Menu Close Menu

Home Page

Greenwood
Primary School

OPAL

Outdoor Play And Learning - OPAL

We are a Platinum OPAL School!

We are delighted that Greenwood Primary School has achieved Platinum OPAL status, recognising the quality of the play opportunities we provide for our children.

OPAL – Outdoor Play and Learning – is now firmly embedded in life at Greenwood. Achieving Platinum status reflects the commitment of our children, staff, families and governors to making playtimes an exciting, inclusive and valuable part of every child’s school day.

The OPAL approach recognises that children learn not only through high-quality teaching in the classroom, but also through play. Playtimes make up a significant proportion of a child’s time at primary school, so we believe they should provide rich opportunities for children to explore, create, cooperate, take appropriate risks and, most importantly, have fun.

OPAL’s mission is:

“To ensure that every school child has an amazing playtime every day, with no exceptions.”

Through OPAL, we aim to:

improve children’s wellbeing
develop independence and self-regulation
increase physical activity
support social and emotional development
develop creativity and imagination
help children learn to assess and manage risk
encourage cooperation and problem-solving
give every child opportunities to find play they enjoy
make playtimes fun!

Why is play so important?

Childhood and opportunities for play have changed considerably. Children do not always have the same freedom or opportunities to play outdoors that previous generations may have experienced.

At Greenwood, we recognise that high-quality play is an essential part of a happy and healthy childhood. Through OPAL, children have opportunities to be active, creative, sociable, curious and adventurous.

High-quality play can support children’s physical and mental wellbeing while helping them develop important skills such as resilience, communication, negotiation, teamwork and problem-solving.

It can also help children learn how to assess and manage risk for themselves within a carefully considered and supportive environment.

The benefits of play

Children learn through play. Play provides countless opportunities for children to learn and develop. Through their play, children can build:

physical skills – running, climbing, balancing, travelling, lifting and coordinating movements
social skills – cooperating, negotiating, sharing ideas and resolving disagreements
communication and language – developing vocabulary, storytelling and imaginative thinking
creativity – inventing games, constructing, performing and transforming everyday objects through imagination
problem-solving skills – planning, experimenting, adapting ideas and finding solutions
resilience – persevering when something does not work first time and learning from experience
independence – making choices and taking responsibility for themselves and their play

Play supports physical and emotional wellbeing

Active play gives children opportunities to move their bodies in many different ways and contributes to a healthy, active lifestyle.

Play can also provide an important outlet for emotions. It gives children space to relax, have fun, connect with friends and experience a sense of freedom within the school day.

Play and learning go hand in hand

Play and learning are not separate. During play, children practise and apply skills from many areas of their development.

A simple activity can involve communication, mathematics, creativity, physical development, negotiation and problem-solving all at once. A den might become a shop, a restaurant, a spaceship or something entirely new the next day.

That freedom to imagine, experiment and create is one of the things that makes play so powerful.

What does OPAL look like at Greenwood?

At Greenwood, children from Year 1 to Year 6 have the freedom to choose how and where they play within the designated outdoor areas of our school grounds.

Rather than every child being expected to take part in the same activity, OPAL gives children a wide range of possibilities. They can choose energetic play, imaginative play, construction, creativity, performance, quieter activities and much more.

Our play opportunities continue to evolve in response to the interests and ideas of our children.

Equipment and play opportunities may include:

tyres and planks
crates, containers, fabric and cardboard for building and imaginative play
mud café and kitchen
water play
small-world play, such as dinosaurs, vehicles and fantasy worlds
scooters, skateboards and other wheeled equipment
hoops, balls and skipping ropes
sports activities, including the MUGA and basketball
sand play
large-scale chalking and drawing
den building
music, drama and dressing up
creative activities
imaginative and role play

The important thing is not simply the equipment itself, but what children choose to do with it. A plank might become a bridge, a stage, part of a den or something completely different in the hands of an imaginative child.

Freedom, responsibility and managing risk

An important part of OPAL is giving children greater freedom while helping them learn to use that freedom responsibly.

Children are encouraged to make choices about their play, consider risks, look after one another and take responsibility for the equipment they use. At the end of play sessions, children also help to return equipment and look after our shared play environment.

Our outdoor areas are supervised by members of staff acting as Play Leaders, who support children’s play while maintaining appropriate supervision.

Because OPAL play takes place outdoors throughout much of the year, children may sometimes get muddy or wet! Wellies and suitable old outdoor coats are strongly recommended so that children can enjoy their play without worrying about getting their clothes dirty.

Play Assemblies and the Golden Welly

Play Assemblies are an important part of OPAL at Greenwood.

They give us an opportunity to celebrate fantastic play, share children’s ideas, introduce new equipment and opportunities, and revisit expectations that help everyone enjoy our outdoor spaces safely and responsibly.

We also celebrate particularly wonderful examples of play through our Golden Welly Award!

How can families support OPAL?

Families play an important role in helping us maintain and develop the quality of play at Greenwood.

One of the simplest ways to help is to make sure children come to school prepared for outdoor play throughout the year. Suitable coats and wellies allow children to make the most of the school grounds whatever the weather.

From time to time, we may also ask families for donations of resources and “loose parts” that can inspire creative play. Often, objects that adults might overlook can become wonderful play resources in the hands of children.

OPAL play can mean that children come home a little muddier, encounter more physical challenges and enjoy greater freedom than they might in a traditional playground. These experiences help children develop confidence, independence, resilience and the ability to manage appropriate risks.

Continuing our OPAL journey

Achieving Platinum OPAL status is a fantastic milestone for Greenwood, but it is not the end of our journey.

Our OPAL Play Team, including governors, senior leaders, staff and parents, continues to review and develop our provision so that play at Greenwood remains safe, inclusive, exciting and responsive to our children’s needs and interests.

We are extremely proud of the play culture that has developed at Greenwood and of the creativity, confidence and enthusiasm our children demonstrate every day.

At Greenwood, play matters – and every child deserves an amazing playtime.

Find out more

You can find out more about the Outdoor Play and Learning programme, its approach to play and its work with schools on the OPAL website.

OPAL

Wish List

As we work towards making our playtimes more exciting, no matter what the weather, we need some equipment to help us to do this. Donations of any of the following would be greatly received: