A CANINE member of staff has been welcomed to Bradleys Both Community Primary School - and she is helping the children with their reading.

Holly, a medical alert assistance dog, is owned by teaching assistant Alice Halstead Rogers, and although her main job is to alert Mrs Rogers - who has type one diabetes - when her blood sugar levels are too high or too low, she has become a firm favourite with the children.

She has now taken on the additional role of bringing reassurance, confidence and enjoyment to the children she meets.

Head teacher Barry Rogers said Holly had become a favourite member of the school with children now referring to her visits as ‘Holly Days’.

“They enjoy greeting her on a morning and settling her onto her bed before their learning gets under way,” he said.

“The children have approached Holly being at school with a sense of responsibility, maturity and pride of the four-legged member of staff while also respecting her role as an assistance dog.

“The children have a comprehensive understanding of her role and have become fantastic ambassadors of Medical Detection Dogs charity, recognising when Holly is carrying out an alert.”

He said Holly brought a sense of calmness to the school.

“Holly has played a significant role in supporting different children and their needs,” he said.

“For some children, she has become the adopted pet that they don’t have at home, and for others she manages to comfort them during their learning.

“Her natural instincts and caring nature enhances their wellbeing.”

The school has also introduced a ‘Holly post-box’ allowing the children to write to her, to ask questions and to tell her what they have been doing.

“Through this they have been motivated to write to her and receive a reply, and in addition they enjoy reading to her, talking to her and sharing their achievements,” said Mr Rogers.

Mrs Rogers and Holly have also been running a ‘Dog Training’ activity module as part of the school’s Friday afternoon University activities. It has meant groups of children have learned about important training strategies and how to care for dogs. By the end of the term around 50 children will have completed the module and enjoyed fun activities learning about looking after dogs.