Beginning Our OPAL Journey – February 2026
Leadgate Primary School proudly began our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) journey, marking an important step in improving the quality of play for all our children.
OPAL is a nationally recognised school improvement programme that focuses on developing rich, inclusive and purposeful play opportunities. Research shows that children spend up to 20% of their school day at play, making play a vital part of their physical, emotional, social and creative development.
This is a whole‑school journey, and improvements will continue to develop over time as we embed new approaches and listen carefully to the voices of our children.
Through OPAL, we aim to:
- Improve children’s physical health, wellbeing and happiness
- Develop creativity, imagination and problem‑solving skills
- Build positive relationships, cooperation and resilience
- Provide a more inclusive play offer that meets the needs of all pupils
We are excited about the journey ahead and look forward to sharing updates as our OPAL play provision continues to grow and develop. The video below shows our grounds at teh start of our OAPL journey.
The Planning Phase
During the planning phase of our OPAL journey, we carefully reviewed our outdoor environment and identified different areas of the school grounds to be developed into distinct play zones. We made the most of our extensive fields and outdoor spaces, using these to shape both our Phase 1 goals and our longer‑term Phase 2 goals. We developed a grouds plan which shows how these areas will be used and developed over time.
Alongside this work, staff took part in OPAL training and worked collaboratively to develop risk assessments that support safe, inclusive and purposeful play. We were also overwhelmed by the support from our parents and wider community, who came together to provide generous donations to help build resources for our play areas.
This strong sense of teamwork has been a key part of our planning phase, and we think you’ll agree that the plans ahead were very exciting.
OPAL Update -Stage 1 and Stage 2 Complete
We are delighted to share that we have successfully completed Phase 2 of our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) journey. The new play opportunities have been incredibly well received by our pupils, with the wheeled play areas proving particularly popular. Children have loved developing their confidence, coordination and teamwork through a range of exciting activities.
The water play area has been a huge success during the summer months, with the slip and slide becoming a firm favourite amongst many pupils. These opportunities have encouraged children to be active, creative and adventurous whilst enjoying the benefits of outdoor play.
OPAL has become a real highlight of the school day for many children. Through pupil voice, children consistently tell us how much they enjoy the wider range of play experiences now available and the increased opportunities to explore, create and play collaboratively with their friends. Feedback from pupils has shown the significant positive impact OPAL has had on their enjoyment of school, wellbeing and social development.
