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Meet Nell – our pastoral team member.

This is Nell. She is a member of the school’s pastoral team and is being trained as a welfare animal. Nell was born on 20th January 2024 and is a yellow Labrador Retriever. She is very much a part of the school community and puts a smile on everyone’s face every day. Although she has only been a member of the school for a few months, she has already supported a number of children in the school in a range of ways.

Before we introduced Nell, we carried out a significant amount of research. This included talking to and visiting other schools where school dogs are established. The conclusion of our findings was that a school dog would be a fantastic addition to the school, providing many benefits:

Benefits for our school community:

  • a calming effect on pupils;

  • improved behaviour and concentration, reduced stress and improved self-esteem;

  • encouraging expression, participation and confidence for all children;

  • fostering a sense of responsibility;
  • motivating pupils to think and to learn, as most children have a high level of natural interest in, enthusiasm for and enjoyment of animals;
  • encouraging respect and thereby improving pupils’ relationships with each other, parents and teachers;
  • teaching children to nurture and respect life;
  • helping work undertaken with the most vulnerable children;
  • helping children build confidence in reading;
  • improving attendance;

  • further promote our ‘Well Being’ agenda for pupils.

Dogs are increasingly being used in schools with great success. Reading to dogs has been proven to help children develop literacy skills and build confidence, through both the calming effect the dog’s presence has on children as well as the dog listening to children read without being judgemental or critical.

This comforting environment helps to nurture children’s enthusiasm for reading and provides them with the confidence to read aloud. Dogs are also a regular feature in the media, carrying out valuable roles in hospitals as welfare animals.

Further information

The legal owner of the dog will be Mr Mullen who will care for the dog out of school hours and will bear the costs associated with it; the school budget will remain unaffected. 

The dog is kept primarily in the Assistant Head Teacher’s office away from all classroom areas.  When Mr Mullen is teaching, Nell is looked after by Mrs Hutchings or Mrs Littleproud.

Nell is walked and trained at times when the children are in class.  We will be careful to ensure that time spent with the school dog is shared among the children fairly.

We will also ensure that children who are not involved in regular, direct contact with the dog are still able to participate in a number of ways, should they wish to do so. 

Yes, we have carefully considered having a dog in school and sought advice from many sources, including other schools that successfully have a school dog.

Mr Mullen is the legal owner of the dog and as a result, will be responsible for its training. Mr Mullen has experience of training and socialising dogs as a socialiser for the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf people.  The school is also receiving support from the welfare pet organisation PAWS.

In the interest of health and hygiene, Nell is toileted in a sectioned off area of the school site where children have no access. Thus there is no chance of the children coming into contact with faeces.

Our policy of no dogs in the playground is still applicable as we are unable to put effective control measures in place that guarantee temperament and safety when children come into unsupervised contact with unknown dogs. 

Nell is walked mornings and lunchtime by school staff. She is kept in an office area or a secure area and only has planned and supervised contact with children and visitors.

Nell will be carefully trained over a period of time and will have unlimited access to water. We will work closely with other professionals to ensure Nell’s welfare is always carefully considered. 

We already manage a number of allergies at school and this will be no different for children and adults that are allergic to dogs. All areas will be kept clean and free from dog hairs and the dog will be regularly groomed. 

We have spoken to at least ten schools where dogs have been introduced and there has not been a single case of an allergic reaction. Students will not need to touch the dog, which will relieve the possibility of allergic reactions.

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.

Access to the dog is carefully managed and supervised and children do not need to have regular, close contact with it unless permission for this has been given. 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. 

‘Very happy with my child’s start to year 5.’

- parent comments

‘I cannot fault the school or staff.  Everyone is very supportive.’

- parent comments

‘Any concerns raised have been dealt with swiftly.’

- parent comments

‘My son is extremely happy in all aspects of school.  Fantastic teacher and an excellent education. ‘

- parent comments

‘Positive environment and appropriate challenge for development, excellent.’

- parent comments

‘We couldn’t be happier with the care and education my child has received so far.’

- parent comments

‘She is enjoying school a lot.  She is challenged appropriately and not over-loaded with homework.  She speaks positively about her time at the school and her teacher.’

- parent comments

‘I am delighted with how happy she is at school.  Her skills are clearly progressing and she is extremely well supported.  Her teacher clearly knows her very well.’

- parent comments

‘Thank you for helping us with her worries and for the support.’

- parent comments

‘Thank you so much to all of the  members of staff; our child is extremely happy here and we are very grateful.’

- parent comments

‘She is very happy at school and I only hear positive things.  Many thanks to all the teaching staff.’

- parent comments

‘We are very happy with Bricknell as a whole.  He is becoming more confident and is well supported.  Thank you to all of the teachers.’

- parent comments