OPAL Play

We are incredibly proud to announce that we have been awarded Platinum OPAL status, the highest level that can be achieved. Even more impressively, we scored 100%, making us only the fourth school in the areas (East Midlands and Lincolnshire) that our OPAL mentor, Bobby Beaumont, works in to reach this standard.

We were delighted to celebrate this with the children, and our assessor, Bobby, commented that within just five minutes he could tell that we were a Platinum school because of our fabulous children and the amazing quality of their play.

The Importance of OPAL Play

At Ravenshead C of E Primary School, we believe that play is not simply a break from learning, it is an essential part of childhood and a powerful way in which children develop confidence, creativity, resilience and friendships. Through our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) approach, we have transformed playtimes into exciting opportunities for exploration, imagination and personal growth. We are proud to hold the Platinum Award, the highest possible award and this indicates outstanding achievement in providing play opportunities and embedding play within the school's culture.

Our extensive outdoor environment provides children with the freedom to create, discover and challenge themselves. From imaginative role play and den building to construction activities, creative projects and physical challenges, pupils are encouraged to follow their interests, work collaboratively and develop important life skills.

A key principle of OPAL is helping children learn how to assess and manage risk for themselves. Rather than removing every challenge, we provide opportunities for children to make sensible decisions, evaluate situations and develop the confidence to take appropriate risks within a safe environment. Whether balancing on logs, constructing dens, creating new games or working with loose parts, children learn to think critically, solve problems and take responsibility for their choices. These experiences help to build resilience, independence and self-confidence, preparing them for challenges both in school and beyond.

The impact of OPAL can be seen every day across the playground. Children of all ages play together creating games, inventing new ideas and making the most of the wide range of resources available to them. Playtimes are purposeful, engaging and joyful, helping children return to the classroom refreshed, settled and ready to learn.

Our First Day of OPAL Play!

Opal Launch Day 1

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Did you know that play makes up 20% of school life? Your child's play per academic year in school is 231 hours (equivalent to 37 days which is 7.4 weeks)!

The Opal Play team (who will be working hard to make lunchtimes amazing for your children) are:

Each week, the children has a play assembly where we celebrate the great play that we have been observing, inform them of the new things being introduced e.g. equipment and loose parts, negotiate with them on how to develop the play and use the equipment safely, innovate and think of what to plan for next. We also complete our RAPID risk assessments to ensure that we use any new equipment safely.

Look out for updates in the weekly newsletter which will celebrate the play from the week and also inform you of up and coming developments!