{"id":4987,"date":"2024-03-13T13:27:27","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T13:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/?page_id=4987"},"modified":"2026-01-21T07:28:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T07:28:58","slug":"opal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/opal\/","title":{"rendered":"OPAL"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4988 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OPAL-_In-Progress_-Logo.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"274\" height=\"284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OPAL-_In-Progress_-Logo.png 709w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/OPAL-_In-Progress_-Logo-289x300.png 289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 274px) 100vw, 274px\" \/>OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning)<\/p>\n<p>We are delighted to announce that Beech Hill has started it\u2019s OPAL journey.<\/p>\n<p>OPAL is an award-winning, mentor supported school improvement programme that addresses all the areas that schools must plan for if they want to improve the quality of their play opportunities. OPAL is the only programme of its kind that has been independently proven to sustainably improve the quality of play in British primary schools.<\/p>\n<p>For more information, please click on the link below.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk\/\">https:\/\/outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk\/<\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Summer Update<\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/H2hekfS-nDM?si=GmZerKOFUK0D1RFB\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The playground has been developed further with the introduction of dolls and road planks for the car area.\u00a0 Children can sail away with their imagination in the boats and the gardening club have been painting tyres to brighten up the areas as well as planting some herbs and sweet peas.\u00a0 Forest School has been opened for all to enjoy with the addition of a giant dinosaur that Forest School club will repaint in the new academic year.\u00a0 The Golden Welly Award has been introduced!\u00a0 The play team members nominate children and the winners get drawn every Friday.\u00a0 We held our first OPAL Parent Stay and Play sessions which were well supported.\u00a0 We can&#8217;t wait to see what other developments happen in September and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5643 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal4-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal4-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal4-1024x764.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal4-768x573.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal4.jpg 1282w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5644 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal3-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal3.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5645 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal2-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal2.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5646 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal1-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal1.jpg 1291w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5642 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal5-300x153.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal5-300x153.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal5-768x391.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/opal5.jpg 786w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Spring update<\/h4>\n<p>We\u2019ve been working hard since September to grow and develop our provision and play opportunities for the children within the playground. The children are loving the wheeled play\u2014the balance bikes are loved by children of all ages and now the Roktagon is open, it means that more children are challenging themselves to have a go and scale to great heights. The basketball hoops are also proving very popular whether that be just shooting hoops or having a small game between friends, and the fitness challenge board is another addition that children are getting involved in.\u00a0 Our range of small world toys has been developed with children having access to toy cars and Lego to play with.\u00a0 There will be dolls and road planks coming very soon.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5501 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"188\" height=\"141\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5500 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"189\" height=\"141\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5499 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"141\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5498 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"188\" height=\"141\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5497 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"189\" height=\"139\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5496 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"204\" height=\"139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal6.jpg 343w, https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal6-300x205.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5495 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"163\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5494 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/opal8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"163\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/opal-parent-stay-and-play-sessions\/\">OPAL Parent Stay and Play sessions<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/bh-content\/Policies\/PlayPolicy.pdf\">Play Policy<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Risk-Benefit-Assessments-July-2025.pdf\">Risk Benefit Assesments<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Playground-plan-January-2026.pdf\">Playground Zone Map<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/thepowerofplaytimebooklet.pdf\">Power of Play<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Why-is-play-important-poster.pdf\">Why Play is Important Poster<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) We are delighted to announce that Beech Hill has started it\u2019s OPAL journey. OPAL is an award-winning, mentor supported school improvement programme that addresses all the areas that schools must plan for if they want to improve the quality of their play opportunities. OPAL is the only programme of its [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4987","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4987"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5824,"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4987\/revisions\/5824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beechhillschool.co.uk\/bhps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}