OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learn)
Lime Academy Parnwell are passionate about play!
The award-winning OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) is a primary programme to improve opportunities for physical activity, socialisation, cooperation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination and enjoyment through improved play.
OPAL is based on the idea that, as well as learning through good teaching, your children also learn when they play. As 20% of their time in school is playtime, we want to make sure that this amount of time (equivalent to 1.4 years of primary school) is as good as possible. One reason the school is carrying out this programme is that childhood has changed, and many children no longer get their play needs met out of school:
- Average screen time per day is six hours.
- Average outdoor play time per week is five hours.
Play is not messing about. It is the process evolution has come up with to enable children to learn all of the things that cannot be taught, while also having so much fun. There are many proven benefits for schools that carry out the OPAL Primary Programme. They usually include: more enjoyment of school, less teaching time lost to disputes between children, fewer accidents and greatly improved behaviour
Over the last two years, we have engaged with the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) project – to make our lunchtimes even more exciting, and ensure that there is something for everyone, whatever their interests.
“All the research says time playing outdoors is time well spent. Children who play outdoors move more, sleep more, eat better, are happier and care about the planet more. They are even less likely to need glasses!”
Michael Follett (Director of Outdoor Play and Learning, OPAL)
What benefits will OPAL have for my child?
Research has shown that children in OPAL schools make deeper friendships, concentrate and behave better in class, and have less time off sick. Finally, and most importantly, they are happier!
Since joining the programme, we have introduced:
- a wider range of places to play on the school site
- more things to play with – particularly ‘loose parts’ which support children to use their imagination
- a risk-benefit approach so children learn to take risks in the safest way possible
- training for the staff that supervise and enhance children’s play
What do I need to provide?
Our children will play outside in all weather conditions, except during thunderstorms and high winds when playtime may be adjusted or brought indoors.
To make sure children play outdoors every day, they need to be warm, dry and comfortable, with the right clothing for all kinds of weather.
In winter, they need:
- wellies or waterproof shoes / boots
- a waterproof (not ‘showerproof’) coat
- waterproof trousers if possible
- hat, scarf and gloves
- a named change of clothes to keep in school (including socks). This is especially important for younger children.
In summer, they need:
- hat
- sun cream
- a named change of clothes to keep in school (including socks). This is especially important for younger children.
The OPAL Primary Programme is the result of over 20 years of testing and development in over 800 schools and has been used in Spain, Canada, France and New Zealand. In 2018, OPAL won first prize in an EU-funded award for the best active school’s programme in Europe and two UK national playwork awards. In 2019, OPAL was awarded a quarter of a million pounds by Sport England to bring the programme to many more schools.
