectionate nature, as well as its exceptional intelligence and trainability. Bertie belongs to Miss Prosser and visits the school daily.
The Benefits of Having a School Dog
The presence of a school dog like Bertie offers a wealth of benefits for our pupils' cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development:
Cognitive Development: Building a companionship with Bertie helps children stimulate their memory, problem-solving, and game-playing skills. Interacting with Bertie also increases enthusiasm and enjoyment for animals, which motivates children to think and learn.
Social Skills: Bertie provides a mutual topic for conversation, encouraging responsibility, wellbeing, and focused interaction with others. This helps our pupils develop important social skills and build positive relationships.
Emotional Skills: Bertie's calming presence can improve self-esteem, acceptance, and mood. Caring for Bertie also helps children develop compassion and respect for other living things, which can enhance their relationships with peers, parents, and teachers.
Physical Development: Interacting with Bertie can reduce blood pressure, provide tactile stimulation, and give motivation for children to move and walk, supporting their physical growth and well-being.
Reading: Bertie's non-judgmental presence can help build children's confidence in reading aloud, as they practise their literacy skills without fear of criticism.
Bringing Our Vision to Life
At Mawnan CE VA Primary School, we believe that every child should "experience life in all its fullness." By welcoming Bertie into our school community, we are living out our vision and values, providing our pupils with enriching experiences that nurture their holistic development.
Bertie's presence not only benefits our pupils but also strengthens the sense of togetherness and family within our school. We are thrilled to have Bertie as a part of our team, and we look forward to the many ways he will continue to inspire and support our community.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Bertie and our school dog programme, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are excited to share this special part of our school with you and your family.
School Dog Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who is the legal owner of the dog and who pays for its costs?
A: The legal owner of the dog will be Miss Prosser; she will bear the costs associated with owning the dog; the school budget will support insurance.
Q: Will the dog be from a reputable breeder?
A: Yes. The dog was purchased from a reputable breeder. Miss Prosser visited the puppies in their home and both parents were seen. This puppy was specifically chosen for its temperament.
Q: Has a risk assessment been undertaken?
A: Yes, a full risk assessment is in place, which will be reviewed regularly. We have carefully considered having a dog in school and sought advice from many sources, including other schools that successfully have a school dog.
Q: Who is responsible for training?
A: Miss Prosser will be the legal owner of the dog and as a result, will be responsible for its initial training.
Q: How will the dog be toileted to ensure hygiene for all?
A: In the interest of health and hygiene, our school dog will be taken to an area of the school grounds that has no access to students during the school day - The staff in charge of the dog will ensure that this is cleared away appropriately, leaving no trace on the ground, cleaning the area with disinfectant if needed.
Q: How will the dog’s welfare be considered?
A: The dog will be walked regularly and given free time outside. The dog will have its own space in the office where it will not be disturbed by students. The dog will be carefully trained over a period of time and will have unlimited access to food and water. We will work carefully to ensure the dog’s welfare is always considered and remove the dog from the school environment if we don’t feel it is happy.
Q: How will this be managed where children have allergies?
A: Bertie is a hypoallergenic breed. Hypoallergenic dogs shed less hair and don’t drool. Allergy sufferers are allergic to the protein found in the saliva and urine of the dog and as they groom themselves the protein spreads to their skin and coat. So the shed hair exposes people to the protein. Although no dog can be 100% non-allergenic, Bertie is less likely to cause problems to allergy sufferers. He is regularly groomed.
Students will not need to touch the dog, which will relieve the possibility of allergic reactions. We already manage a number of allergies at school and this will be no different for students and adults that are allergic to dogs. Individual needs will always be met and we are happy to work with parents to put additional control measures in place for individual allergies. Any students with allergies to dogs will be built into the risk assessment as they are made known to the school.
Q: My child is frightened of dogs; how will you manage this?
A: Access to the dog will be carefully managed and supervised and children do not need to have close contact with it if this has been expressed by parents. We hope to work closely with parents of children who are fearful of dogs to alleviate their fear and to teach them how to manage this.
Q: Will other school dogs be allowed in school?
A: No. Allowing a dog onto the school site can only be approved by the Headteacher and for educational purposes. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Q: What type of dog is the puppy?
A: Bertie, is miniature poodle. This breed is known to be child friendly, gentle mannered, demonstrably affectionate yet sensitive and have an outstanding trainability.