HIGH Littleton C of E Primary School has been awarded its third consecutive Platinum OPAL Award, achieving a staggering audit score of 97 per cent.

The prestigious accolade officially elevates the school to OPAL Honours status, a distinction held by only the top 0.1 per cent of schools for play across the United Kingdom.

The award comes from Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) CIC, an international organisation dedicated to transforming the quality of play in schools.

Since beginning their journey with the program in 2018, High Littleton has undergone a total cultural shift, prioritising the importance of high-quality, adventurous, and inclusive playtimes for every child.

Over the last eight years, playtimes at High Littleton have been completely reimagined.

Moving away from traditional, sedentary breaks, the school has embraced an environment where weather is no barrier, with children encouraged to be outside in all conditions, equipped with the right gear to explore the natural world year-round.

Risk is managed and not removed with students learning valuable life skills by navigating ‘risky play’, building resilience, confidence, and physical competence in a supervised, supportive setting.

From mud kitchens and den building to loose-parts play, the playground has become a hub of imagination and social development.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have reached the 97 per cent mark and to be recognised as an OPAL Honours school," said deputy headteacher Ian Gunning who leads OPAL at the school.

“Since 2018, we have seen a profound impact on our students' well-being and behaviour. By treating play with the same importance as the classroom curriculum, we are ensuring our children develop the social and emotional skills they need for life.”

Year six pupil Eliot explained: “Playtimes at school are very inclusive and all children from different year groups mix and play well together. In my role as an OPAL Ranger, I have enjoyed re-seeding areas of bare ground and ensuring this is well watered each day.

“We love to play ‘The Stone Age’ as we have been learning about this in class; we carefully bashed rocks to see what we can find. I like playing with the younger children in the mud kitchen - we pretend that we are a restaurant!”

Evie, Harry and Toby added: “We love to dig and hunt for fossils! This year we have already found some fossilised ammonites and ferns.

“We also uncovered what we believe to be Roman coins. We love our playtimes - they’re the best!”

Research shows that high-quality play is essential for a child’s physical and mental health. By achieving Honours status, High Littleton Primary is now a national beacon of excellence, demonstrating that when schools invest in play, they invest in the whole child.

OPAL Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) CIC is a multi-award-winning community interest company. It is the only programme of its kind that has been proven to sustainably improve the quality of play in primary schools. In January 2025, the school achieved ‘Outstanding’ in all areas during an OFSTED inspection.