Danson Primary School’s much-loved canine support assistant took the top prize at the National School Dog Alliance’s awards, run in partnership with a parliamentary group dedicated to dog welfare and their role in supporting vulnerable children.
Achilles, who was trained through Canine Assisted Learning, beat entries from across the country to be named the nation’s best school dog during a ceremony in Westminster on Wednesday (July 3).
Co-Head teacher Mrs Anne Allen, who returned from retirement to lead the school three and a half years ago, described the win as a proud and surreal moment.
She told the News Shopper: “Achilles was asleep under the chair when they announced him.
“I had to wake him up to take his prize.
“It’s still a bit of a shock, to be perfectly honest.”
Mrs Allen explained that Achilles wasn’t originally brought into the school as a therapy or support dog.
In fact, when she agreed to return as headteacher, she had just got the tiny puppy with her husband and said she wouldn’t come back unless he could come too.
She explained: “There were no plans for Achilles to be a support assistant dog as he was so tiddly we didn’t think he would make much of an impact.
“But he captured the hearts of the children and the staff.
“We decided to then make it more official, and the governors gave him a job.”
Since then, Achilles has become an essential part of school life.
From greeting children at the gates to supporting pupils with social and emotional needs, his impact has gone far beyond expectations.
He holds a bronze award as a school assistance dog and is currently working towards his silver.
One of Achilles’ most visible roles is in helping the school tackle post-COVID attendance issues – something Danson Primary has been actively addressing.
Mrs Allen said: “One of the things we focused on heavily in the last year is that since post-COVID, the attendance in schools has really reduced for a range of reasons.
“It takes such a long time to get attendance back, but this is a start with Achilles.”
Achilles helps celebrate good attendance by handing out weekly awards and certificates.
The class with the best attendance even gets a framed photo with him – something the pupils look forward to with pride.
The ceremony in Westminster was a big moment for both Achilles and the school.
After being shortlisted just over a month ago, staff and pupils travelled to Parliament where schools presented on the impact of their dogs before the winner was announced.
Mrs Allen explained: “It was a big event.
“There were lots of ministers there.
There was a Lord who’d shown us around and did part of the presentation.
“We were lucky because our MP Louie French was there, and he took us around the Houses of Parliament.”
Unlike many of the other entrants – mostly Labradors, Retrievers, and Spaniels – Achilles stood out as a much smaller breed.
“I think it’s so unusual for an actual terrier to be a school dog”, Mrs Allen added, “he was the smallest one there – and he won.”
Achilles also supports individual children dealing with anxiety, bereavement, and even phobias of dogs.
On Friday afternoons, he spends time one-on-one with selected pupils, who walk or talk with him, or simply sit and cuddle.
“Just literally him being at the gate, around the school, it just brightens up children’s days”, Mrs Allen told the News Shopper.
Mrs Allen added: “We’ve had so many lovely messages from parents and the community because it’s gone on Facebook.
“We’re really, really proud – and it’s a great thing for the school as well.”
