OPAL

OPAL at Higher Bebington Junior School

We are incredibly proud to announce that, following our recent OPAL re-accreditation, we have once again been awarded Platinum status for our commitment to Outdoor Play and Learning. This means that Higher Bebington Junior School is now a Double Platinum OPAL School!

Platinum is the highest level of recognition within the OPAL programme, and achieving it again is a fantastic testament to the commitment of our whole school community and the way OPAL has become firmly embedded in school life.

OPAL is a whole-school approach to improving the quality of play opportunities for children. We recognise that play is not simply a break between lessons; it is an essential part of children’s development, wellbeing, independence, confidence and social skills.

Our OPAL journey has transformed the way we think about playtimes. We have worked hard to create play environments that are creative, adventurous, inclusive and exciting, giving children the freedom and opportunity to explore, imagine, create, collaborate, take appropriate risks and, most importantly, have fun.

We are incredibly proud of the opportunities we provide for our children and the positive impact OPAL has had across our school. A huge thank you to our staff for their hard work and creativity, our parents and carers for their support and generous donations, and our children for embracing every opportunity to play, explore and create.

Achieving Platinum once was a wonderful milestone; being re-accredited at Platinum level demonstrates that our commitment to outstanding play opportunities continues to thrive.

We are incredibly proud to be a Double Platinum OPAL School and look forward to continuing to develop and enhance play at Higher Bebington Junior School for many years to come

What does OPAL look like at HBJS?

Our playtimes are very different from traditional playgrounds. Rather than having a small number of fixed pieces of equipment, we provide a wide range of opportunities and resources that encourage children to make their own games, develop their ideas and play together.

You might see children:

• building dens and creating imaginative worlds

• climbing, balancing and exploring

• digging, gardening and getting muddy

• making things and being creative

• playing traditional games

• developing their own games and rules

• using loose parts and natural materials in imaginative ways

• enjoying quiet spaces and opportunities to relax

• working together, negotiating and solving problems

• making new friends and developing their independence.

There is something for everyone. OPAL helps us to ensure that play is accessible and enjoyable for every child, whatever their interests, abilities or confidence levels.

Why is play so important?

High-quality play gives children the opportunity to develop skills that cannot always be taught through a lesson or worksheet. Through play, children learn to communicate, collaborate, negotiate, solve problems, manage challenges, develop resilience and make decisions for themselves.

Most importantly, play should be joyful. Our aim is for children to look forward to playtimes and to leave them feeling happy, energised and ready to learn.

Our OPAL journey

Our Platinum Award reflects the commitment of our whole school community. Developing OPAL has involved changes to our spaces, resources, routines, policies and, most importantly, our understanding of what great play can look like.

The programme is supported by specialist OPAL mentors and is designed to create sustainable, long-term change. We are delighted that our hard work has been recognised through the Platinum Award, but we see this as a milestone rather than the end of our OPAL journey.

We will continue to develop and improve our play provision, listening to our children and looking for new ways to make playtimes even more exciting, inclusive and rewarding.

Come and see OPAL in action

We love sharing our OPAL journey with our families and wider community.

Throughout the year, we hold regular ‘Stay and Play’ sessions, giving parents and carers the opportunity to experience our playtimes first-hand and see what makes OPAL so special.

Keep an eye out for details of our next session and follow our OPAL newsletters for updates, photographs and news about what is happening across school.

You can find out more about the OPAL programme at Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL).

We are proud to be an OPAL Platinum school – and even prouder of the children who make our playtimes so special.