As you will know, in September 2022 we became an OPAL (Outdoor Play And Learning) school. This means we have significantly invested in our play and lunch times and provide a wide range of exciting activities and opportunities for play for all children. On Thursday 19th September we had our final visit from Andrea, our OPAL mentor. Andrea was incredibly impressed with the quality of our lunch time play opportunities and has awarded us with the OPAL Gold award! We are so proud of our achievements and would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mrs Kitchener who leads our Play Team, Mr Adams who co-ordinates OPAL and all of our Play Team and TAs who work hard to make play times fun and accessible for all.
Andrea, our OPAL mentor, commented, "The school has managed to implement many of the cultural and practical changes recommended in the OPAL programme and the results are clear to see. Hardwick Green Academy Primary is now truly an award level OPAL school. This means that every child has an amazing playtime every day. It also means that play is taken seriously at the school and is given appropriate leadership, planning, evaluation and resources. Playtimes at Hardwick Green Academy Primary are inclusive, joyful and provide a wonderful variety of types of play."
Our award report says, "What a transformation! You have spent the past couple of years creating a landscape for play in your grounds and what a difference! There is now a huge array of play opportunities for each and everyone of your children enabling them to be creative, chillout, wizz about on a scooters and cars, play in sand, build and be creative with the loose parts. Huge congratulations on achieving your award today. It is very well deserved."