Age 7-11 winners 2011

What was the project?

New Earswick Primary asked the whole school what they wanted the School Council to achieve and the most popular suggestion was to introduce a pet to each classroom. The council got advice from vets and pet shop owners to make a Class Pets Action Plan, detailing how they would choose suitable animals, consider Health and Safety and make sure that people with allergies wouldn’t be affected. They then organised training for children, planned how the pets would be cared for in the holidays and used budgeting skills to work out the costs of looking after the animals. The teachers also found the pets created great teaching and learning opportunities.

What did the project change?

The school said: "The project has changed the atmosphere in our classrooms. The children have been really excited and delighted by having pets. They have become more curious & enjoy the surprises that having pets can bring. We think children understand more how important it is to care properly for all living creatures."

What did the judges say?

The research and planning that the children undertook for the project was excellent and the way the pets have been used for learning opportunities show that it has had real impact on both pupils and teachers.