Our School Dog - Daisy
We have a school dog who is named Daisy and is owned by Mr Curnow, Headteacher, who has full responsibility of her care, vaccinations, training and insurance. She has been specially trained to work in school with children and has an ideal temperament for supporting work across the school.
Daisy has been a member of the Sutton School Community since 2023, and follows in the paw prints of her predecessor Bella who is now retired after 8 years service. Through our experiences over this time and research we know that there are many benefits in having a school dog:
a calming effect on pupils, particularly those with behavioural or learning difficulties;
improved behaviour and concentration, reduced stress and improved self-esteem;
encouraging expression and participation in more withdrawn children;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;
encourages respect and thereby improves pupils’ relationships with each other, parents and teachers;
teaches children to nurture and respect life;
helps work undertaken with the most vulnerable children, and educational improvements with low achievers;
Daisy will be available to work with children (and adults) who have had bad experiences with dogs or other animals. With parental permission, over a period of time children who react fearfully to dogs will be supported in approaching, handling and gaining confidence in managing their fear. While the dog’s main place of residence will be an office area, which is secure and separate from the classrooms, children will able to interact with the dog under strict supervision at certain times of the week as long as parental permission has been given. The dog will not be given access to other visitors without supervision and mutual consent. Please understand that we will do everything we can to reassure children who are fearful and that under no circumstances will they be forced to meet with the dog. Whilst moving around the school, the dog will be kept on a short lead and will always be with an adult.
We know the children gain a great deal of enjoyment from having Daisy at the school, she is a well-established and much-loved part of life at Sutton School.
We understand that it is not possible for all families to have a family dog and therefore we hope that this is an opportunity for children to have a ‘share’ in a dog and gain from a relationship and contact on a regular basis.
We would very much welcome queries or questions on the matter. In the meantime, please see the FAQs below.
School Dog Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q Who is the legal owner of the dog and who pays for its costs?
A. The legal owner of the dog is Mr Curnow who will care for Daisy out of school hours and will bear the costs associated with her; the school budget will remain unaffected.
Q Is the dog from a reputable breeder?
A. Yes. Mr Curnow researched breeders in detail to ensure Daisy would be of the right temperament. Daisy comes from a Champion Breed line, parents of whom underwent thorough checks by their Kennel Club registered breeder.
Q Will the dog be a distraction?
A. Daisy is kept in office areas when not working with pupils. The office is separate from the classrooms/ playground area to ensure she only comes into contact with children who are happy to have contact.
Q Has a risk assessment been undertaken?
A. 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. There is a School Dog Policy, available to view on the Website.
Q Who is responsible for training?
A. Mr Curnow is the legal owner of Daisy and as a result is responsible for her training.
Q How will the dog’s welfare be considered?
A. Daisy will be walked at lunchtime. She will be kept in the Senior Leadership Offices and will only have planned and supervised contact with children and visitors. We will work closely with other professionals to ensure her welfare is always carefully considered.
Q How will this be managed where children have allergies?
A. Children will not need to touch Daisy, which will relieve the possibility of allergic reactions. We already manage a number of allergies at school and this will be no different for children and adults that are allergic to dogs. Individual needs will always be met, and we are happy to work with parents to put additional control measures in place for individual allergies.
Q My child is frightened of dogs; how will you manage this?
A. Access to Daisy is carefully managed and supervised. 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.