Princes Risborough Primary School celebrates with Platinum OPAL Award for outstanding outdoor play
Princes Risborough Primary School celebrates with Platinum OPAL Award for outstanding outdoor play
Princes Risborough Primary School has achieved the Platinum Award for OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning), putting the school in the top 1% of all primary schools nationally for the quality of its play provision.
Over the course of their primary education, children in the UK spend about 20% of their school time, or 1.4 years, playing. OPAL enables schools to provide every child with rich opportunities to be creative, collaborative and active in their outdoor play, in environments that are safe enough for ‘health and safety’ but challenging enough for children’s ongoing development.
Having applied for the OPAL Primary Programme, a school improvement initiative addressing all 18 areas a school must plan for if they want to sustainably improve the quality of play, Princes Risborough Primary School was awarded the highest possible national accolade.
“We are committed to ensuring quality play opportunities are available to all our children and believe that play is essential for physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development,” explained Headteacher Amy Howlett. “We want to create unforgettable outdoor experiences that inspire adventure, curiosity and discovery so every child can make lasting memories through play and exploration.
“OPAL gives us the opportunity to give those memories to children in our school. It is all about using resources to empower children to be inspired and creative at playtime. Through our partnership with OPAL, playtimes are designed so every child can explore, play and get the very most from their outdoor time.
OPAL strives to enable children to access all the school grounds, all the time, and at Princes Risborough the school no longer has separate playgrounds for the different year groups – all children can access both playgrounds at every lunchtime.
“We have introduced a construction zone, mud kitchen, small world play, natural obstacle course, strap lines, tree swings, tyres, music, bubbles, climbing wall, pogo sticks, scooter boards and a large sandpit,” Amy said. “Den-building is hugely popular. We allow dens to stay up throughout the week and take them down on Fridays. However, OPAL enables children to experience so many different types of play. We have provided ‘loose parts’ for the children to use their imagination and play with however they like. The school needs a constant supply to replenish these as things get broken, so we appeal to the local parent/carer and business community to support us with OPAL and provide donations.”
Examples of loose parts include small world toys such as dolls’ houses, fire stations, toy garages and cars, toy pushchairs, toy dolls and Barbies, sheets and blankets, wooden train tracks, buckets and spades, musical instruments, cable reels, trunking, pipes, tuff trays, wheeled suitcases, flat wood, and plastic crates.
“We have invested huge amounts of time, effort and resources into strengthening our curriculum and making it as strong as it could possibly be for our children,” Amy reflected. “Playtime is an essential part of the whole learning experience, and we were determined to get it right. We visited a range of schools at different stages of their OPAL journey and came away inspired by the possibilities. Bringing our staff along, including our OPAL Play Lead, meant everyone could see the vision and share in our excitement. Together, we set out to create outdoor experiences that spark curiosity, encourage exploration and give every child the chance to learn, grow and enjoy their playtime to the fullest.
“Lunchtimes quickly became a focus for us. Too often, children were restless or unsure how to spend their time, and behaviour incidents reflected that. By rethinking play, we turned lunchtimes into a space for exploration, teamwork and discovery – where every child can grow, challenge themselves and make the most of their school day.”
Amy described the difference OPAL is making as “remarkable” and how “behaviour incidents at lunchtime have virtually disappeared”.
“The playground is calm, purposeful and full of engagement. The children are deeply absorbed in their play, and we are seeing wonderfully creative, imaginative activity. That is what I love about OPAL. The loose parts, the absence of fixed climbing structures – it is simple but powerful. A few years ago, improving lunchtime might have meant installing an expensive climbing frame. But OPAL shows that rich play does not require that. It requires imagination, space and the right materials – and, again, many of these are donated by our community.”
Sarah Baber, CEO of Great Learners Trust, said: “Princes Risborough is now the only school in the area to achieve Platinum OPAL accreditation – a remarkable accomplishment. This recognition reflects their commitment to providing play experiences that support children’s physical development, social skills and emotional wellbeing. It is inspiring to see other schools keen to learn from their journey.”
In May, Princes Risborough Primary School is hosting an official Platinum celebration with OPAL representatives.