Outdoor Play & Learning (OPAL)

What is OPAL?

OPAL is an outdoor play and learning program 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.

The Outdoor Play and Learning (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. 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 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.

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 of 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:

• safe and stimulating environments,
• freedom to choose and control their play,
• and adequate time and space.

At Pickhill, we want all or children to have the experience of play. Our children may get a bit messier, be exposed to more challenges and have greater freedoms to play where, with whom and how they like. We believe these experiences 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.

Take a look at some of our wonderful play and learning activities by clicking on the Zones below.