What is OPAL?
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).
St Barnabas is 18 months into a 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.
Rachel Murray from OPAL commented:
“This is a truly outstanding achievement and one that the entire school community should celebrate with immense pride. A Platinum Award places St Barnabas amongst the very best primary schools in the country for the quality of its play provision and recognises an unwavering commitment to ensuring every child enjoys amazing playtimes, every day.
“At the heart of everything St Barnabas has achieved is a deep belief that childhood matters. The school has embraced children’s right to play, as enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, creating an environment where play is recognised not as a reward, but as an essential part of every child’s development, wellbeing and happiness.”
The school now plans to build a sensory garden and develop the school grounds further to enable tree climbing and pond dipping.
These developments aim to broaden play opportunities and support children’s wellbeing, confidence, and learning.
Year 6 Play Leaders
