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. Our OPAL journey began in Autumn 2022 and since this time, we are working to transform our outdoor environment. We are committed to ensuring quality play opportunities are available to all our children. We believe that play is essential for physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of each child. Most of our best childhood memories are from playing outdoors, climbing trees and exploring the wide world around us. OPAL gives us the opportunity to give those memories to your children. OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is all about using naturally and man- made resources to allow children to be inspired and creative at lunch time.
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.
Latest Information
You can always help us by donating any unwanted materials you have at home; we always need loose parts and greatly appreciate these throughout the year;
- Crates
- Ropes
- Plants
- Wooden pallets
- Tarpaulin
- Teddies
- Cable rails
- Fabrics
- Small world toys
- Pots, pans, utensils
- Dressing up clothes
- Logs
- Digging equipment
- Paintbrushes and rollers
- Planters
- Watering cans
If you have any enquiries regarding items or any general questions about donating, please contact our OPAL lead, Mrs Gawthorpe –
