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St Mary's Church of England Academy

Here at St. Mary's we provide the highest possible quality of education, underpinned by our Christian ethos and values however we pride ourselves in the fact that we are mixed faith with a rising number of multi faiths through our school

OPAL

“All the research says time playing outdoors is time well spent. Children who play outdoors move more, sleep more, eat better, are happier and care about the planet more. They are even less likely to need glasses!”

Michael Follett (Director of Outdoor Play and Learning, OPAL)

We are very proud of our playtimes at St. Mary's and we are delighted with the community support to develop our spaces.  Take a look at our films showing how our community have developed our play spaces.

We believe passionatley in the power of play and that time spent during lunchtime has a powerful impact on our childrens learning. 

 

Play makes up 20% of school life. At St. Mary's we use OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning Programme) to drive the quality of our provison

 

St. Mary's aims to become a beacon of excellent play as we firmly believe good play promotes children's emotional, social and academic development. Our children are encouraged to use all of our school grounds at playtime, mixing together across the year groups and enjoying a huge range of play experiences including:

  • Loose Parts
  • Kitchen Garden
  • Giant sandpit
  • Bug Hotel and nature play
  • Tunnel, paths and hills
  • Mud Kitchen
  • Table Tennis
  • Scooters
  • Climbing frame
  • Monkey Bars
  • Tennis / Basketball
  • Grass football pitch
  • Pirate ship
  • Outdoor classroom / reading space
  • Outdoor chalk boards
  • NEST Lunch Club for crafts, Lego and reading
  • Board Games in the Studio
  • Disco on the stage

OPAL Play Policy

Play work Essentials

What is OPAL? 

We are part of the award-winning OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Primary Programme, which helps schools to improve children’s play experiences. We are delighted to have been awarded our status in the summer of 2025. This puts us in the top 1% of schools in the country for the quality of our play provision. 

As children in UK primary schools spend as much time out at play as they do in English or Maths lessons, we feel it is important that they have access to high-quality provision, just as they do within class. 

As part of the programme we have introduced: 

  • more place to play
  • more stuff to play with
  • a risk-benefit approach so children are safe to take the risks they need
  • training for the staff that look after children’s play

What benefits will OPAL have for my child? 

Research has shown that children in OPAL schools make deeper friendships, concentrate and behave better in class, and have less time off sick. Finally, most importantly, they are happier. 

What do I need to provide? 

When children aren’t allowed out to play they tend to be less able to concentrate, which impacts on their learning. As a result, at St. Mary’s, children will play outside in all weather conditions, with the exception of during thunder storms and high winds when playtime may be adjusted or brought indoors. 

To make sure children play outdoors every day they need to be warm, dry and comfortable, with the right clothing for all kinds of weather. 

In winter they need: 

  • wellies or waterproof shoes / boots
  • a waterproof (not ‘showerproof’) coat
  • waterproof trousers if possible
  • hat, scarf and gloves
  • a named change of clothes to keep in school (including socks). This is especially important for younger children.

In summer they need:

  • hat
  • sun cream
  • a named change of clothes to keep in school (including socks). This is especially important for younger children.

If you need support with providing any of the above, please speak to us. We have spare clothing and can help you to source what you need. 

 

OPAL Play Policy

Getting Started with OPAL

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