Here at The Grove Primary School, we are committed to ensuring quality play opportunities are available to all our children. We believe that play is essential for physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of each child. Most of our best childhood memories are from playing outdoors, climbing trees and exploring the wide world around us. OPAL gives us the opportunity to give those memories to your children. OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is all about using naturally and man made resources to allow children to be inspired and creative at playtime.
What does this mean for us
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- Happier children
- Children coming into class ready to learn
- A fully inclusive playtime offer
- It allows children an opportunity to be creative and make decisions
- Children develop independence and resilience skills
- Increased social skills
- …. and most importantly fun!
OPAL Policy
OPAL News
The Grove Primary School has just achieved Silver award status from OPAL Outdoor Play and Learning. This means that they are in the top 0.5% of UK schools for the quality of the play they provide for all their children. The school has demonstrated that it takes the UNCRC Article 31, the child’s right to play, seriously and is implementing all stages of school improvement in relation to play, including policy, planning, resourcing, staffing and evaluation.” Michael Follett BA Hons Ed, PGCE OPAL Founder and Director
Fun In The Sun
Sponsored Run & Soak The Teacher
In order to help with our fundraising to improve our outdoor area we organised a sponsored run and a soak the teacher! We ran for 3 miles and then when we got back to school we got some revenge on the teachers by throwing soaking wet sponges at them. A big well done to all the children ( and staff) who took part. The money we raised helped to pay for our brand new sandpit and shed.
Our New Sandpit and Shed
Our OPAL journey is well underway and we have been able to dramatically improve our play times! Staff comment on a daily basis how enjoyable playtimes are and how lovely it is to see the children engaged with play. Since we started OPAL in September we have only had one indoor playtime, we use our once abandoned school field every day and we have something to suit all children and better yet we are still thinking of more ideas!
We have now a HUGE sandpit that the children love to play in and we most recently got some bright markings added to the playground including our very own bespoke designed Sensory trail and scooter track for children to use every time they are outside!
Each half term we are going to have an extended play session where all the teaching staff can come out to play with the children. Take a look at some of our photos from our most recent session!
OPAL Developments
We envisage it will take 12 to 18 months to fully develop our play offer. We will be posting lost of updates and news about the project as it moves forward.
This is a school at the end of their OPAL implementation phase and have documented their journey…How amazing do playtimes look! Hopefully, over the next 18 months we will have something similar that all the children can enjoy in our school.
How you can support OPAL?
OPAL is all weather play. Please ensure children are dressed appropriate for the season. Wellies and a change of shoes are essential for them to access the full play offer.
!We want your junk!
Our OPAL project are looking for a few items if you have them!
- Small world items ( dinosaurs, figures, cars, farmyard animals etc…)
- Pots, pans and kitchen utensils.
- We still need some bigger items especially pallets.
School is always open between 8am – 4pm if you have anything to drop off.
As always we appreciate your support!
OPAL team.
Types of play
As part of our OPAL provision, we ensure that we plan for and cover all types of play. These include:
- Creative/ fantasy/imaginative play– such as loose parts, role play.
- Exploratory play-using objects in new ways.
- Mastery play– building, changing and growing things.
- Object play– playing with objects in expected ways or unconventional ways.
- Communication playing– singing, miming
- Socio-dramatic play– role play, songs, re-enactments.
- Rough and tumble play– testing strengths with objects, pulling and pushing objects.
- Locomotor play– chase, tig, climbing and jumping.
Meet The OPAL Team
Should you have any questions about the OPAL project please get in touch with a member of the OPAL team.