Here at Harrow Lodge 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 physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development of each child. There are many benefits to the OPAL programme including:
- Improving playtimes for all children meaning 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 spaces and ensuring a fully inclusive play offer
- Develops our school values 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 naturally and man-made resources to allow children to be inspired and creative at playtime.
Our children have access to a wide range of materials, which they can use in their play. These include tyres, crates, wood, fabric, mud, wheeled toys and much more. Through regular play assemblies, they are taught about dynamic risk assessments and playing co-operatively with others.
Over the coming months we are hoping to introduce further loose parts and materials, in addition to building a large sandpit, which children can use in their play.
We follow advice from the Health and Safety Executive, who support active play in schools.
“HSE fully recognises that play brings the world to life for children. It provides for an exploration and understanding of their abilities; helps them to learn and develop; and exposes them to the realities of the world in which they will live, which is a world not free from risk but rather one where risk is ever present. The opportunity for play develops a child’s risk awareness and prepares them for their future lives. (From the Health and Safety Executive’s Children’s play and leisure – promoting a balanced approach.)”
You can read our play policy here: OPAL Play Policy