OPAL – Outdoor Play and Learning

We are proud and committed to bring fun, safe and enjoyable outdoor play at Westgarth.

What is Westgarth’s Play Charter?

What Right to Play Do Children Have?

All children and young people have the right to play and need to play; free to choose what they do – lively or relaxed, noisy or quiet – with the chance to stretch and challenge themselves, take risks and enjoy freedom. A charter is our promise to you about how we will meet our legal and moral obligations to respect your rights.

What Right to Play Do Children Have?

All children and young people have the right to play and need to play; free to choose what they do – lively or relaxed, noisy or quiet – with the chance to stretch and challenge themselves, take risks and enjoy freedom. A charter is our promise to you about how we will meet our legal and moral obligations to respect your rights.

What Responsibility Do We Have?

• Everyone can choose what to play.

• We respect others by allowing them to join in.

• We respect the equipment, so it lasts longer for others to play with.

• We make sure our play is fair.

• We always share space and equipment.

• We look after each other.

• We ask adults for help when we are struggling.

• We play safely.

• We listen to each other.

What is Our Rationale?

Our school believes that all children need opportunities to play which allow them to explore, manipulate, experience and affect their environment. We believe play provision should be welcoming and accessible to every child, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, economic or social circumstances, ethnic or cultural background or origin, or individual abilities

We are preparing our children for a life-long love of learning and play while developing them as unique individuals. Play helps provide children to develop skills for life. These include resilience, independence, self-expression, self-confidence and self-belief, all which will result in our Westgarth pupils becoming the thinkers and doers of the future. Our place spaces across school are interesting and engaging, and follow the curiosity and wonders of the child, which is guided by the knowledge and expertise of our passionate play team. We will make amazing memories with your children and give them opportunities to experience things they may never have experienced before through all 12 types of play.

What is OPAL?

This project aims to improve opportunities for physical activity, socialisation, co-operation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination and enjoyment through improved play.

The OPAL Outdoor Play and Learning Programme is the result of 17 years of testing and development in over 250 schools and is now used in Canada and New Zealand as well as across the UK. Work has started to adapt the programme for schools in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Austria. In 2018 OPAL won first prize in an EU funded award for the best active school’s programme in Europe.

It is based on the idea that as well as learning through good teaching, your children also learn when they play, and 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.

Why are we following the OPAL programme?

One reason we are carrying out this programme is that childhood has changed and many children no longer get their play need met out of school.

– Average screen time per day 5 hours

– Average outdoor play time per week 5 hours

– Percentage of UK children who only play outdoor with other children at school 56%

There are many proven benefits for schools which carry out the OPAL Programme. They usually include: more enjoyment of school, less teaching time lost to disputes between children, less accidents and greatly improved behaviour.

What Does OPAL Look Like At Westgarth?