OPAL Play in Progress
Research has shown that children’s play literacy is at an all-time low and as a country we rank near the bottom for this. Latest statistics state that 50% of children only play outside at school. The mission statement from OPAL states: 45 minutes of exciting play. The aim is to get pupils into their ‘flow state’ through freely chosen play, which then means that they are ready to transition to learning following the lunchtime break.
“OPAL is an award-winning, mentor supported school improvement programme that 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 independently 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.”
OPAL schools also see the following benefits:
- 80% drop in reported behaviour and first aid incidents
- 20% more afternoon teaching time
- Compliance with wellbeing inspection requirements
- Increased resilience, collaboration and inclusion
Health and Safety Play Information
To see more information, please click the link Home - Outdoor Play And Learning.