Play makes up 20% of children's primary school life. How do schools plan for this 20%? What are the roles of the play team?
How do we develop our best teams? How can playtime support us to foster our school's values in all our children – resilience, courage, tenacity, kindness? How do children get their playthings out and put them away? What are the solutions to foxes and sandpits?
Join Kurti Birkenbeil, OPAL mentor and expert in improving children's playtimes, and Kim Brown, headteacher at Buckingham Park Primary School. They will be sharing their experiences of how the OPAL Primary Programme has transformed playtimes and the impact that this has had on the school and the children.
Agenda
11am–12pm Introduction to OPAL
An introduction to the programme with time for questions, open to anyone considering how to make their playtimes amazing. It can also apply to wrap-around provision and holiday activities too.
12pm–1pm Playtime observation
We will be joined by schools currently undertaking the OPAL Primary Programme and we will all observe how the school's play team ensures all the children have access to all play types in this urban playground.
About Buckingham Park Primary School
"We are a larger than average community school with a small school feel. We seek to provide a caring, supportive and nurturing environment where children feel happy and safe to learn and fulfil their potential. You will see from our very full newsletters that life at Buckingham Park is busy and full of opportunities for children to shine. Our spacious school with its extensive grounds, is at the heart of our community and we work closely with families to help our children develop the essential skills for a happy and fulfilled life."
Kim Brown, Headteacher.
Additional information
We will be indoors and outdoors; please come dressed whatever the weather. OPAL schools play outdoors in all weathers.
Please bring your own refreshments/lunch.
Numbers are limited so sign up soon. If you can no longer come, please let us know so we can release your place to another school.
About the OPAL Primary Programme
The OPAL Primary Programme is an award-winning mentor supported school improvement programme that addresses all the areas that schools must plan for if they want to strategically and sustainably improve the quality of their play opportunities.
Find out more: www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk
