Polam School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

This provision is outstanding • Staff know the children's interests, stage of development and personalities exceptionally well. In addition to their own plans, staff share precise next steps in learning with those leading specialised activities, such as forest school and physical education sessions. This helps to ensure that the sharp focus on children's individual learning is reflected throughout.

• The headteacher has very high expectations of staff. Continual professional development is highly effective. For example, careful succession planning helps to enable staff to take greater amounts of responsibility.

Detailed induction procedures help ensure the highly experie...nced and well-qualified staff confidently carry out their roles to the highest standard. • Children thrive in the nursery. Staff take them on short walks to help them learn about the community and environment around them.

Children confidently select equipment that interests them in the well-equipped classrooms, helping to trigger their enthusiasm to learn and discover. • Children rapidly build on what they can already do and know. Staff plan suitably challenging activities, which they expand over a number of days.

Children spontaneously return to these activities in their own time, helping them to develop an even deeper understanding while experimenting and investigating. • Parents are welcomed into the nursery. Staff organise special events for parents and carers to share craft activities and mathematical, physical and problem-solving challenges with their children.

This helps strengthen the already strong relationships staff have with parents and provides more informal opportunities to help promote learning at home and in nursery. • Leaders recognise the importance of offering a balance of adult-led and self-chosen activities. They plan to review daily routines to help maximise children's continued learning throughout the day.

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