Grange Farm Primary School
In September 2024, we started an exciting project called 'The Primary OPAL Programme'. OPAL, which stands for Outdoor Play and Learning, is a whole school initiative that we will be using to enhance our provision at lunchtime. We recognise the value of play in children’s personal and social development and want to create an opportunity for children to enjoy high quality play.
OPAL's Vision
'At OPAL we have seen just how much of an impact improving play can make to a school. We are not just talking about playtimes being a bit less bother or about children being a bit happier. We are talking about cultural transformation.
When you address a need that is so fundamental to children's physical and mental well-being as play, and you do it well, it is impossible to think of how you ran a school and didn’t do this.
Our vision is that every child in every school has an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions. If one child is not enjoying playtimes, then things still need improving.
We want every school to plan for, resource and evaluate the quality of their play provision as if it were an important human right, essential to all aspects of children’s development and a source of joy and happiness that every child can access because it is all of these things.
We are looking forward to working alongside OPAL in the coming year to develop our play provision at school and will be sharing more information with parents and carers soon.
As a school we have created a 'Play Charter' which sets out our vision and commitment to promoting and supporting high quality play for all children in school.
September 2024
We have started to introduce different activity areas in the playground that children are able to access during lunchtimes. These have already proven very popular and include activities such as:
- skipping
- cars & vehicles
- dressing up
- home area
- small world
- sports area
- games
It has been fantastic to see the children immersing themselves in play which is not only great fun but also develops vital social skills such as communication and sharing.
January 2025
We have been busy creating a video to showcase our OPAL provision.
Please have a look at what we have been up to:
/i/video/OPAL_Video.mp4
The OPAL programme is an excellent initiative that is promoting really effective play outdoors. The programme is helping to develop pupils’ creative, imaginative, social and collaboration skills very well. Provision was well organised, well-resourced and effectively staffed. The learning atmosphere at lunchtime was first rate. – David Reznick School Monitoring Office (March 2025)
Lunchtime is so much more fun now and there is loads to do!
May 2025
We are excited to share that one of our parents who works for JLR organised a team of volunteers to create a permanent mud kitchen structure for us. We know this will be such a popular part of our OPAL provision and it is a fantastic new addition.
June 2025
We have been working in the background with one of our parents who works for Saint Gobain and has secured us a HUGE grant to support with our OPAL project. We are very excited to share this news and they have kindly made a video below to showcase what they are supporting us to do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzovuiIdzVc
Saint-Gobain are the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, and they design, manufacture, and distribute materials and solutions that play a vital role in creating essential spaces like hospitals, schools, workplaces, and homes across the UK & Ireland. Guided by their purpose of Making the World a Better Home, they promote safe, affordable, and sustainable environments, contributing to healthier, happier communities.
September 2025
We were excited to come back after the Summer holidays to a huge amount of progress on our OPAL project. As part of the wider work from Saint Gobain, our grounds team have dug drainage channels in the field, removed the dead trees and overgrown bushes from the woodland and restored the woodland path. The whole area is looking amazing and ready for some planting of new trees in the Spring!
We also had a new Forest School Shelter built at the bottom of the field next to the woodland. Not only does this mean that forest school can now take place whatever the weather but it also means that there is a lovely shaded seating area for a social space during lunchtimes.
February 2026
A team of dedicated volunteers from Saint Gobain were back to help with our latest project - building a willow structure! These ladies worked tirelessly on a very cold (and rather rainy) February day to build our willow structure at the top of the field. Not only will this also help with the drainage on the field but will provide some much needed shade in the Summer months.
We have also run our first ever 'Parent Play Day' which was a huge success! With the drizzly weather we didn't know how many parents would attend but as the session began, the hall quickly filled up and by the end of it there was standing room only! It was amazing to see so many parents come and join for our play session and to learn more about our OPAL project. We can't wait to host the next one!
Key Documents
Behind all the fun stuff for OPAL sits a huge amount of work on our strategic plan, staffing structure, ever evolving action plan, risk benefit anaylsis and policy documentation. Please see the list below for any further information you require:
OPAL
