Canine Assisted Learning
Mrs Kettle and Angus work with the children at Mayhill Junior School. They are also accompanied by student CAL ambassadors from year 6: Harry Y, Reggie and Jemma.
Since 2021, we have been very fortunate at Mayhill to be able to offer an additional provision to support children’s social, emotional and behavioural development through our school dog Angus. Angus, who joined us when he was one, is a trained School Assistance dog who works alongside the children, equipping them with strategies to help them understand and regulate their different emotions in order for them to thrive at Mayhill. Not only does Angus help facilitate positive communication and interactions, he assists the children in developing a caring approach with peers, family members and other people, which is accomplished through the children helping to care for him and it is wonderful to watch them then teach others the same. Below are some of the ways in which we use CAL at Mayhill and the benefits for us all.
Paws for Stress Relief: How our School Dog Helps Alleviate Exam Stress
In recent years, an unexpected ally has emerged in the fight against academic pressure: our school dog Angus! He serves as a non-judgemental companion and provides a comforting presence, particularly during exam periods such as Year 6 SATS.
He is present in the classrooms and offers emotional support to our children, creating a calming atmosphere in what can often feel like a pressure-cooker environment. Simply stroking him as he walks around can lower cortisol levels, a hormone linked to stress and thereby promoting a sense of relaxation and wellbeing. Teachers just have to watch out where they place their lunch bags!
The children are encouraged to try every question in their papers, and in return, can earn Angus a few treats at the end of the test. They they can also look forward to throwing a ball around in the playground or taking him for a walk after the exam is over. ‘Walk’ and ‘talk’ sessions are particularly important, especially during exam pressure and spending more time outside and enjoying the benefits of fresh air together is always a bonus.
Cultivating a Positive School Environment
Beyond his direct impact on our children, Angus also contributes to the overall atmosphere of positivity and well-being throughout our school. His presence fosters a sense of warmth, making our school learning environment more welcoming and inclusive. Administrators, teachers, staff members and visitors also benefit from his presence, experiencing reduced stress and increased job satisfaction.
Our paw packs in each year group are a great resource, each containing a cuddly toy and journal where children can write and express their emotions and adventures with the pack. This can be particularly useful during challenging times when parents and carers may be away, for example on deployment.
Connecting Communities
We are also very lucky to have community sponsors, Odiham Cottage Hospital and Hook Vets, who support us on our CAL journey and it is through these very kind partnerships that we can continue to commit to championing the health and welfare of all who attend our school. It also fosters close links with neighbouring businesses such as Tescos, who have recently helped the wonderful work in our Secret Garden through the donation of compost, collected by Angus.
Curriculum
Angus’s time in the school is well managed and Canine Assisted Learning’s Lead Dog Trainer Nicola, visits termly to observe and review how the programme is working to ensure good practice and effective performance. A new trick is taught each term, such as rolling the dice for use on our playground snakes and ladder game, incorporating ‘ten more’, ‘ten less’ maths techniques.
His presence during specific learning such as literacy and reading can also help to encourage confidence and participation and children have even been inspired to write stories about him over the years, selling them to raise funds for good causes and in turn inspiring each other to put pen to paper.
Our use of The Little Paws Hotel books are invaluable resources, encouraging conversations about sensitive emotions and associated physical reactions from events such as bereavement, separation anxiety, fear of new experiences, perfectionism and bullying, all told through the eyes of different breeds of dogs. It is here that Angus offers a non judgmental ear during reading sessions and it is wonderful to see what can be achieved as a result of the human-animal bond.
Lunch Club
This is the place where the children can learn more about their school dog and each year group gets the opportunity to have weekly lunch sessions with Angus throughout the year. We talk about our school dog agreement, which the children sign up to and display in our community room and it is wonderful to see their nurturing side come out as they discuss and agree on how to act around and respect their school dog.
We appoint a team of CAL Ambassadors each new academic year, who help to look out for worthy Top Dog Award recipients and they duly notify teachers when children come to see Angus first thing in the morning. This role promotes a strong sense of individual responsibility and positively encourages our Mayhill habits such as communication and collaboration.
We also incorporate British Sign Language games, practising their knowledge on ‘sit’ and ‘down’ signs with Angus which the children enjoy and we aim to learn a sign song for ‘BSL week’ in each calendar year. Our other interactive games include ‘dog bingo’ which assists with listening comprehension skills, word image association and hand to eye coordination and ‘Whats Up’ which teaches the children to carefully consider what question they need to ask in order to help them guess the answer.
Plus, the children have a fun lunch break with friends and with their school dog by their side!
