Dachshund’s Role Highlighted in Primary School’s Ofsted Report

A primary school’s most recent Ofsted report has drawn attention to a sausage dog. Inspectors conducted their visit to Bedfield Church of England Primary School, situated in Bedfield near Debenham, Suffolk, in October. The school received a “good” rating across several categories, and the inspectors specifically acknowledged the beneficial influence of Cleo, the school’s resident sausage dog. Imogen Wallis, the executive head teacher of the school, stated that Cleo served as a “therapeutic presence” for the children. The Ofsted inspectors’ report also observed that the small school operated “like a big family,” where pupils were “extremely happy.” They further noted that Cleo was “always around for a cuddle” with the students, who also took responsibility for caring for chickens on the premises. “These opportunities help pupils build an understanding of animal welfare and the environment,” the inspectors added. The school also garnered praise for its “highly inclusive ethos,” which was evident throughout the student body. “Pupils are kind, compassionate and value other world religions and cultures,” the inspectors said. “They understand how to nurture healthy relationships based on respect.” Students with special educational needs and disabilities were observed to “flourish” and to “participate equally in the wider life of school.” “We are thrilled with the Ofsted report and are so pleased the inspectors got to see what a wonderful school this is,” Ms Wallis said. “It’s lovely our school dog Cleo gets a mention in the inspection – she acts as a therapeutic presence when children feel anxious and they love her so much.” She continued, “As the report recognises, this school is like a big family – we see lots of examples of older children caring for the younger children and helping them in their work.” Ms Wallis concluded, “Although we are a small school, we have big ambitions for what children can achieve both academically and socially.” The inspectors did identify one area where the school could enhance its practices, noting that some teachers did not rigorously identify various errors in younger pupils’ work, which led to these students continuing to make the same mistakes. At the time of the inspection, the school had 21 pupils, with an age range from four to 11 years old.