Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone, Warwickshire, has a resident cat named Cilla who helps relieve the pressure on Year 6 pupils who are sitting their Sats exams. The students stroke and cuddle the feline before and after their tests, and head teacher Sally Taylor claims that Cilla has proved very calming and is loved by the children.
Cilla, whose full name is Priscilla Outwoods, has her own X Twitter account with thousands of followers. A post about how she has been supporting pupils has already received about 1,300 likes. Live since wandering onto the site seven years ago, Cilla is very popular with the children, according to Mrs Taylor, who added that the cat had brought an “extra dimension” to the school.
Mrs Taylor said that Cilla has beds all over the school but mainly lives in the KS2 building, where she has helped the children transition and settle into school life. “Monday and Tuesday she’s been sitting in the middle of the hall and they have all given her a stroke so she just seems to sense when people need her and she’s there, she’s amazing,” Mrs Taylor said.
Cilla’s X account has been a great stimulus for students, providing them with a window on the world. The cat has received letters from followers from such far-flung places as Greenland and New Zealand, and Mrs Taylor revealed that she now has 25,000 followers across the world and receives many cards and presents
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