Our OPAL Journey

OPAL is an award-winning mentor supported school improvement programme, established, founded and directed by Michael Follet in 2011, author of 'Creating Excellence in Primary School Playtimes' JKP 2017. The programme addresses all the areas that schools must plan for, if they want to strategically and sustainably improve the quality of their play opportunities. OPAL is the only programme of its kind that has been indepedently proven to sustainably improve the quality of play in British primary schools. Its success comes from a series of interrelated actions undertaken with specialist support from an OPAL mentor. This embeds play into the school's policies and practices and establishes clear guiding principles and strategies for initiating lasting changes at playtimes. (www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk).

OPAL Parent Info

Parents' Play Pack

Make Time to Play

To give you a glimpse of what’s coming, we’d love you to watch this short video from another primary school already enjoying OPAL Play. You’ll see just how exciting and varied playtimes can become, and the huge benefits it brings to children’s wellbeing, relationships and learning.

We can’t wait to bring this same level of joy, freedom and creativity to our own playground. There are exciting times ahead—full of imagination, adventure and play for every child!

To find out more about OPAL follow this link https://outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk/opal-programme/introduction/

We would like to say a huge thank you to the KFA for their generous support and funding.

The introduction of OPAL at our school has only been possible because of the funding provided by the KFA, and it is already making such a positive difference to the children’s play, creativity, and teamwork.

We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of the KFA and our parent community — thank you for helping us create richer play opportunities for all our children.

JANUARY 2026

We are excited to be starting on our OPAL journey, with the aim over the next 18 months of developing our school site to provide the children with exciting playtimes.

We are having a 'soft start' this term, gradually introducing some new areas they can use at playtimes and teaching them the skills they will need to cooperate with each other, take care of the equipment and be experts at tidying up!

Each week, the children will have a play assembly where we will celebrate the great play that we have been observing, inform them of the new things being introduced e.g. equipment and loose parts, negotiate with them on how to develop the play and use the equipment safely, innovate and think of what to plan for next.

During this time we will give you a regular updates in the weekly newsletter and on Facebook, hopefully sharing some pictures to show how it is going as well as asking for any items that you may have lying around that you no longer need.

Areas being introduced in the Spring Term

LOOSE PARTS/DEN BUILDING

The loose parts and den building area is a highly imaginative and flexible space where children can use a wide range of resources to build dens, vehicles, assault courses, and many other wonderful creations. With no fixed outcomes, children are encouraged to plan, design, adapt, and problem-solve as their ideas develop.

This area supports creativity, teamwork, and resilience, as children collaborate, negotiate roles, and bring their imaginations to life using the available resources. By exploring and experimenting with loose parts, children build confidence, communication skills, and independence while enjoying open-ended, child-led play.

SMALL WORLD

The small world area offers a rich collection of resources that support children in developing their imagination through play. Children can create scenes, stories, and adventures, using the resources to bring their ideas to life in a meaningful and engaging way.

This area is also ideal for building friendships and practising social interactions, as children play alongside others, share ideas, and collaborate to create stories and games together. Small world play encourages communication, cooperation, and empathy, providing a calm and creative space for imaginative, social play.

STAGE/ROLE PLAY

Our role play and performance area provides children with the opportunity to express themselves creatively through costumes, music, and a dedicated stage space. Children enjoy dressing up, dancing, acting, and performing for others, using their imagination to create characters, stories, and shows.

This area supports confidence-building, communication skills, and self-expression. By performing individually or as part of a group, children develop teamwork, turn-taking, and empathy, while also gaining confidence in presenting to an audience.

DIGGING AREA

The digging area provides children with a dedicated space to explore, dig, and create freely. Here, children can enjoy making potions, mud pies, and imaginative creations using natural materials, satisfying their natural curiosity and love of messy play.

This area supports sensory exploration, creativity, and imaginative thinking, while also encouraging cooperation and shared play.

WHEELED PLAY

Our Wheelie Zone is an extremely popular area where children enjoy active, engaging play. It provides an excellent opportunity for children to use a wide range of wheeled items, including easy riders, suitcases, and pushchairs.

Wheeled play helps children to develop balance, coordination, and spatial awareness while building confidence and physical strength. It also encourages imaginative and cooperative play, as children create their own journeys, roles, and games together.

CREATIVE PLAY

The creative area on the playground provides children with a calm and inviting space for those who prefer a quieter, less active playtime. Here, children can choose to get creative using a wide range of craft and art resources.

This area encourages imagination, self-expression, and concentration, allowing children to explore ideas at their own pace. Children can design, make, and create freely, developing fine motor skills and confidence while enjoying a more relaxed play experience.

