Barnabas Oley CE Primary School, Bedfordshire

The Olympic Legacy has helped Barnabas Oley CE Primary School develop their playground into a fun new space for exercising. They tell us how their new play equipment has helped make the transition from play to sport.

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Why did you want to develop your playground?

We wanted to provide our pupils with an outdoor space that would encourage the transition from play to sport. Inspired by the British Year of Sport and as part of the Olympic Legacy, we decided to develop our playground into a fun and inspiring area that would help our pupils to stay active and to develop a range of physical skills at their own pace.

What were the key elements that made Playforce stand out from other providers?

The Playforce brochure and website caught our eye and it was useful to be able to see how other schools have incorporated the play equipment into their daily routine. The team helped us choose the perfect combination for our space and gave us lots of ideas about how we could encourage active play at school. The equipment we selected is designed to make play fun and change the way children approach exercise.

By incorporating a healthy lifestyle into the school routine, we can help children make sport a part of their daily activities and encourage them to develop a positive and happy attitude towards exercise.

How are you using the space to deliver outdoor learning and educational play?

The Active Trail has been a huge hit with the pupils. We encourage them to challenge themselves and each other to develop a range of physical skills. They can use it to take part in regular active play during break times and we can incorporate it into our school sports and active time. Adding an element of competition spurs on the children and they love to find out if they have completed the activities faster or better than last time.

What are the biggest benefits you have seen for the children?

Spending more time outdoors and taking part in more active play has given the children motivation and inspiration that transfers to the classroom. They are excited to exercise and they approach new activities with a new, positive attitude. After the Olympics, they look to athletes for inspiration and are interested to find out how they can become better at sports and games themselves.

Can you share any practice insights you have gained?

You’re never too old to start exercising but the younger we encourage children to enjoy getting active the better. By incorporating a healthy lifestyle into the school routine, we can help children make sport a part of their daily activities and encourage them to develop a positive and happy attitude towards exercise.

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