The introduction of the Webster-Stratton Classroom Dinosaur School Programme in Gwynedd, North Wales: A pilot study

The Webster-Stratton Classroom Dinosaur School Programme was developed as a therapeutic intervention to teach social and problem-solving skills and to reduce behavioural problems in young children. It has subsequently been developed as a classroom programme for use in schools (Webster-Stratton et al., 2001a). In 2001 Gwynedd Education Service in North West Wales undertook a pilot delivery of the classroom programme in the reception class of one primary school. This paper describes the programme and the detail that went into ensuring that the plan would be effective. It also reports on some outcomes from the first year of the programme in terms of pre- and post-intervention measures of child behaviour and use of social and problem solving skills. Interviews were also conducted with school staff and parents and their perceptions of the programme’s effectiveness are reported. Results demonstrated positive effects on academic performance, social and emotional development and reductions in behavioural problems. There was evidence that improvements had generalised to other settings, playground and home, and to other children in the school. The success of the programme in the first year helped to ensure the continuation of the programme, which is now in fourteen schools. The paper concludes with discussion of why the programme has been successful and describes the way in which the plan has evolved since this first year.