Our School Spotlight series showcases what makes our global community so special, shining a light on the individual strengths of our exceptional learning environments and understanding the benefits of being part of our wider community. We proudly introduce this month’s School Spotlight; Polam School, England. 

Polam is a small, home-from-home school with a rich history behind it. Polam will be celebrating its centenary this year, having started in 1923 under the guidance of Miss Crump, the headmistress, with children affectionately referred to as the crumpets! After relocating shortly after World War 2, and several headteachers later, today, Polam continues to go from strength to strength.

At Polam, we aim to create an environment where kindness, independence and resilience are at our core. We stimulate enjoyment, imagination and creativity, encouraging children to develop as lifelong learners, achieving their full potential.

Three years ago, we were awarded the national Independent Pre-Prep of the Year Award, specifically commending our efforts towards safeguarding, wellbeing and our project on immersive learning. This initiative on creating unique learning spaces includes our space themed room, where children might become astronauts exploring planets, galaxies and constellations. Our Rainforest room, Amazonia, allows children to enhance their learning experiences as they delve deep into the jungle to write imaginative stories, or take part in mindfulness lessons listening to the rainforest sounds around them.

Being part of a wider schools system such as Cognita is a huge opportunity for this creative development. Being able to network with colleagues specialising across the curriculum and key stages empowers staff to simulate initiatives that work well, see new perspectives and keep a cycle of continuous learning from other amazing educators.

Last year, at the prestigious Cognita Owards, Polam was proud to accept the ‘Most Loved by Parents’ award for outstanding VoP results. The majority of our parents are alumni to the school and, as cliché as it might sound, really do feel part of the Polam family. The same can be said about staff, some of whom have been at Polam for more than 30 years.

This summer we welcomed inspectors into both our nursery as part of OfSTED and into school as part of our ISI inspections. Although working through two concurrent inspections was a challenge, the tenacity of all staff, parents and children allowed the best of Polam to shine through. We were immensely proud to welcome the community back to school celebrating our Outstanding OfSTED, and Double Excellent ISI results.

Throughout both inspection reports, our commitment to wellbeing was highlighted as a significant strength. At Polam, in addition to the commitment we already make to wellbeing, we dedicate 1 lesson per week to specifically teach our children the skills (the superpowers!) they need in order to be confident, happy and resilient learners. These lessons fundamentally improve our students school experience and equip them with skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.

Cognita Face

We’re proud to introduce Vicky Walker, a Reception Teacher at Polam School, as our Cognita Face this month.

In her short video, Vicky shares a little about how she originally started in a Maternity cover role at Polam and that four years on, she has progressed into a full-time teaching role at the school. She’s particularly proud of the school’s recent inspection results.