The Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Primary Programme, which is endorsed and supported by Sport England, runs in hundreds of schools across the UK.
Visit their website: www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk

We believe that enriched, outdoor play for children greatly affects child wellbeing and is deeply connected to children’s learning and achievement in the classroom.

   
The kind of play developing at our school:
● Creative and open-ended ways to play outside with upcycled materials and natural loose parts.
● Opportunities for children to take responsibility for their play.
● Outdoor play in all weather and all seasons.
● Risk-benefit approach to supervision which allows children to experience managing risk in their play.

   
The approaches the school takes to play:
● We supervise and support play that is challenging, creative, and child-led; we supervise play with an understanding of respect, trust, and support for children.
● Play is a right not a privilege; we protect all children’s right to play and ensure that play times and access to the outdoors is not a privilege.
● We play in rain, snow, mud and sunshine; we promote all weather play and have resources (e.g. indoor shoes, library for outdoor clothing) in place for children to be able to get outside and play in all weather.
   

We encourage all of our staff supervising play to follow these helpful steps before intervening in play they feel is challenging or risky. This approach allows for the adult to fully comprehend the situation so their intervention can be more informed and effective. It also provides some time for children to practise independent risk assessment and conflict management.
1. Watch: get a good understanding of what is going on, and if children are managing risk independently.
2. Wait: check in, and weigh fear against any actual risk.
3. Move closer: get another perspective; see if your presence cues children to manage the situation differently.
4. Intervene without shutting down the play: inform children about the risks and give guidelines for them to manage those risks. Negotiate the modifications with children to manage the risks (eg moving activity from tarmac to grass).