OPAL - Outdoor Play and Learning

OPAL Play at Burgh by Sands School

At Burgh by Sands School, we are proud to be part of the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Primary Programme. This exciting 18-month initiative is helping us transform playtimes into rich opportunities for creativity, collaboration, resilience, physical activity, and joy. Our goal is for every child to experience at least one hour of high-quality play every school day.

Why OPAL?

Childhood has changed. Many children today have limited opportunities to play outdoors:

Average screen time: 6 hours per day
Average outdoor play time: 5 hours per week
56% of children only play outdoors with others at school
With 20% of the school day devoted to play (equivalent to 1.4 years of primary school), we want to make sure that time counts.

High-quality play is proven to:

Improve behaviour
Reduce accidents and disputes
Boost physical and mental health
Promote problem-solving, cooperation, and communication
Increase enjoyment of school

What Is OPAL?

OPAL is a nationally award-winning programme that helps schools create better play experiences. Developed over 17 years and adopted in over 250 schools across the UK (and now internationally), OPAL believes that children learn just as much through play as they do through classroom teaching.

At Burgh by Sands, we are creating engaging, inclusive, and exciting outdoor spaces filled with opportunities to build, dig, create, climb, imagine, explore, and collaborate.

How You Can Support OPAL at Our School

Provide the Right Clothing

Play can be muddy, wet, and messy – and that’s all part of the fun! To help your child get the most out of OPAL playtimes, please ensure they have:

Wellington boots
Waterproof coat
Waterproof trousers
Donate Resources

We are always on the lookout for ‘loose parts’ and everyday items that can be used creatively by children. If you’re having a clear-out, we’d love to take the following off your hands:

Plastic crates, bins, boxes
Wooden pallets, bread crates
Buckets, tools (spades, trowels, brooms)
Old pots, pans, baking trays, spoons
Dressing-up clothes
Tyres, cardboard tubes, piping
Pushchairs, old suitcases
Small world toys (e.g. dinosaurs, Lego, cars)
Art easels
Offcuts from landscaping (logs, branches)
If you think you have something that could be used, just ask—we’re happy to take a look!

Help Us Develop Our Grounds

We’ll be holding OPAL play days and parent events throughout the year where you can see the magic of OPAL in action, and maybe lend a hand in developing our play spaces.

What’s Happening So Far?

We’ve already introduced a range of exciting play opportunities:

Fancy dress
Chalks
Music
Small world and imaginative play
Each fortnight, we hold a Play Assembly to celebrate play successes, introduce new materials, and involve children in decision-making about how to improve and use the play space.

Stay Informed

We will keep you updated in our fortnightly newsletters, including photos, progress, and requests for specific resources. 

For more information about the OPAL Programme, visit: www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk

You can also watch a video of schools already on their OPAL journey here.

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