Sonning Common Primary school is about to start a programme to improve opportunities for physical activity, socialisation, cooperation, coordination, resilience, creativity, imagination and enjoyment through improved play.

Children today don’t have the same freedoms we once did, so we want to give children back time to really enjoy and learn from play.  After all, it’s a child’s basic human right.  Research shows on average children spend 6 hours per day on screens and only 5 hours per week in social outdoor play.

The Outdoor Play and Learning (OPaL) Primary Programme is the result of over 20 years of testing and development in over 2000 schools and is based on the idea that, as well as learning through good teaching, children also learn when they play.  As 20% of their time in primary school is playtime, we want to make sure that this is well used time.  Schools with better quality outdoor play see fewer disputes between children and improved behaviour and children report that they are happier

We already have lots of outdoor space at SCPS but watch this space in the coming months as we share with you how we are developing outdoor play and learning at SCPS.

You can find out more about what we are doing by visiting the OPaL website.

Parents and staff who work with children often have concerns when children are engaged in what could be described as ‘risky play’. Adults are programmed to try and stop anything which poses any kind of risk to children. However research has shown that this is not preparing our children to make their own risk assessments and overcome problems and challenges. The HSE agrees with this, stating that play which carries some risk is not only allowed but should be actively encouraged. Children, by law, have the right to play.   You can read the HSE report on why risky play should happen in schools here :HSE balanced approach to childrens play