Meet School Dog Tilly
Introducing Tilly, our much-loved school dog and a valued member of our school community. Tilly is a 4-year-old Labradoodle who lives with Headteacher Ms Meekley and spends carefully planned time in school supporting pupils as part of our inclusive and nurturing approach. Tilly's day is planned and guided by Miss Gouveia, our Pastoral Lead.All of her interactions are structured, purposeful and aligned with individual support plans. The Labradoodle breed was chosen for its reputation as hypoallergenic, child-friendly, sociable and highly trainable. Tilly completed specialist training with The Dog Mentor to prepare her specifically for working within a school environment. This training ensures she is well-socialised, calm and responsive to adults at all times.
Tilly’s Role Within Oasis
Tilly is primarily based in Oasis — our dedicated space for emotional regulation, nurture and sensory support.
Our Oasis provision reflects a trauma-informed, attachment-aware approach. We recognise that emotional regulation underpins learning, and that some children require additional relational safety and co-regulation before they are ready to access the curriculum.
Tilly supports this provision through:
Co-Regulation and Emotional Safety: Tilly’s calm, predictable presence can help reduce anxiety and support children in returning to a regulated state. For some pupils, spending quiet time with her lowers stress responses and supports emotional balance.
Sensory Circuits: Tilly particularly enjoys being part of sensory circuits, where movement and structured activities help children regulate their nervous systems and prepare for learning. Her involvement adds motivation, engagement and joy to these sessions.
Relational Trust and Confidence: Positive interactions with Tilly help build confidence and trust. Reading to her provides a non-judgemental audience, enabling children to practise fluency and expression in a psychologically safe space.
Tea with Tilly: While Tilly plays an important therapeutic role within Oasis, she is also part of our wider school community. Her favourite activity is Tea with Tilly — a whole-school attendance reward. This initiative reinforces our high expectations for attendance while maintaining warmth, connection and celebration.
Safety and Safeguarding
Tilly’s work is:
Carefully planned and supervised
Risk assessed
Integrated into pastoral and inclusion strategies
Always prioritising both pupil and animal welfare
Parents and carers may withdraw consent for their child to have contact with Tilly at any time. Our School Dog Policy outlines all safeguarding, hygiene and risk management procedures.
In line with guidance from Stockport Council, family pets are not permitted on the school site.
Tilly is a valued part of our inclusive practice — supporting regulation, resilience, attendance and a strong sense of belonging across our school community.