Coventry: School's outdoor play area among best in country

Pupils enjoy testing facilities

A Coventry school is celebrating after its outdoor play and learning facility was officially recognised as one of the best in the country.

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, has been awarded Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) Platinum status, becoming the first school in the city to receive the mark which places it among the top one per cent of facilities in the UK.

The assessors, who visit facilities and award OPAL accreditations across the globe, commented that Sacred Heart's transformation from launch to Platinum status in 18 months was the quickest they had seen.

Officially opening to pupils in May last year, staff worked with an OPAL mentor ahead of launch to learn how to make the most out of a range of play zones including a water area with a bath and taps, mud kitchen complete with pots, pans and aprons, a construction zone, sandpit, quiet spaces, music areas, and a woodland trail.

OPAL aims to provide each child with the best play time possible to improve their health, wellbeing and fitness and ensure they return to the classroom happy to help promote better learning.

Sacred Heart was the first school in Coventry to sign up to the initiative, and remains one of a handful across the West Midlands to put the scheme into action.