Covid: Merthyr school’s dog stars in pupil happiness app

Two years of Covid has taken a toll on children’s well-being, but students at one school have developed their own app to promote happiness and health.

Children from Pantysgallog Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil created all the content and built the app.

It includes mindful music, healthy recipes and school dog Max, who joined the team during the pandemic.

Chloe, 10, who was working on the content, wanted to help as “everyone’s mental health” has been affected by Covid.

Work on the app began in September 2021 when students decided they wanted to focus on health and well-being after all the disruption caused by the pandemic, including two lengthy periods of study at home.

Fifth and sixth grade students filmed videos, made design decisions and wrote the text, created all of the content and the app, and used augmented reality with support from Newport-based Value Added Education.

In addition to helpful sections for students, it also includes a map of places for families to exercise or relax.

Completed three months later, MiHealth is available on the Apple AppStore and has been shared with other schools in the area.

It also led to the school working with the Dragons rugby team and using their skills to help the club develop their new app.

Chloe and Luca, both 10, are proud to show off all the features they helped create – the artwork accompanying a selection of soothing music, the Healthy Heroes encouraging children to take care of themselves, as well as Videos about fitness.

“At home, every night when I’m anxious or trying to fall asleep, I always go to the mindfulness music department to listen to some pieces of music that we all made,” Luca said.

When students returned to school after school ended in March 2020 and again in early 2021, staff noticed that some children were having trouble concentrating on assignments.

Deputy Principal Hannah Trinder said: “Our students have really missed the social connection with their friends and peers during lockdown periods, so going back to school and having a very strong focus on collaboration and working together…it’s really helped them to settle down.” to focus on the areas they’ve missed during lockdown.”

Eight-year-old Theo added, “I developed technical skills because before that I only knew how to log into YouTube,” while 10-year-old Zac was happy a piece of music he chose will help people “relax and… don’t be afraid”.

Headmaster Darren Thomas said wellbeing has always been a priority for the school of 324 pupils and ‘if the basics of wellbeing aren’t in place then nothing else comes after’.

Since the pandemic, this is less “ad hoc” and activities are carefully planned.

This included the introduction of a feel-good dog who started school in December 2020 – a Cavapoo named Max who comes to school with Mr Thomas every day.

“He’s in class, he’s out in the yard, he’s supporting some of our weaker kids in counseling classes – he’s just a presence at school.

“Students stop throwing trash because they know Max will eat it if they drop things on the floor.

“And when he’s in class everyone knows he has to be quiet because his hearing is so sensitive, so he’s a real success story for us.”

A cartoon version of Max in Shades has pride of place in the app, and he’s “the boss of the Healthy Heroes.”

The kids said Max and the app helped them after “difficult” times when they had to study from home.

However, as the school copes with the effects of Covid, the war in Ukraine casts a shadow.

Mr Thomas added: “We want our children to know what is going on in the world, but it is about tackling this issue in a way that is sensitive to our children’s feelings.”

Eight-year-old Olivia said: “We had a whole gathering with Mr Thomas about Ukraine and what it was about and we usually just talk to our teachers about it and they tell us what’s going on.”