OPAL

COMING SOON....INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY - 11.6.25

Summer term means more OPAL for Hetton Primary School!

The playteam met during May half term and spent time organising resources, sorting out play sheds and creating new zones of play.

Our Communication Station gave a fresh coat of paint...

The loose parts were organised to be more easily accessed...

Play sheds were emptied, sorted and re-organised....and

Our new sand pit was created!

The children are always involved in every step of our OPAL journey - ask them about it.

Spring is here and we PLAY all of the time!

OPAL is in full bloom and we are having so much fun every breaktime and lunchtime. Packed lunches have started to eat their lunch outside if they so choose and our school cook has given year groups a packed lunch option one day a week! 

Reception children joined us on the main yard and did this with ease! The older children thoroughly enjoy having Diamond Class on the yard - new friendships have been formed.

OPAL has changed the culture of school and it feels amazing!

April showers....and fun for parents!

We hosted our next PARENT PLAY event on 9th April. We had over 100 adults attended and they got to see photographs of our new zones and hear us sing our OPAL anthem: WATERPROOFS and WELLIES.

Parents and children were then allowed to play outside and access all zones - it was an amazing afternoon!

March is here!

The field is such an amzing space and it has now become even better....we have TWO new zones!

1. A larger digging area and

2. Our very own fire pit!!!

We have enjoyed toasted marshmallows, toasted pancakes and melted chocolate with strawberries! We have sung songs and a group of Y6's wrote a FIREPIT poem!

Welly area and shelters!

After a lot of thought, a new welly/spare shoe zone was created under cover so that it can be accessed all year round and in all weather. There are a team of children who made it their aim to keep it tidy but all children try thier best to do this too.

Have a look at some of our small world and sheltered areas that we can sit in with friends and play together, whatever the weather

Our new digging area and mudkitchen zone

The mud kitchen is such a popular area and has evolved over time...we now have a smaller digging area next to it which we are absolutely loving! It is so deep, you can' always see us when we're in it, especially if we're from Year 1!

An absolutely super day had by all! The mud kitchen was extremely popular!

OPAL at Hetton Primary School Autumn 2024

The Autumn term is in full swing and we are embracing the North East weather. The school field is back in action after over two years of not having access to one because of our amazing new school being built....and we're so pleased to be able to play on it.

We are working hard to create new play opportunities for the children so please, keep watch for photographs of developments in the mud kitchen, water play and on our school field. 

Outdoor Classroom Day is 7.11.24 and we intend to be outside as much as possible.

This year, our target is to receive an OPAL acreditation and be recognised for the play we offer.

Photographs pending...

2023-2024 OPAL

Meet our new MINI PLAY TEAM!

William S, Jak, Kalli-Jo, Josh, Ella-Maye, Jacob, Declan, Keean, Peggy, Terri-Mae and Lucy.

Their application forms really showed how important they know PLAY is for all children and that they want ALL children to have a positive play experience.

At OPAL we have seen just how much of an impact improving play can make to a school. We are not just talking about playtimes being a bit less bother or about children being a bit happier. We are talking about cultural transformation.

When you address a need that is so fundamental to the physical and mental wellbeing of children as play, and you do it well, it is impossible to think of how you ran a school and didn’t do this.

Our vision is that every child in every school has an amazing hour of high quality play every day – with no exceptions. If one child is not enjoying playtimes, then things still need improving.

We want every school to plan for, resource and evaluate the quality of their play provision as if it were an important human right, essential to all aspects of children’s development and a source of joy and happiness that every child can access because it is all of these things.

We have introduced OPAL from September 2023 and so far, the feedback from children is very positive! They are enjoying the range of play opportunities every lunchtime...with more planned each week. 

Our OPAL assemblies are every fortnight and we have introduced a weekly 'play' award - head over to our awards page and see who has been nominated so far.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY

TUESDAY 11th JUNE 2024

Wow!!! We all had the best day of extended play to celebrate International day of play.

The day started with a whole school assembly on why it is important for PLAY to be part of our lives.

Every class in school, from our youngest to our oldest (including staff) had an extended play session outside. We are RESILIENT and don't let the weather stop us so were outside no matter what!

The children and staff were nominated for awards throughout the day and we came together at 3pm to share our achievements. 

Our next big celebration will be....INTERNATIONAL MUD DAY!