Animal visits at Inscape House school
It’s been an exciting and busy term for animal lovers, with educational visits from little cats to big friendly snakes. Danielle, the Animal Assisted Intervention teacher at Inscape House School has been busy finding enriching activities for the students.
Kitten visit
What school day isn't better with kittens?
Inscape House School students just received a visit from two adorable little kittens, Reg and Maeve, 14 week old brother and sister. Many of our students love animals so the opportunity to come visit the two cats and give them pets was not missed by anyone, including staff.
One of our upper school students said what they were all thinking "This is the best day at school ever!", while a student in younger school ambitiously said "All my dreams have come true with having kittens at school!"
Snake day
For those adventurous, Inscape House had some scaly visitors - a group of Ball pythons! Sometimes known as Royal pythons, these beautiful snakes are named after their defence strategy, which involves curling themselves into a tight ball.
Students came in throughout the morning to learn and handle a wonderful selection of snakes including Mouse, Doris and Elsa, who usually reside at Priestnall School, a local school who we work closely with.
Some of our students were already expert snake handlers, but for others, it was their first time touching or holding a snake. They felt a lot smoother than they looked and we loved learning about their behaviours, unique personalities, and diets.
A huge thank you to Dan and Hayley for coming in and sharing their expertise and snakes with the students - on their first day of Summer Break, no less! The experience was much appreciated by students and staff alike.
Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI)
On top of these external visits, Inscape House School runs an award-winning AAI programme designed to give students access to a host of support animals as part of their school week.
Our young people often report that the animals help them feel calmer and more relaxed.
During the exam period we have more students seeking out the support dog when taking movement breaks or after their exam had finished. They like to spend time together with the animals, as it helps regulate their emotions and return them to baseline.
Other students come to their session and express their emotions to Danielle and the animals. Together they work on building strategies to overcome their worries. Spending time with the animals makes them feel both happier in the moment, and prepares them for the rest of their day at school.
We are able to run this programme thanks to support from our kind supporters. If you want to support our animal therapy you can help by donating. Do you want to hear more about how Animal Assisted Intervention helps students? Watch our video below.