Sausage dog highlighted in school Ofsted report

Cleo the sausage dog helps provide emotional support to the pupils

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust A young school girl with blonde hair holds a brown coloured sausage dog. The girl is smiling at the camera while the dog looks into the distance. The girl is wearing a blue coloured school jumper with a white shirt underneath. — Cleo the sausage dog helps provide emotional support to the pupils

A sausage dog has been highlighted in a primary school's most recent Ofsted report.

Inspectors visited Bedfield Church of England Primary School in Bedfield near Debenham, Suffolk, in October.

The school was rated as good in a number of fields and the positive impact of Cleo, the school's sausage dog, was noted by inspectors.

Imogen Wallis, the school's executive head teacher, said Cleo acted as a "therapeutic presence" for the children.

The Ofsted inspectors in their report recognised that the small school was "like a big family" were pupils were "extremely happy".

They added that Cleo was "always around for a cuddle" with the students and the pupils also looked after chickens on site.

"These opportunities help pupils build an understanding of animal welfare and the environment," the inspectors added.

The pupils help look after chickens on site at the school

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust An older pupil stands in a chicken coop holding a hen in her arms. Other pupils can be seen standing outside the coop looking in. They are all in blue school jumpers and white shirts. — The pupils help look after chickens on site at the school

The school was also praised for its "highly inclusive ethos" which resonated 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."

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities were seen to "flourish" and "participate equally in the wider life of school".

The school leaders were praised for their "highly ambitious vision for pupils' lives"

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust A small group of pupils stand in a group to pose for a photo. Taller and older students stand in a line behind another line of smaller younger students. One of the older students is holding a white hen. They are all wearing blue school jumpers with white shirts underneath. — The school leaders were praised for their "highly ambitious vision for pupils' lives"

"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.

"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.

"Although we are a small school, we have big ambitions for what children can achieve both academically and socially."

The inspectors identified one area where the school could improve, noting that some teachers did not rigorously identify various errors in younger pupils' work, which meant these students continued to make the same mistakes.

At the time of the inspection the school had 21 pupils over an age range of four to 11.

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