OPAL DREAM.pdf

TYRES

The tyre play area is a versatile and exciting space where children can explore, create, and play in many different ways. Using the tyres, children can build seats, design obstacle courses, roll and move them, or invent their own games and challenges.

This area encourages physical activity, teamwork, and imaginative play. Children develop balance, strength, and coordination while problem-solving and collaborating with others.

MARCH 2026

During the Spring term, it has been wonderful to see the continued development of OPAL and the positive impact it has had on the children. They have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the new areas and making full use of the additional equipment, which has brought fresh excitement and creativity to their playtimes. The variety of opportunities available has encouraged collaboration, imagination, and active engagement, allowing every child to find something they love. It has been especially rewarding to see their confidence grow as they take ownership of these spaces and use them in inventive and meaningful ways.

Some of the things that children have said to adults:

“That was the BEST lunchtime EVER!”

“I love all the new equipment, it makes lunchtimes so much more fun!”

“My favourite things to play have been all the figures, me and my friends love them!”

“All the wheeled toys are AMAZING!”

Areas being introduced in the Summer Term

Mud Kitchen

The Mud Kitchen area has been introduced as part of our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) provision to offer children rich opportunities for imaginative, creative, and hands-on play. This space allows children to explore natural materials, mix, pour, create recipes, and engage in role-play activities that develop communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Through sensory experiences and open-ended play, children can build confidence, express their ideas, and deepen their understanding of the world around them. The Mud Kitchen encourages curiosity, creativity, and resilience while supporting children's physical, social, and emotional development in an engaging outdoor environment.

Sandpit

The Sandpit area provides children with opportunities for exploration, creativity, and collaborative play. Through digging, building, transporting, and shaping sand, children develop their fine and gross motor skills while engaging in imaginative and investigative activities. The sandpit encourages teamwork, communication, and problem-solving as children work together to create structures, design landscapes, and invent games. This open-ended play environment supports sensory development, curiosity, and confidence, allowing children to learn through hands-on experiences in a fun and engaging outdoor setting.

Forest Fun

The Forest Fun area encourages adventurous, active, and imaginative outdoor play. Featuring hammocks, a slack line, and rope ladders woven through the trees, this space provides children with exciting opportunities to develop balance, coordination, strength, and confidence. Children are encouraged to take managed risks, challenge themselves physically, and build resilience while exploring the natural environment. The area also offers opportunities for relaxation, social interaction, and creative play, helping children to develop independence, teamwork, and a deeper connection with the outdoors.

MAY 2026

At the start of the Summer Term, we were delighted to introduce several exciting new outdoor play developments as part of our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme. These included our new Sandpit, Mud Kitchen, and Forest Fun areas, all designed to provide children with greater opportunities for imaginative, creative, physical, and collaborative play. The Forest Fun area, featuring hammocks, a slack line, and rope ladders amongst the trees, has quickly become a favourite space for adventurous play and relaxation. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Barclays for making many of these developments possible through the hard work of their team of volunteers and their generous £500 donation. We are also extremely grateful to The Baily Thomas Trust, whose £4,000 grant funded the installation of our fantastic new sandpit. These contributions have helped us create engaging outdoor environments that support children's physical, social, and emotional development while enriching their play experiences every day.

JUNE 2026

On 11th June, we celebrated the International Day of Play with a special OPAL Day, recognising the fantastic journey our school has been on since launching OPAL in January. The day provided an opportunity to celebrate the development of our playtimes and share the progress we have made with both our children and their families.

The day began with a special assembly where we reflected on how our playtimes have evolved over the past few months. We looked back at the changes that have taken place, celebrated the enthusiasm with which the children have embraced new opportunities for play, and recognised the positive impact OPAL has had on our school community.

Following the assembly, children worked together in their community groups, collaborating with pupils from across the school to create decorations for our outdoor play areas. These creative projects helped to enhance our environment, add further interest to the spaces and gave children the opportunity to work together, share ideas and develop their teamwork skills.

Throughout the day, children enjoyed additional opportunities to explore the wide range of OPAL resources and play zones available. They demonstrated excellent cooperation, creativity and problem-solving skills as they engaged in imaginative and active play with their peers.

The highlight of the day was welcoming families into our school grounds at the end of the school day. It was wonderful to see parents, carers and children playing together, exploring the different OPAL areas and experiencing first-hand the joy, creativity and sense of community that OPAL play brings. The smiles, laughter and shared experiences perfectly captured what OPAL is all about.

Thank you to all the families who joined us and helped make the day such a success. We look forward to continuing our OPAL journey and creating even more opportunities for high-quality play for all of our children.