To parents and carers,
As you know, your child is fortunate enough to attend an OPAL school; a school who take play seriously.
Outdoor play is essential for children’s health, development and wellbeing, but has almost disappeared from their lives.
Schools are well placed to address this. But even though playtime makes up 20% of every primary school child’s day, very few schools have a plan for play. Without a strategic plan, this time is wasted and often leads to problems.
Evidence from more than 2,000 OPAL schools shows that having a plan for play transforms behaviour, equality, wellbeing and learning.
OPAL believe that every primary school needs a plan for play.
We are reaching out to you, parents of children who thrive by accessing high-quality play daily, to support OPAL’s (Outdoor Play and Learning) Plan for Play campaign.
“We call on the Government to require every primary school in England to publish a plan for outdoor free play at breaktimes and lunchtime, and for the Department for Education to produce statutory guidance defining what quality provision looks like, with Ofsted required to inspect against it.”
As a fellow organisation who recognise and value the need for play within our local communities, please support this campaign by asking colleagues and visitors to sign the petition to ensure all primary schools are required to demonstrate how they provide quality outdoor free play for every child.
Please show your support by:
– clicking this link to complete a quick online petition.
– sharing @opalnortheast social media campaign posts to raise awareness
Huge thanks for any support you are able to offer this campaign.
Yesterday we enjoyed another successful careers day, taking part in lots of different workshops with visiors from a range of different professions. We learned what it takes to to work in many different industries including car manufacturing, TV and video marketing, train driving and many more. Some classes enjoyed exploring inside an ambulance and learned about the role of a paramedic. We also now have lots of budding authors, tattoo artists and life guards! Thankyou again to all of our fantastic volunteers, we had a fantastic day.
Today 2 Red became Rainforest Explorers at the Sunderland Winter Gardens.
We had an awesome day exploring the museum, a scavenger hunt in the rainforest, learnt all about the different layers of the rainforest, and also turned our bodies into the four different layers!
Have a look at the photos to see how much fun we had, then you’ll understand why some of fell asleep on the bus on the way back to school!
What a day we’ve had! A day full of team work and using our communication skills to solve problems and create amazing structures. We have leant survival skills, built dens for small creatures and built our own dens. I think it’s safe to say we will sleep well tonight!
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Welcome to the June edition of our Reducing the Cost of the School Day newsletter.
In this issue, you’ll find updates on pilot programmes, upcoming events, training opportunities, and financial support available to schools and families.
Rising costs are impacting families more than ever—but schools continue to step up. Across South Tyneside, 34 settings are already taking action to reduce the cost of the school day and make education more accessible for all.
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Active Uniform Pilot
We are pleased to see growing interest in the Active Uniform approach, with two schools currently taking part in the pilot and a further 10 schools expressing interest in adopting the model.
Across the two pilot schools, 1,098 pupils will receive a quarter-zip top to support the transition to a more practical and inclusive uniform. This initiative has been made possible through funding from RISE and Sport England, helping to reduce costs for families while promoting greater participation in physical activity throughout the school day.
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Prom Project
The Prom Project continues to make a meaningful difference by reducing financial pressure on families and ensuring that all students can take part in this important milestone. By improving access to free prom items, schools are helping to create a more inclusive experience so that every young person can celebrate without barriers.
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Supporting Active Play Through Social Value
Through the Pledge’s Social Value commitments, alongside support from a local charity, we have been able to provide 12 brand new and 5 pre-loved bikes to a local primary school.
These bikes will support OPAL provision, helping to ensure that all children have access to bikes during the school day. This is particularly important for pupils who may otherwise be unable to participate due to a lack of equipment at home, with many families unable to afford one.
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T‑O Bike School Offer
T‑O Bike, run by Tyneside Outdoors, has a number of usable bikes available for primary‑aged pupils who need them. These bikes are not for resale but can be refurbished and provided through schools to support children who would benefit from access to a bike.
Please note:
For requests, contact T‑O Bike:
 [email protected] 0191 323 2033 101 Prince Edward Road, South ShieldsOpening hours:
Mon–Wed 9:30am–5pm | Thu–Fri 1pm–5pm | Sat 10am–4pm |
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Get involved
If you would like to learn more about how we can support your school to take advantage of these opportunities, we would love to hear from you.
Please contact our team at: schoolpoverty@southtyneside.
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