OPAL - outdoor play and learning
Our vision is that every child in every school has an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions. If one child is not enjoying playtimes, then things still need improving.
We will be planning for, resourcing and evaluating the quality of our play provision as if it were an important human right, essential to all aspects of children’s development and a source of joy and happiness that every child can access because it is all of these things. We understand that happy children is of the utmost importance for their wellbeing as well as their learning.
Our OPAL plans at The Priory supported by FOPSA
Stage 1:
- Clear the garden area by Purple Theatre, remove fences and slabs and take old benches away. Replace seating and allow pupils into that area (Completed October 2023)
- Theatre and Stage area opened up with dressing up clothes, chairs for audience and music played. (Completed November 2023)
- Repaint Purple Theatre and add soft furnishings and use as a chill zone for arts and crafts (Completed November 2023)
- Introduce Large Loose Parts to play with such as tyres and spools (Completed January/February 2023)
- Put out small world parts and lego (Completed December 2023)
- Continue with ball games on football pitch and basketball courts
- Introduce monthly play assemblies where sports captains and support staff celebrate play and introduce new equipment and areas. (Complete October 2023)
- Introduce risk benefit assessments to staff and children before new area/equipment introduced (Complete October 2023)
Stage 2:
- Source welly storage for each class so children can enjoy outside whatever the weather
- Build sandpit next to climbing frame on field
- Introduce mud kitchen next to garden area
- Introduce digging area in garden by Purple Theatre
- Replace second basketball board
- Buy further storage as required for tools for digging / mud kitchen
Stage 3:
- Add stage to stage area
- Introduce scooter zone
- Introduce Den Building on field
- Introduce further social area under cricket net next to football pitch with seating, blankets and cover
- Introduce further small world and small loose parts for imaginative play
- Introduce water play area
Stage 4:
- Send survey out to pupils and parents again to see how play has improved
- Evaluate our work and invite OPAL in to accredit The Priory as an OPAL school
OPAL play so far
