"Over the last 2 years my child's experiences at New Park Primary have been transformational both for his learning and his overall wellbeing. He has progressed academically, emotionally and behaviourally. For my son these years have been the most positive experience of his academic life and I know this has allowed him to move to high school with the confidence and ability to know he can succeed." "Thank you for all New Park’s support. You are a credit to the school and I believe without my son being at New Park we would have had greater issues." "I can’t praise your staff enough for how they have helped my daughter at school this year. She has come on so much and loves going in." "I truly believe if it hadn’t been for New Park and their great staff, my daughter wouldn’t be as settled, or as sure of herself and her abilities; they have managed her emotionally and taught her to try and see situations from outside the box and deal with the feelings it causes."
Dog Therapy
Our school therapy dogs are trained dogs who are of impeccable temperament and have undergone rigorous assessment by a qualified animal behaviourist to clarify that they are competent and safe to work in the school environment. The dogs have up-to-date health certifications, public liability insurance and, to reduce the possibility of allergic reactions, are “hypoallergenic” non-shedding breeds.
They are in attendance at school most days. They are owned by members of the school staff and are an integral part of the school teaching team and are highly valued by the school and the children.
What are the goals of our therapy dog program at New Park Academy?
Here is a summary of the areas where the use of therapy dogs in a school setting can contribute significantly and help to achieve important goals in student development:
• Dogs can assist staff working with students who have anger management issues, bullying behaviour and other anti-social conduct.
GOAL: Increase empathy/compassion.
• Dogs can assist staff with students who are victims of bullying and related behaviours.
GOAL: Decrease retaliatory violence and improve self-esteem.
• Dogs can assist staff with students who are socially disconnected from the mainstream student body.
GOAL: Help the student stay connected with social networks.
• Dogs can help in the reduction of stress and anxiety among children in social settings that are stressful:
GOAL: Reduce anxiety levels and help children to decompress after traumatic circumstances.
Meet our therapy dog
"Hi, I'm Pepper! I love humans so much, and children are the best type of humans because they have the most fun and play lots of games with me. I like to make people happy and help them forget about any worries they have! At New Park Academy, I have lots of opportunities to do that. It makes me happy to see others happy and at New Park, everyone seems to smile when they see me coming for some attention and cuddles. I love it."
The photos below show pupils enjoying therapy dog time
Our lovely therapy dog, Freddie, left us in 2022 and is now enjoying a relaxed retirement
