--- title: "Students meet Rita the reading dog" url: "https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/news/2019-04-29-students-meet-rita-the-reading-dog" school: "The Birkenhead Park School" --- # Students meet Rita the reading dog ![Image of Students meet Rita the reading dog](https://files.schudio.com/uabirkenhead/images/news/Rita.JPG) 29 April 2019 Rita visited with her owner, Gwen Saccheri, who is the Assistant Principal of the Birkenhead High School Academy, where Rita attends reading sessions with the students. The sessions are designed to help students develop an enthusiasm for reading and to bring on their confidence as they read out loud to Rita. Our Year 7 students took part in one of these reading sessions, choosing a Tom Gates book and then taking it in turns to read the story to her. Rita is trained to fall asleep while the students read to her and follows the Kennel Club Good Citizenship’s scheme in which she is close to completing her gold certificate. Year 7 student, Logan, said; “Rita is so lovely and very calming, I think she really enjoyed the story we read to her.” Rita’s visit forms part of an ongoing school strategy to encourage independent confidence in reading and to assist in increasing reading abilities. [ Students from Denmark are given a warm welcome by The Birkenhead Park School](https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/news/2019-04-24-students-from-denmark-are-given-a-warm-welcome-by-the-birkenhead-park-school) [Students attend a book signing with author Hilary McKay ](https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/news/2019-05-01-students-attend-a-book-signing-with-author-hilary-mckay) ![The Birkenhead Park School](https://files.schudio.com/uabirkenhead/images/logo/Untitled_design_(6).png) #### The Birkenhead Park School Park Road South Birkenhead Wirral, Merseyside CH43 4UY 0151 652 1574 #### Useful Links - [Vacancies](https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/job-vacancies) - [Parent View](https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/parents/parent-view) #### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/thebirkenheadparkschool/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bpswirral/) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@bpswirral) © Copyright 2015–2026 The Birkenhead Park School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://www.birkenheadparkschool.com/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)