By Monica Jones
My own school days were not easy. Thankfully we had a family dog, and I would spend time telling him my woes, things I possibly didn’t feel able to share with family. I also revised with him, telling him all sorts of facts and figures. I remember revis-ing history with him, and did particularly well in that subject!
So we were intrigued to learn that a school in Staines has introduced their own therapy dog at the school, and is noticing some very positive impact on the children.
Head mistress of Staines Prep, Samantha Sawyer, had the idea of getting a dog during lockdown. She bought Stanley, a ‘Cavapoo’ and set to training him. Now only 13 months old, Stanley has already passed his gold level training as a therapy dog. He is calm, gentle and approachable – just what you need around children.
The impact of having this little fellow is felt every day. Ms Sawyer welcomes children at the gate every morning, with Stanley at her side. Children arrive with smiles on their faces, ready for the day. Stanley comes to assemblies and children are al-lowed to walk with him between lessons. When he is wearing his orange bib however, children know that he is working and is not to be disturbed. That in itself is a lesson in discipline for the children. Having Stanley around means they have the chance also to learn about caring for a pet; grooming, training and about how it is important to brush his teeth (yes indeed!). “If Stanley brushes his teeth, then so should I”.
Staines Prep run an Emotional Literacy Support Programme for children needing some extra sup-port. It might be that a child is suffering a block in a certain subject. Stanley will happily listen while children talk through lessons or learn to read. It gives the children more confidence, knowing that they will not be judged.
Subliminally even maths can be applied the ‘Stanley’ way. “If Stanley is 13 months in human terms, how old is he in dog terms?”
These recent couple of years have given children many reasons to be fearful. Some have suffered bereavement. Some have been scared of coming into contact with people again after months of so-cial distancing and Covid anxiety. Stanley has proved to be a calm and positive, loving addition to the school, giving that extra special something.
In September 2021, with the return to school for another year of more uncertainty, and the Covid pandemic still looming like a dark cloud, some pupils found the return to school particularly diffi-cult. Stanley made a big difference. These pupils took Stanley for a walk and played with him during ELSA sessions and subsequently cited Stanley as one of the main reasons they were indeed happy to be back in school.
We visited Staines Prep on a sunny and beautiful spring afternoon. The children’s uniform is yellow. The emblem of the school is a sunflower. The head mistress Ms Sawyer is most definitely a sunny person. So all in all, you feel enveloped in warmth. During our walk about I was so impressed with the confidence and articulation of the children we met and spoke to. They seemed genuinely happy to be there and to be learning. Stanley is a great hit with them.
We ended my visit with coffee in the head mis-tresses office. Home made cakes and treats were served. Stanley the very obedient dog proved that instinct is just too strong and with the sniff of fresh produce, his training was momentarily forgotten as he tried to help himself. Nothing is perfect!
You can follow Stanley on his Instagram account: StainesPrepStanley.