CHILDREN and staff at a Downend school are learning the benefits of bringing a dog to class.
Mr Cooper, a well-being dog from the Baxter Project, visited Christ Church Infant School in October alongside his owner, as part of a trial being run by Downend-based charity the Alfie Nick Foundation.
The foundation is exploring the potential benefits of bringing well-being dogs into schools and Christ Church Infants is one of two schools taking part in the trial.
The foundation was set up by the family of Alfie Richley, who was 17 years old when he suffered fatal injuries in a freak skateboarding accident while on holiday in 2023. Alfie was a former pupil of Christ Church Infant School.
Head teacher Anna Martin said: “Every class had the chance to meet Mr Cooper and it was wonderful to see the children’s reactions.
“Without exception, they thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him and quickly took him to their hearts.
“What stood out most was the response from some of our more anxious children.
“A few parents had already warned us that their children were likely to be nervous around dogs, but even those children soon found the confidence to get close to Mr Cooper and offer him a gentle stroke. It was lovely to watch their fears melt away.
“For some of our most vulnerable children, the impact was particularly powerful.
“Seeing them relax, engage and connect with Mr Cooper in a way that does not always come easily was truly special and demonstrated just how valuable this type of intervention can be.
“The experience was overwhelmingly positive for everyone involved and has certainly given us plenty to think about.”
The Baxter Project is run by a non-profit community interest company and delivers specialist early intervention for children and young people affected by anxiety, emotional, behaviour and trust issues.
Mrs Martin said the school would like to work with the Alfie Nick Foundation and the Baxter Project again.
She said: “We can already see how much some children could benefit from regular time with a therapy dog.
“We would like to thank both organisations for giving our children such a wonderful experience. Mr Cooper was an absolute star, and we hope to see him again soon!”