OPAL

 

We are proud to inform you that we were awarded the PLATINUM award for Outdoor Play and Learn facilities in Spring 2018

Children spend 1.4 years of their Primary school attendance in pay time. We believe that this time is so important for our children and can develop so many skills, such as creativity, independence and social skills.

We have worked closely with the Outdoor Play and Learn programme (OPAL) to develop our outdoor space over the last few years.

Our OPAL team consists of pupils and staff at all levels – the changes have been driven by our proactive pupils. The developments have included receiving funding councillors for a huge accessible shed to house all of our loose parts, an outdoor trim trail and traversing forest and a prayer garden. We also received almost £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to create a ‘Garden of Curiosities’, which includes sand, water, a story area and a mud kitchen. We also now have a dedicated member of staff at lunchtime that trains our Playground Leaders, who provide a range of sporting activities.

There is no time to be bored at playtime now and, as a result of the freedom children have to play where they want and with whoever they want, playtime behavioural incidents have dramatically reduced. Not only are the new play opportunities promoting health and well-being, but also children are developing life skills such as cooperation, team work and problem solving. They are becoming enthusiastic and motivated scientists, engineers, builders and explorers.

Thank you for your support with:

• Sending your child to school with appropriate warm/waterproof clothing and wellies
• donating to school any outgrown willies and waterproof trousers/cagoules/old shirts
• Supporting the OPAL ethos by asking your child about their play and accepting that they may get dirty… If you with you may send spare clothing for playtimes

You can still help us more by donating some unwanted materials you may have at home such as … Plastic or metal buckets, kitchen utensils, kettles, pans (for the mud kitchen), watering cans, wheel barrows, guttering, planks, shower curtains, tarpaulin, large fabric pieces, toy trucks and diggers….