At Keyingham Primary School, we believe play is at the heart of childhood. For the past 4.5 years, we have been working in partnership with OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) to transform our approach to playtimes. OPAL’s vision is simple but powerful: every child in every school should enjoy an amazing hour of high-quality play every day – with no exceptions.

In October 2023, after an assessment led by our OPAL mentor, we were proud to achieve the OPAL GOLD Quality Award. This places us in the top 4% of schools across the UK for the quality of play we provide. The award reflects our commitment to children’s rights under the UNCRC Article 31 – the right to play – and demonstrates the progress we have made in developing our play policy, planning, resourcing, staffing, and evaluation. Please see our article from 2023. 

This achievement was made possible thanks to the dedication of our staff, led by Mr Copley and Mrs Mountain, and the enthusiasm of our children, who have embraced every step of this journey. Playtimes at Keyingham are now positive, enjoyable, and rewarding for all.

While we are incredibly proud of our Gold Award, our OPAL journey is far from over. We are continuing to develop our play provision and are now working hard towards our next goal: achieving the Platinum Award at our next inspection. This will recognise the very highest standard of play across every aspect of school life. Mrs Mountain’s dedication to playtimes has been outstanding; she has been working extremely hard by contacting local businesses, collecting items from ‘freebie’ websites, and sharing her passion and love for turning everyday items into exciting play opportunities for the children

We will keep our community updated as we move forward, and we welcome any support with donations and resources to enhance our play offer even further. At Keyingham Primary, play is not just a break – it is an essential part of learning, growth, and joy.

Click the link to see what the professionals and founders of OPAL Play have to say: Amazing play, every day, for every child. 

Below are documents linked to Keyingham's OPAL Play Health and Safety standards. 

Children's Play and Leisure HSE Guidance 
Play England Guidance 
Play Charter