What is OPAL Play?

Children in British primary schools spend 20% or 1.4 years of their school attendance in play. Play is the process through which children learn everything that they need to know that cannot be taught. Play wires the brain, builds capable bodies, and is the foundation of building relationships.

OPAL's programme enabled us to provide every child with rich opportunities to be creative, collaborative and active in their outdoor play, in environments that are safe enough for 'health and safety' but challenging enough for children's ongoing development.

We started our journey in September 2021 and over the last few years we have been working hard to improve our 'play offer' at break times and lunch times – how many schools do you find a full-sized piano to play with at lunchtime? A box full of dressing-up clothes and music to dance to? Bubbles, chalk and much, much more? Play times at Chilthorne Domer Church School are better than ever! 

We have reached the next step on our OPAL journey with the sole aim of creating happier play times! 

Following our 2023 accreditation, which marked the end of our 2-year journey embedding OPAL, we were officially named a Platinum award-winning school!

Achieving 70.5 marks out of a possible 72 - 98%!