Ludgershall school getting new furry classmate for next year
He's currently going through some training
A school in Ludgershall will not only welcome new pupils from September, but also have a furry, four legged friend joining next year as well.
Duke, a sixteen-week-old fox red Labrador, will joining Wellington Academy as a therapy dog.
He will officially start at the school once he has completed his training.
He's been named Duke, after the Duke of Wellington.
The Wellington Academy’s senior deputy headteacher Rob Wood said the puppy had a warm welcome from students when he popped in to meet some of them at their summer school earlier this month:
“There is a lot of research that demonstrates the benefit of having a dog in certain environments, including schools and residential establishments, and thanks to Wellington College’s generosity we have been able to adopt Duke and are putting him through training to be a therapy dog.
“Before we decided to adopt a dog for the school, we surveyed parents to find out how they would feel about it, and we had overwhelming support from them – every response was positive. Duke won’t be a pet, but he will be a great support for any young people who may need some comforting or companionship during the school day.”
Duke has been bought for the school by their sponsor Wellington College.
He's being trained by the charity Dogs for Health, who work with schools, ambulance services and residential homes.
Being a school dog means the pup needs to learn a specific set of skills.
He needs to know not to become excited or jump up at people, but to sit next to them quietly and calmly and be a soothing influence.
Staff at The Wellington Academy are also being taught how to treat Duke as a working dog, rather than a pet.
Mr Wood added:
“Duke will come in three days a week at first, creating a family feel in the school, but also working with the special educational needs team to offer reassurance to any students who may be feeling a bit overwhelmed or upset.
“Students will be able to have him there next to them, perhaps to read to him, and he’ll also spend some time in the library and probably in some of my classes, so everyone gets to know him and interact with him.
“At The Wellington Academy we are very mindful that every child is different, and any one of them may welcome some additional support at some point in their school career, and Duke is the latest addition to our extensive range of pastoral care activities for our students.”