OPAL

In October 2025, we were accredited with the Gold OPAL Award! This means that every child has an amazing playtime every day. It also means that play is taken seriously at our school and is given appropriate leadership, planning, evaluation and resources. Playtimes at Blackford CE Primary are inclusive, joyful and provide a wide variety of types of play.

Our OPAL mentor said, "Playtimes at Blackford CE Primary School have been transformed! The children are busy, active and engaged and their imaginative games are full of fun and creativity. The whole school community has been involved, helping to create amazing playtimes which make the children happier and healthier. Well done to everyone!"

At Blackford CE Primary School, we prioritise quality play for all children, with play making up about 20% of their school time—roughly 1.4 years of their primary education. We are collaborating with OPAL to provide exciting play opportunities for every child in our school.

Play helps children explore and connect with their environment, and we aim to create the best play experiences by optimising our site, staff, and skills during break and lunchtime. This reinforces the link between play, learning, development, health, and happiness.

Many childhood memories are built through outdoor play, and OPAL fosters this by using natural and man-made resources to inspire creativity. Schools implementing OPAL experience benefits such as increased enjoyment, fewer disputes, reduced accidents, and improved behaviour. Research also shows that outdoor play promotes better movement, sleep, nutrition, happiness, and environmental awareness.

The impact we have seen so far:

Happier children
Lots of collaborative play
Opportunities for creativity and decision making
Children coming into class ready to learn
A fully inclusive playtime offer
Increased skills of independence and resilience.
Increased social skills and perseverance
Less disputes at playtime
And most importantly fun!

OFSTED - October 2024:

“At social times, pupils play cooperatively and demonstrate respect towards each other…. They (pupils) delight in using the new play equipment outside…”