Meet Woody

The T3 School are delighted to introduce a new addition to our team: Woody the school dog.
Woody is a cockapoo and, as such, is highly intelligent, which makes him easy to train. He’s affectionate and friendly with a real zest for life!

A great benefit of cockapoos is that they have low or non-shedding coats. This makes them a wonderful choice to have around those who suffer from allergies.
Woody belongs to Tracy and whilst in school, Woody spends his time in the small office adjoining Tracy’s classroom – unless he is having supervised time with our students. When Woody is not in school, he lives with Tracy and her family, and she is responsible for all his care needs. Woody is up date with his vaccinations and is regularly treated with flea and worm preventatives.

Studies have shown that the presence of companion animals can improve the wellbeing of children and lower the rate of anxiety, simply by making the environment happier, more enjoyable and less forbidding. According to the Bark and Read Foundation, dogs can help children develop their reading skills, encourages positive behaviour and help build confidence and self-esteem. Reading to dogs inspires children to have fun and enjoy the experience of reading. Reading to dogs has been proven to help children develop literacy skills and build confidence.

Dogs have a calming effect and they will listen to the children read without being judgemental or critical. This comforting environment helps to nurture children's enthusiasm for reading and provides them with the confidence needed to read aloud. (Bark and Read Foundation:thekennelclub.org.uk/barkandread)
So far, Woody has proved to be an extremely popular addition to our school team. However, we do understand that some children and adults can have a fear of dogs. Therefore. interaction with the school dog is completely voluntary. Woody has his own, quiet space to rest in a small room adjoining the English classroom, but he especially likes to sit at Tracy’s feet whilst she teaches English.