George

At St John’s Stonefold CE Primary School, we believe that every child deserves to feel happy, safe, valued and supported.

We are delighted to introduce George, our wonderful school therapy dog!

George is a friendly, affectionate Cavoodle (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle cross) who is beginning his journey towards becoming a trained school therapy dog.

With his beautiful curly coat, gentle personality and wagging tail, George is already a very special addition to our Stonefold family.

As George settles into school life and progresses through his training, we hope he will play an important role in supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, confidence and sense of belonging.

A happier, calmer, kinder school together.

Name: George

Breed: Cavoodle (Cavapoo)

Age: 8 months when introduced to our school

Personality: Gentle, affectionate and friendly

Favourite things: Making friends, exploring new places and receiving lots of love and attention!

Special role: Training to become our school therapy dog

George is still young and has lots to learn. Just like the children at Stonefold, he will be learning new skills, building confidence and growing every day.

We are excited to follow his journey!

Dogs can bring enormous joy to school life. When introduced thoughtfully and supported by appropriate training, they can also make a positive contribution to children’s wellbeing and learning.

Research suggests that carefully managed interactions with dogs may help some children feel calmer, more confident and more connected to their school community.

At St John’s Stonefold, we hope George will help us to:

• Support emotional wellbeing: Providing a calm, reassuring presence for children who may be experiencing worries, anxiety or difficult emotions.
• Build confidence and self-esteem: Helping children develop confidence through positive, supportive interactions.
• Encourage positive relationships: Teaching kindness, empathy, responsibility and respect for animals and one another.
• Support reading and communication: Offering a friendly, non-judgemental audience for children who may feel nervous about reading aloud.
• Promote a sense of belonging: Helping make school an even more welcoming, caring and inclusive place.
• Develop emotional regulation: Encouraging children to practise calm behaviour, patience and an awareness of the needs of others.

George will not replace the important relationships children have with trusted adults or any specialist support they may need. Instead, he will offer another opportunity to nurture wellbeing within our school community.

Just like our children, George is on his own learning journey.

NURTURE — Feeling Safe and Loved

George will begin by getting to know his new surroundings, becoming familiar with our school building, meeting staff and gradually getting used to everyday school sounds and routines.

We will ensure that George feels safe, comfortable and happy as he settles into school life.

GROW — Learning Together

As his confidence develops, George will continue his training and gradually become familiar with the children and the busy environment of a primary school.

Children will learn how to behave safely and respectfully around dogs, understanding the importance of gentle voices, calm movements and giving animals space when they need it.

FLY — Making a Difference

Once George is appropriately trained, assessed and ready, we hope he will take part in carefully planned activities that support wellbeing, relationships and learning.

These may include quiet reading opportunities, small-group wellbeing activities and supervised visits with children.

Just like every member of our Stonefold family, George will be supported to nurture, grow and fly!

George will help us bring our school values to life in a different and memorable way.

E — Empathy: We learn to recognise George’s feelings and understand when he needs kindness, reassurance or space.

A — Aspiration: We watch George learn new skills and understand that achieving our goals takes time and practice.

G — Generosity: We show generosity by giving our time, care, patience and kindness.

L — Love: We demonstrate love by treating George, ourselves and one another with care and respect.

E — Endurance: We learn that mistakes are part of learning and that perseverance helps us grow.

George reminds us that kindness, patience and understanding can make a real difference.

The safety and wellbeing of our children, staff and George will always be our priority.

George’s introduction to school will be gradual, carefully planned and supported by appropriate risk assessments and procedures.

We will ensure that:

• George is supervised by a responsible adult whenever he is around children.
• Children are taught how to interact safely, gently and respectfully with dogs.
• Interactions are carefully managed and appropriate to George’s stage of training.
• George has a quiet, comfortable space where he can rest undisturbed.
• Appropriate hygiene arrangements are followed, including handwashing after contact.
• Allergies, fears, medical needs and individual circumstances are taken into account.
• Children are never required to interact with George if they do not wish to.
• George’s health, welfare and behaviour are regularly monitored.

Participation in planned activities involving George will be managed in line with school procedures and any necessary parental permissions.

We want every interaction to be a positive experience for both our children and George.

George is not just here to help us — we have a responsibility to look after him too.

Like us, George needs rest, kindness, exercise, opportunities to play and time away from busy environments.

Sometimes George might be excited to say hello. At other times, he may need a peaceful break.

By respecting his needs, children will learn valuable lessons about compassion, responsibility and caring for living things.

Happy dog, happy school!

As George continues his training and settles into life at St John’s Stonefold, we look forward to sharing photographs, updates and special moments from his journey.

From learning new skills to making new friends, there will be plenty of exciting adventures ahead!

Keep checking this page, Dojo and Facebook to find out what George has been up to!

At St John’s Stonefold, our vision is to be rooted and established in God’s love (Ephesians 3:17).

We hope that George will become another wonderful part of the loving, nurturing environment we work hard to create for every child.

We cannot wait to see the friendships, smiles and special memories that lie ahead.

Welcome to the Stonefold family, George!

Together we SOAR at Stonefold.

Kind Paws. Happy Hearts. Brighter Futures. 🐾