
Four-year-old Sandra (name changed) arrives at school each morning and heads straight to the rabbit hutch to let Fudge the school bunny out for a run in the Reception garden. She gives the hutch a quick clean, fills Fudge's water bottle and gently strokes him, talking to him as she goes about her daily routine.
Fudge has been instrumental to Sandra's transition to primary school. ‘Six weeks ago at the beginning of term, she was anxious and struggled to separate from her mother,’ explains Carol Bartle, head of early years at Gateways School in Leeds. ‘But when she showed an interest in Fudge, we asked her to help us with his morning routine and she now willingly comes to school with a purpose in mind and has a calm start to the day.’
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here