Our Approach to OPAL Play at Heymann

At Heymann, we believe play is an essential part of every child’s development. Since launching the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Programme in April 2024, our playtimes have transformed—and we’ve already seen incredible benefits.

The OPAL vision is simple: every child should enjoy high-quality, meaningful play every day. As a school, we’re proud to be working in partnership with OPAL to make this a reality. Our school grounds now support exciting, diverse play experiences in all weathers, with new zones and equipment offering something for every interest and age group.

Why OPAL?

Play is vital to children’s health, happiness, and learning. Research shows children spend up to 20% of their school time playing, and the quality of this time matters. As OPAL explains:

“…Better, more active and creative playtimes can mean happier and healthier children… resulting in a more positive attitude to learning, fewer behavioural issues, and happier staff.”

OPAL play has transformed our playtimes into rich, engaging experiences that support children’s physical, social, and emotional development. By offering a wide variety of play opportunities, children are more active, creative, and collaborative. We’ve seen improved behaviour, stronger friendships, and greater resilience. These positive changes extend into the classroom too—children return from play more focused, settled, and ready to learn.

What Play Looks Like at Heymann

We’ve developed our outdoor spaces into distinct zones, giving children freedom to choose how and where they play—and who they play with. We’ve even created twinning opportunities between our two sites, so children from different key stages can play and learn together.

Children now enjoy a wide range of activities:

  • Building dens

  • Digging in the sand

  • Cooking in the mud kitchen

  • Creating games

  • Riding scooters

  • Rolling tyres

These experiences promote creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, resilience, and imagination. We’ve also seen fantastic links to curriculum learning—children experimenting with angles and friction during car ramp play, or discussing water flow and gravity in water zones.

You can view our play policy here Heymann Play Policy

Risk and Responsibility

We help children to understand that with play comes risk—and that’s okay. During weekly OPAL assemblies, children assess any new equipment or zones, identify potential risks, and discuss how to manage them. This involvement helps them play more safely and confidently.

A Right to Play

Heymann supports Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which upholds every child’s right to play. Our play provision is inclusive and welcoming for all children—regardless of gender, background, ability, or need.

Looking Ahead

We are proud of our OPAL journey so far—and it’s only the beginning. With continued support from staff, families, and the wider community, we’re committed to making play at Heymann even better.

Our Play Charter