OPAL at Ladypool – Where Play Comes to Life!
We are incredibly proud to be an OPAL Platinum Award school!
At Ladypool Primary School, we believe that play is so much more than just having fun. It's an opportunity to explore, create, discover, build friendships and develop skills that last a lifetime.
Achieving the OPAL Platinum Award is a fantastic recognition of the wonderful play opportunities we provide for our children. It's something we're extremely proud of and reflects our commitment to making every part of the school day the very best it can be!
Did you know that children spend around 20% of their time at school playing? That's the equivalent of approximately 1.4 years of their primary school life! We want to make every minute of that time count.
Every Lunchtime Is an Adventure!
Whether it's building something amazing, getting creative, performing for friends or simply enjoying the outdoors, there's something for everyone at Ladypool!
Our exciting OPAL play areas include:
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Messy Café – where imagination and creativity come together!
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Sand Pit – digging, building and exploring.
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Large Loose Parts Construction Zone – designing, problem-solving and bringing big ideas to life.
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Performance Area – a space for our budding performers to shine.
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Wheeled Play – developing confidence, coordination and balance.
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Creative Area – letting imaginations run wild.
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Swings – enjoying the freedom and excitement of outdoor play.
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Water Play – investigating, experimenting and having fun.
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Pirate Ship – setting sail on imaginative adventures.
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Sports Zones – basketball, cricket, racquet games and plenty of opportunities to get active!
Through OPAL, our children learn to take sensible risks, work together, solve problems and build resilience. It's also a wonderful way of bringing our school values of Respect, Grow and Excel to life every single day.
OPAL Play Leaders – Our Children Leading the Way!
At Ladypool, we believe children should have a voice and the opportunity to take on meaningful responsibilities. Our OPAL Play Leaders play an important role in making lunchtimes enjoyable, inclusive and exciting for everyone.
Our pupil leaders help to welcome and involve others in play, support younger children, encourage positive friendships and share their ideas about how we can make our lunchtimes even better.
Through these opportunities, children develop valuable skills in leadership, communication, teamwork, problem-solving and responsibility. They learn to listen to others, make decisions and understand how their actions can have a positive impact on the wider school community.
These roles also help bring our key drivers of Communication, Aspiration and Identity to life, giving children the confidence to express themselves, aim high and take pride in the contribution they make to Ladypool.
We are incredibly proud of our young leaders, who demonstrate our school values of Respect, Grow and Excel while helping others to enjoy their play.
A Little Message for Parents and Carers
At Ladypool, there's no such thing as bad weather – just the wrong clothing!
We believe children should have opportunities to enjoy outdoor play throughout the year, whether the sun is shining or the rain is falling, provided conditions are safe.
Please make sure your child comes to school with suitable clothing for the weather, including a warm, waterproof coat when needed.
And if your child comes home with muddy shoes or a little dirt on their clothes, don't worry! It usually means they've had a brilliant lunchtime, full of adventure, exploration and fun!
Proud to Be Platinum!
From our youngest children discovering the joy of outdoor play to our older pupils taking on leadership responsibilities, OPAL is helping every child grow in confidence, develop friendships and feel a real sense of belonging at Ladypool.
At Ladypool, play isn't just a break from learning. It's an important part of learning, and we're proud to make it a priority!
“Play is the process evolution has come up with to enable children to learn all of the things that cannot be taught.”
— Michael Follett, OPAL Director
