OPAL London & SE Regional Workshop: Baring Primary, Lewisham, London

Are you currently on your OPAL journey?

Come and join our family of OPAL schools at this London and the South East regional network meeting.

Whether you are just starting out or are an established OPAL school, this afternoon session will bring inspiration, ideas and the chance to network with like-minded local schools.

See playtime at this platinum OPAL school, chat to the head, curricular lead and play coordinator, and have a focussed hour of training you can take back to use with your playteam and shape your next steps.

Agenda

12pm Lunchtime play observation

1pm Refreshments

Tea and coffee will be provided; please bring your lunch.

1:15pm Welcome

Welcome from headteacher Caroline Philips and/or Curriculum Lead Joanne Hainne, with Q and A

UK and South East OPAL update from OPAL mentor and Outdoor People CEO Cath Prisk

1:30pm OPAL workshops

Two or three of these topics, depending on attendees and numbers (please indicate preference when booking)

1. Outdoor play year-round
2. Sourcing, sustaining, maintaining and getting rid of loose parts
3. Managing our play teams
4. RAPID – safe enough for children and staff to dynamically manage their challenging and fun environments
5. Extending playwork - embedding a playwork curriculum
6. SEND in mainstream playgrounds

2:30pm Q&A and evaluation

2:45pm Close

Only two tickets per school. If you can no longer attend, please let us know so we can release your ticket to another school.

Please note this event is for current OPAL schools.

Times are subject to alterations of up to 30 minutes. In the week before the event, attendees will receive an email confirming times.

Curious about OPAL?

If you are not currently an OPAL school and would like to know more, book a free Zoom introduction through the OPAL CIC website or join a session local to you: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/curious-about-opal-come-see-283749

About Baring Primary School

Baring Primary School in Lewisham have been developing their amazing playtime for the last 18 months and will be awarded in March 2025.

They are a one-form inner city primary school with a very small playground, dominated by a huge ball court. They had a small trim trail and a couple of covered areas and high walls. They also now have a sandpit, mud and digging, a scooter track and lots and lots of stuff to play with.

It was a challenging space to start with, so they brilliantly showcase what can be done with a small area and a lot of imagination.

A very typical London school, with a quarter of the children receiving pupil premium, and a large proportion being multilingual speaking over 40 languages.

Additional information

There are easy transport links and good cycle parking, and some free parking nearby. There are a large number of steps around the site so if you have any mobility issues, please get in touch with us.

We will have tea and coffee available.

Please dress appropriately, we will be outside whatever the weather.