OPaL- OUTDOOR PLAY AND LEARNING

The OPaL approach to play strongly aligns with our school ethos: Everyone Valued, Everyone Learning, Everyone Welcome as well as our well embedded school culture where we actively encourage children to Be Active, Be Healthy and Be Mentally Strong.

At Prae Wood, we believe that all children need opportunities to play that allow them to explore, manipulate, experience and affect their environment. As a highly inclusive school, we believe play provision should be welcoming and accessible to every child, irrespective of gender, economic or social circumstances, ethnic or cultural background or origin, or individual abilities.

Every day at lunch time, pupils can explore and investigate through play using a huge variety of objects, with which they can build, colour, dress up, run, jump and climb- or whatever they choose! In addition to this, on Fridays we all enjoy 'Friendly Fridays', where pupils can choose to play all around the school site and with children from other year groups. The initiative is fluid and ever-evolving; we are guided by the response and input of the pupils, meaning that pupils feel heard and supported by their peers and staff alike.

Did you know, children in British primary schools spend 20% or 1.4 years of their school attendance in play?

Friendly Fridays

At the start of February 2025 we enjoyed our very first Friendly Friday, where children can choose where they would like to play anywhere across the school site. Our youngest pupils were supported by their older buddies and staff on hand to make sure everyone had a great time, despite the chilly weather. Our second session ran on Friday 28th February, made all the more fun with the lovely spring sunshine. Everyone had a wonderful time using the equipment available to them and playing with their friends in different year groups.

As time goes by, pupils continue to enjoy working together and playing in different areas of the school, working collaboratively and with different equipment.

Mud Kitchens, Water Wall and Palette Houses!

The PWSA have funded the purchase of some fantastic items for play time; a water wall and mud kitchen. Parents have donated items to bring these structures to life and pupils are having a great time using them.

In addition to these structures our Site Manager, Mr Woolford, worked with parent and staff volunteers to build these amazing palette houses, which will be sited around the school grounds. They are constructed from donated materials such as palettes, astro turf and lino and will provide a great place for pupils to play.

Our OPaL Staff and Pupil Team

Mrs Childs has taken on the role of OPaL play co-ordinator and will be on the playground every lunchtime, supporting play and encouraging the children to try new things.

Research shows that play contributes to children's physical and emotional health, wellbeing, approach to learning and enjoyment of school

In addition to our play co-ordinator, a keen group of Year 6s have also volunteered to be OPaL Organisers - a vital role in helping get the project up and running.

Isabelle and Jaydon (on behalf of the Y6 OPaL Organisers) said:

'Did you know that your child spends up to 1.4 years out at play during their time at primary school? As OPaL Organisers, we are all very responsible Y6s and know exactly what we are doing. We can't wait to start the project and we'd love for you to get involved! Watch this space for details about donations you can make (you won't need to buy anything, we promise!). Some of the things we would like to introduce are mud kitchens, Freedom Friday (in which the children could mix up and interact across the whole school) and a stereo system of calm and appropriate music that we will download.'

Prae Wood Primary School