OPAL
'Every child in every school has an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions'
OPAL (Outdoor Play & Learning)
Intent
At St Andrew's Benn, the intent of OPAL is to provide all children with high-quality, inclusive, and stimulating outdoor play experiences that support their personal, social, emotional, and physical development. Our approach to play is closely aligned with our F.A.M.I.L.Y values:
F – Feed your mind: Encourage curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving through imaginative and exploratory play.
A – Achieve your best: Enable children to challenge themselves, take risks safely, and develop resilience and confidence.
M – Make a difference: Promote collaboration, empathy, and social responsibility through cooperative and inclusive play.
I – Imagine the impossible: Provide opportunities for children to innovate, experiment, and use their imagination to create new experiences.
L – Live our values: Embed respect, kindness, and integrity in play, ensuring that all children feel safe and included.
Y – You are loved: Foster a nurturing, supportive environment where every child feels valued, safe, and happy.
Through OPAL, we aim to ensure that every child thrives, develops a love for learning, and grows into a confident, resilient, and socially aware individual.
Implementation
OPAL is implemented to provide engaging, inclusive, and meaningful outdoor play experiences. Our approach is guided by the following key lenses:
Action & Consequence: Children experience the outcomes of their choices during play, developing responsibility, decision-making skills, and understanding of cause and effect.
Change & Continuity: Play provision balances familiar, comforting routines with new, challenging experiences, supporting adaptation, resilience, and ongoing personal growth.
Significance: Play activities are purposeful and meaningful, helping pupils understand their role in the school and wider community, and the value of their contributions.
Similarities & Differences: Pupils learn to respect diversity, collaborate with peers, and appreciate shared experiences and individual differences.
Environmental & Sustainable Citizenship: Outdoor play incorporates natural resources, sustainability principles, and environmental awareness, fostering stewardship of the environment.
Spirituality: Play provides space for reflection, creativity, imagination, and self-expression, supporting emotional and spiritual development.
Oracy: Play encourages communication, dialogue, negotiation, and storytelling, enhancing pupils’ confidence and competence in speaking and listening.
Additional Implementation Features:
Daily access to varied outdoor play zones and loose parts to encourage creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Staff trained in facilitating inclusive, safe, and stimulating play experiences.
Opportunities for pupils to lead play, make decisions, and contribute ideas to enhance their environment.
Regular evaluation and adaptation of play provision using pupil voice, observation, and safeguarding guidance.
Through this approach, OPAL is fully integrated into the school day, supporting holistic child development, wellbeing, social skills, and lifelong learning.
Impact
Curriculum for L.I.F.E
L – Love of Learning
Children develop curiosity and creativity through unstructured and imaginative play.
Engagement in outdoor learning nurtures a natural enthusiasm for exploring the world around them.
Pupils enjoy active, hands-on experiences that complement classroom learning.
I – Inspired
OPAL encourages children to take initiative, solve problems, and collaborate with peers.
Play leaders and peer-led activities inspire confidence, leadership, and responsibility.
Exposure to a variety of play opportunities motivates children to explore new skills and ideas.
F – Flourished
Regular access to outdoor play supports physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social development.
Pupils develop resilience, self-regulation, and confidence through risk-taking and independent play.
Inclusive play ensures all children can thrive, regardless of ability or background.
E – Enriched
Loose parts, natural environments, and creative zones provide rich, diverse experiences beyond the classroom.
Children build social skills, empathy, and cultural awareness through cooperative and imaginative play.
OPAL helps prepare pupils for life by fostering problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability in a safe, supportive environment.