Opal Platinum award
We are proud to announce that we have just been given the highest award by the OPAL organisation. To find out what being an OPAL school entails, please read on below:
Opal school video
Being an opal school
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. Our OPAL journey began in Autumn 2021 and since this time, we have quickly transformed our outdoor environment. Our children love the new outdoor opportunities that OPAL offers with so much more for them to do, no matter the weather! From playing with tyres and digging in the sand pit, to enjoying den building, climbing trees, our wheels area 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.
In addition, once a week we run a forest school club to teach children new outdoor skills and enhance their play.
What our children think
"I love the freedom and joy of riding the wheels round the playground." Year 5 boys.
We love building dens and digging up the ground in the forest area." Year 4 girls.
"I love making sandcastles and playing with the diggers." Year ones.
"It is great to be able to spend my lunchtime climbing the trees." Year 6 girls.
Opal board
Please check out our OPAL board, to see the latest activities taking place.
OPAL TEAM
OPAL curricular lead of play - Alastair
OPAL play co-ordinator - Wendy
OPAL play leader - Rob
