The OPAL Primary Programme
Children in British primary schools spend 20% or 1.4 years of their school attendance in play and yet many schools have no strategic or values-based approach to play across all ages. The Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme is a mentor supported school improvement programme. It addresses all of the areas schools must plan for if they want to strategically and sustainably improve the quality of their play opportunities.
The OPAL Primary Programme is the only programme of its kind that has been independently proven to sustainably improve the quality of play in British primary schools.
Research shows that play contributes to children’s physical and emotional health, well-being, approach to learning and enjoyment of school. Given the importance of play in children’s lives and current concerns about children’s health and opportunity to access time and space to initiate their own play outdoors, there are considerable benefits for children, parents, school and the wider community from participating in OPAL’s programme. The OPAL Primary Programme supports schools in developing a cultural shift in thinking about and supporting children’s play. Its success comes from a series of interrelated actions undertaken with the specialist support from the OPAL mentor. This embeds play into school’s policies and practices and establishes clear guiding principles and strategies for initiating changes at playtimes. The results can be transformational and – at best – spectacular and show progress even in more challenging school environments.
Did you know?
Children attend primary school for seven years. Of those seven years, around 1.4 years will be spent outside actively playing, making `playtime’ by far the most dominant element within the curriculum. Unlike sport and PE lessons,
children’s active play can claim 100% engagement, provided it is delivered with the right expertise, consistency and understanding of children’s social, emotional and environmental needs.
Opal Platinum Status
For the past 4 years, we are proud to have been selected as a Platinum Award school. for our OPAL School Games provision. This is the highest award a school can achieve, meaning we are in the top 10% of OPAL schools!
Children’s Charter
We have the responsibility to make sure everyone enjoys Opal play by making sure:
1. We have fun!
2. We make our own choices about what we play
3. We share the equipment
4. We respect and look after our school environment and equipment
5. We know how to play kindly and allow others to join in our play
6. We treat everyone how we would like to be treated
7. We encourage to sort out problems ourselves in a kind understanding manner
before seeking help from an adult
8. We listen to and value the ideas of others
9. We will help and support other people if they need us
10. We play safely. We think about and manage the risks so that we can keep
everyone safe
11. We will all help to tidy up and take responsibility for our play environment
Here is just a snippet of what our school community has to say:
Child Y3: “if you want something quiet but fun, you can use ribbons and wool to weave on the fence and then other children can continue after me.”
Child Y4: “love playing with all the fancy dress equipment.”
Child Y5: “I enjoyed playing with my friends from other year groups.”
Parent: “I’ve heard so much about Opal play, they love it.”
Staff member: “Took me back to my childhood.”
Staff Member: “lovely to see all the children engaging and supporting each other even if they are from a different class or year group.”
Staff member: “It’s been so lovely to feel that buzz around the school it feels like a different place.”
Principal: “The children and staff are having so much fun!”
