Summerhill Academy welcomes new school dog

Staff and pupils at Summerhill Academy have welcomed Becks – who is a 12-week-old English show cocker spaniel – to the academy as their school dog.

Owned by Kirstie Coombes, Summerhill’s Assistant Principal, Becks will start his academy life by spending the first few months on the Kennel Club’s good citizen dog scheme training programme, before embarking on the Bark and Read programme.

This is a national project designed to help forge a love of reading in school children by utilising dogs as listening companions. Becks will be used to support students who have behaved in a positive way and if all goes well, Becks will be a qualified reading dog, spending some of his time in the library with students and will sit calmly while students read to him. The initiative will carry the motto ‘Books with Becks’.

There is a proven track record of benefits to having a dog in school. Students get a greater enjoyment from the school environment, their attendance improves, and they show a greater willingness to learn and participate. It also improves behaviour and social interaction, develops empathy skills, and gives students a sense of responsibility in the classroom.

Kirstie Coombes said: “Becks has settled in well to our school community despite only being here for such a short period of time; there is a positive buzz of energy and enthusiasm circulating around the building, and in the school playground at the beginning and end of the school day.

“He is naturally a very sociable and loveable dog and enjoys all the attention he is receiving, which is not only supporting the wellbeing of our students, but our staff members too. We have partnered up with Dogs Trust, who will be delivering workshops over the next month to educate children on how to stay safe around dogs.”