Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)

Here at Buckingham Park Primary School, we are committed to ensuring quality play opportunities are available to all our children. We have recently embarked on an exciting journey with the OPAL programme.

Children spend 20% of their time in school playing and we believe that play is essential for the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of each child.

There are many benefits to the OPAL programme including:

• Improving playtimes for all children means happier children and children who come into the classroom ready to learn
• Improving our play spaces across the school, making the most of our wonderful grounds and ensuring a fully inclusive play offer 
• Developing our school values by encouraging children to be creative, resilient, independent and collaborative whilst respecting those around them 
• Improving behaviour at playtimes
• It's fun!

OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is all about using natural and man-made resources to allow children to be inspired and creative at playtime.

We anticipate this being a 18-24 month journey, please visit this page for any updates on our journey.

Here is a link to a school that have fully embedded the OPAL approach to their playtimes - we think it looks great!

//www.youtube.com/embed/7UCex3K_0j4#t=0.5