In January 2024 we launched our exciting new project OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) to make our playtimes even better.  In 2018, OPAL won the best active schools’ programme in Europe award and has been cited in two parliamentary reports as delivering outstanding practice. OPAL is working closely with Sport England to promote more active childhoods, which is one of the many reasons we are improving our playtime, as well as to improve opportunities for socialisation, cooperation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination and enjoyment for your child.

We strongly believe that: “Play is freely chosen, personally directed, intrinsically motivated behaviour that actively engages the child. Play can be fun or serious. Through play children explore social, material and imaginary worlds and their relationship with them, elaborating all the while a flexible range of responses to the challenges they encounter. By playing, children learn and develop as individuals, and as members of the community.” (Children’s Play Council 2001).

We hope that OPAL will change the way we think and how we play together.

At Turnfurlong Infant School, our OPAL project has a working group consisting of

Sarah Hounsell – OPAL Governor
Jenny Glen – SLT OPAL Curricular lead for play
Claire Moxham – TA OPAL play leader
12 x Year 2 pupils – OPAL play helpers

We still need a parent ‘play champion’.  If anyone is interested, please speak to Mrs Glen to find out more about the role.

This working group meets once a half term to discuss our action plan, development plan and the daily logisitics of resourcing, H&S and ideas for further outside fun.

Having this structure enables Ms Moxham to be outside daily, monitoring play and encouraging the 8 playwork principles.  Mrs Glen prioritises resource collection, organisation and budget e.g. new sheds for storage.  It is also cross referenced to our school development plan, and staff training is provided across all teams within school.  Mrs Hounsell is able to report OPAL feedback and impact back to the Governing Board.