Opal Playtimes

OPAL - Outdoor Play & Learning

What is OPAL?

Research has shown that children spend 20% of their time in school playing. To ensure that this time and our fantastic school grounds are used to their full potential our school has adopted an OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) philosophy that allows the children freedom to explore play in their own imaginative ways, often using found and gathered resources in the natural outdoor environment.

An OPAL approach promotes a more inclusive play environment in which all children can feel comfortable to express themselves. We began our OPAL journey at the end of the Summer term 2024, and since returning to school in September 2024, we have been developing our approach to play each week by offering out children a range of different activities on the playground. Our children love the new outdoor opportunities that OPAL offers with so much more for them to do, no matter the weather! From arts and crafts and dressing up, to enjoying imaginative play in the small world area or cooking up a storm in the messy cafe, OPAL offers an exciting alternative to the standard playground activities.

Through this approach to play children are not only more active at lunch or break times, but they are also having the opportunity to further develop life skills such as cooperation, team work and problem solving. They are becoming motivated and enthusiastic builders, engineers, explorers and designers.

We have big plans to develop our OPAL approach over the coming year...watch this space!