Who is the OPAL Primary Programme for?
OPAL works with infant, junior, primary, middle and international schools, and pupil referral units. We are also doing pilots with some secondary schools and this is showing very positive results.
We started in the UK
With a UK team of over 40 mentors, OPAL is now established as the UK’s leader in supporting play in schools.
We are proud to have supported well over a million children to experience better play every day since 2011.
We have worked with many hundreds of schools, with every type of grounds and every type of demographic. The smallest school we have worked with is 35 children, the largest 820.
We are often asked what kind of school OPAL works best in and the answer is always the same – the one where the motivation to change is strongest and the greatest number of people support change.
We adapt to your needs
Some schools have less space than would be legally required for a prison, some have so much they don’t know what to do with it. Some seem to be able to draw on a huge amount of money, others struggle to get along day to day.
We encourage all schools to aspire to provide the best possible quality of play provision that their circumstances allow. We will always work with a school that wants to improve play for their children.
State primary
Wherever you are in the UK and whether you are infant, junior, primary, or right through, OPAL has the knowledge and experience to transform play at your school. We are currently developing an OPAL Ireland team. Forty-two state primary schools in Toronto also ran the OPAL programme.
Special schools
Every child has the right and ability to play, and OPAL has a proven track record of revolutionising play in special schools. When we say that every child should have an amazing play time every day with no exceptions, we really mean it.
Independent schools
The OPAL programme works just as well in the independent sector as the state one. We have successfully transformed play at top independent schools in the UK and overseas.
Secondary Schools
Children in years 7 and 8 are still children and still need to play in their childhood. Sadly, they rarely get it. OPAL is working on developing our secondary offer to schools that are determined to improve their play.
International schools
OPAL has had great success introducing its programme to international schools in Poland, Spain, France, Malaysia, and Singapore. We now have a team based in South East Asia, are training a mentor in the USA, and developing a mainland OPAL Europe team.
Parents
In every school we work with, we have a focus on informing and involving parents. They are key to the success of the programme and love to get involved in something that makes school a better and happier place for their children.
Pupil Referral Units
OPAL has been able to completely transform playtimes in pupil referral units, from times that staff dread to periods of joy, cooperation, and creativity for everyone.