OLD Town Infant School and Nursery in Poole likes to incorporate the pupils’ ideas into everything they do.

Whether it’s deciding on school lunches, new staff members, or what they specifically want to learn from the next topic in class, the children’s input is always valued, says headteacher, Janine Harries.

She said: “I have very enthusiastic staff and they are all really keen to do what is right for the children.

“Our school motto is ‘Children at the heart of everything we do’, and we really do believe that.

“At the start of every project we do, regardless of year group, we find out what the children want to know and what they are interested in and we try and plan accordingly.

“We know that happy children are engaged children, who learn and do very well.”

She added: “We are a successful school. Our results are really good and our children perform above the national level in all areas.

“Our children with additional needs also do very well and are very well supported by the fabulous staff.”

She also adds that the school, which changed from a first school to an infant school last Septem-ber, places a big focus on helping the children to learn about the local area that they live in.

“We are a community school, so we definitely use our local area a lot.

“Obviously we are very close to the Quay and within the town centre so we are able to exploit that to our best advantage.”

Miss Harries says that Old Town Infant School and Nursery studies Harry Paye each year, with the help of the Poole Pirates, and the children also lend a hand in the community garden on Green Road.

“So in terms of what sets us apart, we put children at the heart of everything, but we also include the community and the locality in that as well.”

FACTFILE

Green Road, Poole, BH15 1QB
Telephone: 01202 673966
Email: Office@oldtown.poole.sch.uk
Head teacher: Janine Harries
Age range: 4 – 7

Ofsted report
July 16 – 17, 2013
Overall grading: Good

Inspectors said: “Pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress from low starting points overall. Standards are above average by the end of Year 2.

“Pupils whose first language is not English make outstanding progress.

“The school’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is particularly good and underpins all that the school does.

“Outstanding leadership from the headteacher and deputy headteacher, well supported by the governing body, has improved the school rapidly since last September.

"This is because they are knowledgeable about priorities for development and are not willing to accept second best.”