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Chipping Ongar Primary School

OPAL

We are pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new project to make our play times even better, in conjunction with OPAL.

Introduction to OPAL

OPAL stands for Outdoor Play and Learning and is a programme aimed to improve opportunities for physical activity, socialisation, cooperation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination, and enjoyment through improved play. 

 

The 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. The programme has also been adapted and used in schools in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Austria under the Play Friendly Schools project. In 2018, OPAL won first prize in an EU-funded award for the

 

OPAL is based on the idea that, as well as learning through good teaching, 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. 
  • Percentage of UK children who only play outdoors with other children at school is 56%. 

 

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.  

Play is not messing about. It is the process evolution has come up with to enable children to learn all the things that cannot be taught, while also having so much fun. There are certain things children must have in order to be able to play. These include: 

 

  • Having clothes that they can play in 
  • Having things to play with 
  • Having a certain amount of freedom 

 

As our school improves play opportunities for your children, we will be asking you for resources and will be making changes about how children use the school grounds. We may use more of the grounds, for more of the year. The children may get a bit messier, be exposed to more challenges and have greater freedoms to play where, with whom and how they like. The experiences our school is fostering are essential for children’s physical and mental wellbeing and are in line with all current good practice advice on health and safety, wellbeing and development. 

 

Our school will be supported by OPAL for 18 months and there will be an opportunity to come and talk to the OPAL mentor. If you would like to learn more about the OPAL Primary Programme, please have a look at the OPAL website (www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk), where you will find lots of useful information and several videos about the programme. 

 

In the coming 18 months parents will be invited to events where they can come and see what is happening and have the opportunity to join in too.  We are really excited about this project and hope parents and carers will support us in our efforts to improve playtimes for all children. 

 

Bridge Academy Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 07663795.

Registered Office: Community Building, Bridge Academy Trust, Brian Close, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 9DZ.

Tel: 01245 202 937

Email: [email protected]

           
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