Back in March, we sent you a letter to update you on the progress we have made with the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme. We began this project to transform our outdoor play provision for our children around a year ago and we wanted to take some time to update you again on our progress so far, and some plans for the future.

What has been added to lunchtimes so far?

All this has been added to complement the already available loose parts/PlayPod materials and large open spaces.

Parent survey results

Thank you to those of you who were able to attend our Parent Play Days in September. We were impressed by how many families managed to join us and enjoyed seeing you all playing with your children.

Many of you completed the survey we sent out after the events. The findings of the survey are as follows:

1. What play areas did your child particularly enjoy?

• The beach
• The woods
• The digging area
• The messy café
• The water play area
  
   

1. What did you notice about our play provision that was particularly positive?

• The freedom of movement and space
• Being outdoors whatever the weather
• The variety of play opportunities
• The quantity of play areas
   

1. What aspect of our play provision would you like to see more of / improved?

• More climbing opportunities
• Development of the water play area
• More sheltered spaces
• Improved fencing in some areas
   

1. How would you rate our play provision?
   On average, you rated our play provision 4.75 out of 5!

What’s coming next?

We have a long list of exciting additional play opportunities planned over the next few months, including:

Wellies and waterproofs

These are now a firm part of our uniform policy and we are pleased to see that the majority of children have these in school, meaning they are able to access the full range of opportunities available at lunchtimes. The children are becoming increasingly responsible and independent in making sure they are dressed for the conditions.

Thank you!

Again, a huge thank you must go out to everyone who has donated items – big or small – as part of our weekly appeals. Please keep those donations coming in!

To view a gallery of photos from lunchtimes, please visit the school website and navigate to the OPAL page: https://www.prettygateschools.co.uk/opal-outdoor-play-and-learning/