Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) CIC

@opal-cic.bsky.social

386 Followers 296 Following

Helping schools to strategically and sustainably improve their play opportunities. www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk #OPALSchools #PlanForPlay

A photo of two children playing on a swing at school.
A photo of a group of children playing in a sandpit at school.
A group of schoolchildren rolling down a grassy hill.
A photo of a child's hand holding a bunch of daisys and buttercups. Text overlaid reads: “If children grow up not knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it, and if they don’t understand it, they won’t protect it, and if they don’t protect it, who will?” Sir David Attenborough
A photo of children engaged in parachute play. Text overlaid reads: Are you a primary school teacher who wants to improve play provision for children living on the UK-France border? The Project Play logo is in the bottom right corner.
A photo of a child on a tyre swing at school.
A photo of a child on a swing at school.
A child running along a wooden trail in the school field.
A photo of a group of children running across a school field.
A gif that outlines three reasons to join OPAL mentors at an OPAL open day. The three reasons are: 1. Observe an OPAL playtime and see the impact of amazing play. 2. Hear from the headteacher about the school’s OPAL journey. 3. Meet your local OPAL mentor and find out more about the programme.
A gif with eight slides outlining some of the key benefits to improving playtimes. The benefits read: Calmer classrooms: with fewer disputes at playtime, teachers regain up to 30 hours of teaching time per year Improved behaviour: schools often see up to 80% reductions in the use of behaviour policies related to play Greater activity levels: children become more active, physically confident, and engaged Better staff morale: supervisors and teachers feel more equipped and positive about playtime Stronger school culture: play becomes a valued part of education, not just an afterthought Happier children: most importantly, children are more excited, creative, and fulfilled at school
A photo of two children playing in a mud kitchen at school. They are mixing water, mud and other natural materials i n an old pan. They look pleased with their creation.
A close up photo of a mud kitchen. Pans and mixing bowls sit on a wooden bench outdoors with leaves, mud and other natural materials mixed in them.
A child playing outdoors at school. They are in head-to-toe waterproofs and sitting on a sheet of plastic in a big muddy puddle.
A gif that reads: Three ways we have worked towards our vision in 2025. Our vision is that every child in every school has an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions. As we look back on another year, here are three ways we have worked towards achieving it in 2025. – We welcomed 547 new schools into the OPAL Primary Programme, bringing the total number of schools we have worked with to more than 2,000. – We grew the OPAL team to meet demand. Rob Francksen took on the new role of Managing Director, and our team of mentors grew from 43 to 50. – We worked with our Active Uniform Alliance partners to launch the Made to Move campaign — 70 schools have now signed the active uniform pledge. Thank you for being part of our journey this year.
A graphic that reads: Headteachers needed. Are you a headteacher passionate about student health? We invite headteachers of primary and secondary schools to participate in an international research study exploring school uniform policies that influence student physical activity and wellbeing. We're seeking headteachers to: Complete a 10-15 minute survey; Share your insights on school uniform policy; Help identify barriers, enablers and benefits of activity friendly uniforms. Please follow the link to access further information and complete the survey.
Children play outdoors at school. One hangs from a tree and another looks on, smiling.
Three children holding up their muddy hands to the camera.
Muddy wellies outdoors on a rack.
An advert for a job as an OPAL mentor. Text reads: We are hiring! Are you passionate about outdoor play? Could you support primary schools to transform their culture, playgrounds and practice? Apply today! The graphic has the OPAL logo in the bottom left and a photo of a child playing outdoors at school.
A photo of two children playing outdoors in a mud pit on a school field. They are wearing head to toe waterproofs and are using a play digger.
An advert for a job as an OPAL mentor. Text reads: We are hiring! Are you passionate about outdoor play? Could you support primary schools to transform their culture, playgrounds and practice? Apply today! The graphic has the OPAL logo in the top left and a photo of a child playing outdoors at school.
A child swinging on a rope and tyre swing in a school playground. They are smiling and looking at the camera.
A photo of children in the playground at school. They are wearing blue polo shirts and black trousers or shorts.
A school child walks along a rope bridge. They are wearing a light blue polo shirt, a dark blue cardigan, black leggings and black trainers.
A group pf children playing outdoors at school. One child in the foreground is jumping in the air.
A photo of children in the playground at school. They are jumping around and have smiles on their faces. A staff member is joining in and has their hands in the air clapping.
A short video showing the impact of the OPAL Primary Programme. The film features Michael Follett, OPAL's founder, and teachers that have been through the programme. Between the vox pop-style interviews are clips of children having lots of fun outdoors at school.
A photo of a group of children playing in a sandpit at school. It is a sunny day and the children look deep in concentration.
A green graphic with gold bunting and stars that has white text overlaid that says 'happy new year 2025'.
A photo of two children playing outdoors. The words 'thank you' are at the top of the graphic and the Project Play logo is in the top left. In the bottom left is a graphic that reads 'Every child deserves and space to play.'