OPAL

We are changing playtimes at St Andrew’s Benn!

As a child, what did you like playing at home or school? How did you benefit from play?

Children today do not always have those same experiences within our changing world so we want to ensure that all of our children experience fun, enriching playtimes that stimulate creativity beyond the classroom to improve:

·        Well-being

·        Socialisation

·        Cooperation

·        Coordination

·        Resilience

·        Creativity

·        Imagination

·        Enjoyment

The Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme is the result of over 20 years of testing and development in over 800 schools and has been used in Spain, Canada, France and New Zealand. The programme has also been adapted and used in schools in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Austria under the Play Friendly Schools project. In 2018, OPAL won first prize in an EU-funded award for the best active school’s programme in Europe and two UK national playwork awards. In 2019, OPAL was awarded a quarter of a million pounds by Sport England to bring the programme to many more schools.

OPAL is based on the idea that, as well as learning through good teaching, your children also learn when they play. As 20% of their time in school is playtime, we want to make sure that this amount of time (equivalent to 1.4 years of primary school) is as enriching as possible.

One reason the school is carrying out this programme is that childhood has changed, and many children no longer get their play needs met out of school.

●       Average screen time per day is six hours.

●       Average outdoor play time per week is five hours.

●       Percentage of UK children who only play outdoors with other children at school is 56%.

Play is not just messing about - it is about learning and having fun … together!

As we look to improve play opportunities for your children, we will change how the children use the school grounds and we may ask for donations of toys/items that your children may not need any more, may have grown out of or that they do not play with because their interests have changed (we are NOT looking for parents to buy new items to donate).

Children will use more of the grounds, for more of the year, this means your children: may get a bit messier; will be exposed to more challenges; and will have greater freedoms to play where, with whom and how they like. The experiences the school is fostering are essential for children’s physical and mental wellbeing and are in line with all current good practice advice on health and safety, wellbeing and development.

The school will be supported by OPAL for 18 months. If you would like to learn more about the OPAL Primary Programme, please have a look at the OPAL website (www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk), where you will find lots of useful information and several videos about the programme.

In the coming 18 months you will be invited to events where you can come and see for yourselves what OPAL is all about, see the changes happening in school and join in play sessions with your children too.

We are really excited about this project and hope that you will support us in our efforts to improve playtime for all children.

Best wishes

Mr Horishny, Mrs Hartwell & Miss King