OPAL open day: Hernhill C of E Primary School, Kent

Want to see an AMAZING school playtime?

See for yourself what an amazing playtime looks like at Hernhill C of E Primary School in Kent — a one-form entry rural church school with a field. Hernhill have two Platinum awards and are widely expected to be Kent's first OPAL Honours school after their third accreditation in March.

Join us and be inspired by observing one of the best school playtimes in the country. Here, kids get muddy, build dens, take risks, explore, experiment, and achieve every single day!

Thinking about OPAL?

Join us at 11:15 am to find out how to become an OPAL school. You will hear from the Head and the school team, plus an OPAL mentor with experience in many different types of schools, and then have the chance to join the lunchtime play and talk to children and lunch staff.

This session is also open to staff from new OPAL schools wanting to better understand the process.

Are you currently on your OPAL journey? Are you an OPAL Next Steps school?

Join us at 12:15 to firstly observe playtime, and then join a special Next Steps workshop with other current OPAL schools.

The workshop will be split into two groups, one for newer OPAL schools and one especially for Next Steps schools, to discuss:

• how to sustain the relaxed vigilance of a Platinum school,
• how to respond to changes in children, staff and the environment,
• how to keep the mojo after several years

As Kent's first OPAL Honours school (tbc) we are particularly encouraging Next Steps schools - schools with one award already - to join this workshop, though it is open to all.

Agenda

11:15 am Arrival for NON-OPAL schools. Staff at current schools who want o hear the introduction are also welcome.

11:25 am–12 pm Introduction to OPAL

Hear from the headteacher and curricular lead as they share a summary of the impact OPAL has made. This will be followed by an introduction to the OPAL Primary Programme, led by an OPAL mentor and the curricular lead or headteacher, outlining how the OPAL Primary Programme works, the costs and challenges involved, and how it can transform playtimes to be amazing for every child, every day.

12 pm–1 pm Observation of playtime (12:15 Current/Next Steps OPAL schools arrive)

Come and see a double-platinum OPAL playtime in action – ask the children how they manage risk, and the grown-ups about the changes they have seen.

1 pm–1:15 pm Photo opportunities and questions

An opportunity to take photos and ask the staff questions. NON-OPAL schools leave.

1:15 pm–1:30 pm Refreshments

Tea and coffee will be provided; please bring your own lunch.

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Workshop for OPAL Next Steps and current OPP schools

Times are subject to alterations of up to 30 minutes. In the week before the event, attendees will receive an email confirming times.

About Hernhill C of E Primary School

Hernhill C of E Primary School is a 200-pupil church school in a rural area just outside Faversham. They started their OPAL journey in the summer of 2021 and achieved their first OPAL Platinum Award in the summer of 2022, and their second in the summer of 2024. They will achieve their third accreditation in March, which, if successful, will make them the first OPAL Honours school in Kent.

Their play offer is outstanding, ensuring every child has a fantastic playtime every single day – see the video for more inspiration!

The school has a small loose-parts shed, a large array of loose parts stored across the site for easy access, a fast-growing museum showing off the archaeological discoveries of the children from the large digging areas, a huge sandpit, a very muddy trench and plentiful water play, den building and a cave dug out by the children!

They have a new tractor that the children play on and a parkour site made of tractor tyres!

Their team embrace the rain and has pretty much cracked play in downpours, sleet and ice. Ask them how!

The strong play team is very committed to continually improving their play offer, led by a fantastic OPAL working group – and helped by their very supportive parents and local community.

They are an outstanding school in every way.

Additional information

The school car park usually has plenty of spaces, and it is about a15-minute taxi ride from Faversham station. Tea and coffee will be available.

These events usually sell out, so please let us know if you can no longer come so we can release your place to another school.

Please dress appropriately – we will be outside, whatever the weather.

About the OPAL Primary Programme

The OPAL Primary Programme is an award-winning mentor-supported school improvement programme that addresses all the areas that schools must plan for if they want to strategically and sustainably improve the quality of their play opportunities.

There are over 2,000 OPAL schools across the UK and around the world, over 250 of them in London and the South East of England.

Find out more: www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk