OPAL North East

For Amazing Playtimes every single day you need OPAL. The International award winning school improvement programme which supports schools to change culture and practise around play resulting in fun, adventurous and inclusive playtimes everyday with no exceptions.

OPAL is a school improvement programme designed to support schools to improve the quality of their playtimes. It enables a school to take a strategic approach to play and develop areas around Leadership, Policy, Risk Management, Health and Safety, Access, Grounds Development and Playwork Practise. Each school has an appointed OPAL Mentor who works with them through the programme which is a series of development meetings, workshops and whole school training. OPAL Schools across the UK have access to a networking platform called OPAL College which enables schools to collaborate, access online playwork and risk benefit training and provides over 150 resource documents supporting play development in school. Tea with OPAL is a monthly online drop in session providing expert advice on a play related topic to support schools on their OPAL journey.

During the programme your appointed OPAL Mentor will work with your school over an 18 month period to support an entire cultural and practical transformation of the way that play is thought about, planned for, resourced and staffed. Most OPAL schools tell us they could never go back to the way they had been once they have completed the programme.

The impact of OPAL is outstanding:

•Children are more physically active, Up to 100% of girls and SEN children

•Increase in happiness and well-being

•Significant increase in core skills

•Children are playing more creatively

•Developing life skills – resilience, competence, perseverance 

•Risk Management Skills –  improved decision making

•Social skills, team building, negotiation

• Improved mental health and well-being

• Improved behaviour

• Less accidents, incidents,winging -addressing cotton wool culture 

• New friendship groups developed and wider social networks

• Increased learning time – more settled and ready to learn

•Access to grounds and nature regardless of the weather

•New skills and interests nurtured

•Therapeutic -opportunity to revisit developmental stages

•More inclusive – no child bored, feeling left out, unhappy and withdrawn                                                

You can currently pay the entire cost of the programme out of the PE and Sport Premium for Primary Schools as OPAL is a sustainable programme which increases physical activity and benefits all children. 

OPAL supports your school to ensure:

• playtimes are amaze times every single day with no exceptions. 
• Children are outside in all weathers.
• Your grounds are utilised all year round.
• Your lunch time staff are supported to facilitate play rather than police it.
• Your school develops a playwork based approach to ensure that the rich play opportunities you provide are supported by staff who totally understand play and child development.      

To book your free INTRO meeting contact:

Ingrid Wilkinson, North East OPAL Mentor

Tel : 07809 246548 or email ingrid@opalne.co.uk

 

 

 

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