OPAL Play
Our Approach to OPAL Play
At Bishop Loveday, we believe play is an essential part of every child's development. Since launching the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme we have seen playtimes transformed.
The OPAL vision is simple: every child should enjoy high-quality, meaningful play every day. As a school, we’re proud to be working in partnership with OPAL to make this a reality. Our school grounds now support exciting, diverse play experiences in all weathers, with new zones and equipment offering something for every interest and age group.
Why OPAL?
Play is vital to children’s health, happiness, and learning. Research shows children spend up to 20% of their school time playing, and the quality of this time matters.
OPAL play has transformed our playtimes into rich, engaging experiences that support children’s physical, social, and emotional development. By offering a wide variety of play opportunities, children are more active, creative, and collaborative. The positive changes extend into the classroom too, as children return from play more focused, settled, and ready to learn.
These OPAL play opportunities are also enjoyed by the children who attend our wraparound care provision, both before and after school.
What Play looks like at Bishop Loveday
We have developed our outdoor spaces into distinct zones, giving children freedom to choose how and where they play and who they play with.
Children now enjoy a wide range of activities:
- Building dens
- Digging in the sand and the archaeological dig
- Cooking in the mud kitchen
- Creating games
- Riding trikes and scooters
- Rolling tyres
- Performing in the new amphitheatre
You can view our Play Policy on our Policies page
Risk and Responsibility
We help children to understand that with play comes risk. Our OPAL assemblies support children to assess any new equipment or zones, identify potential risks, and discuss how to manage them. This involvement helps them play more safely and confidently.
Our OPAL Journey
We are proud of our OPAL journey so far and it's only the beginning. With continued support from staff, families, our PTA (FoBLS) and the wider community, we’re committed to making playtimes at Bishop Loveday even better!