We are very proud to introduce Bambi, our PAWS-accredited therapy dog. Bambi is a beautiful, calm-natured Irish Setter who loves everyone and everything.
We have found that the presence of a trained dog in school can support self-regulation, interpersonal skills, and encourage a readiness to learn in and out of the classroom. Bambi has timetabled visits each week, and as you can see from the photographs pupils are happy to interact in a positive way.
As part of the programme, we teach our children about how to approach a dog calmly, how to read its body language, what its needs are and how to care for it.
Of course, we understand that for some children the presence of a dog, however gentle, can be a source of fear and anxiety. One of the important roles of a therapy dog is to try, where appropriate, to help overcome those fears. This may allow some children to feel more empowered and less frightened, making everyday life in the community a little bit easier.
Finally, here is an observation from our 2025 PAWS accreditation: “Bambi is a wonderfully composed and affectionate dog who is very well suited to this work. It was a pleasure for Ali to see such a confident, settled team.”
