Rothley Church of England Academy
Welcome to our newest team member - Rolo
Rolo is 12 weeks old and he is a Cockerpoo.
Rolo will be visiting the school over the next few months to get used to the sights and sounds around the school.
Once Rolo is trained he will be introduced to the school community, until then the children can see him in Mrs Townsend's office.
Letter to parents and carers from Mrs Townsend- Head of Inclusion
Dear Parents and Carers
You may be aware that there is a growing movement in many schools to reintroduce the concept of school pets as a way of teaching all children responsibility and providing a source of pleasure and learning.
Of particular interest, is the movement towards “Reading Dogs” and “Therapy Dogs”. The former is based on research that shows that many children who find reading practice difficult are more willing and able to read to the non-judgmental audience of an animal than they are to a human being! Therapy dogs are similarly being used as a source of comfort and relaxation for children and adults who may need “someone to talk to” or just someone who will accept them and offer comfort or a calming influence in their lives. There is much evidence that children who struggle with relationships or with managing their own emotions gain a great deal from spending time with a pet.
Over the past few months, we have been researching to find an appropriate breed of puppy with the right temperament, is hypoallergenic and doesn’t shed dander to support children who have allergies.
I have recently bought a Cockapoo puppy, his name is Rolo, which in time will be trained to become a Therapy dog, whilst also living with me at home. I have chosen a Cockapoo as the most appropriate breed of dog for the school. The breed has been carefully selected because of its ideal temperament and because it is used widely in the field of therapy and support (e.g. hearing dogs). Cockapoos are also used successfully in other schools as they are, by nature gentle and friendly creatures. From this term, I will be bringing the dog into school and, eventually, once the dog is used to the environment, introducing it to the school community. Children will also attend assemblies from The Dogs Trust about how to care and behave safely around dogs.
Today, we have shared this exciting news with the children. It is our aim that all children across the school will have opportunities to have contact and quality time with our dog.
Whilst we are at a very early stage in this process of introduction, it would be helpful to know whether we have any children who are allergic to dogs’ hair or who have a particular phobia concerning dogs. I can assure you that our dog will not be around the school unsupervised and will only have access to restricted areas, but it is sensible to be aware of everyone’s needs. We are very mindful, that introducing a dog into the school setting should not be a distraction to the children’s learning and for this to enhance our school ethos and the experiences we offer our children. A risk assessment will be available on our website before the dog arrives in school, which will give you some indication of the amount of thought that has gone into this programme.
I would be very grateful therefore if you could complete the consent form sent out via Parentpay, (Please note that if you do not sign the permission form, your child will not be able to interact with Rolo).
We hope you are as excited as us about the newest addition to our team.
We will bring you regular pup dates of her progress.
