This week, Chinthurst School shared its knowledge of dog safety and understanding dog behaviour during a special whole-school assembly at our sister school, St Christopher’s.

With the support of Daisy, James, Daisy and Leila from Year 4 and Florence from Year 3, Miss Trundle and Mrs Winchester delivered an insightful assembly, made even more memorable by the presence of Scout, our much-loved wellbeing dog.

During the assembly, Miss Trundle taught the children how to recognise and understand a dog’s body language. They learned that a wagging tail can indicate happiness, while ears held back may suggest a dog is feeling unsure or uncomfortable. The assembly also highlighted the importance of giving dogs space when they walk away or lie down, and explained that shaking can be a natural way for dogs to release stress.

With support from the Chinthurst children, Miss Trundle demonstrated how to safely greet a dog when out walking, showing how to approach calmly, allow the dog to sniff your hand, and gently stroke from collar to tail. Scout quickly became the star of the assembly, captivating everyone with her calm and friendly nature.

The assembly concluded with an enthusiastic question-and-answer session, as the children were eager to learn more about Scout. They discovered that her favourite smell is sausages, that her thick coat keeps her warm in winter, and that she enjoys dressing up for special school events such as World Book Day.

We would like to thank St Christopher’s for such a warm welcome, and the Chinthurst children for helping to share these important messages about dog safety with the wider school community.