Ramsgate Holy Trinity Primary School is celebrating after being achieving the Platinum Award for its commitment to outdoor play through the OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) Primary Programme.
This is not just a local success – it’s a landmark one. Holy Trinity is the first school in Thanet to be awarded Platinum status, achieving a score of 95%, placing it in the top 0.5% of schools in the UK and among the top 1% of OPAL schools worldwide.
The OPAL auditor praised the achievement, saying: “If only all schools could be like this one.”
The school was officially graded in April 2025 and on Tuesday 23rd September pupils, staff and families came together to celebrate in style. After proudly receiving their Platinum plaque, the school hosted a special Parent Stay and Play session.
The skies opened and the rain poured down – but far from dampening spirits, it made the afternoon even more fun. Parents and children splashed through puddles, built dens, and laughed together as the playground turned into a sea of smiles, muddy boots and happy memories.
Headteacher Erin Price said: “We are extremely proud of this award. At Holy Trinity, we believe play is not just fun – it’s vital to children’s learning, wellbeing and development. This recognition is a reflection of the hard work of our staff, the support of our families, and most importantly, the enthusiasm of our children.”
Parents also praised the programme and the celebration, with one saying: “For a small school, I think the offering in outside spaces is fantastic and really does allow the children to pick and choose whatever they would like to do each day, which also provides a great offering to all personalities.”
The OPAL programme is built on a simple but powerful idea: children learn not only through good teaching but also through play. With around 20% of a child’s time in school spent at playtime – the equivalent of 1.4 years of their primary education – OPAL ensures those experiences are as rich, active and rewarding as possible.
Today, the average child spends six hours a day on screens but only five hours a week playing outside. More than half of UK children (56%) say the only time they play outdoors with other children is at school.
By embedding OPAL into school life, Holy Trinity says it has created an environment where children can explore, take risks, solve problems and develop social skills through imaginative and adventurous play. The programme has also been shown to improve behaviour, reduce accidents, minimise playground disputes and increase overall enjoyment of school.
To achieve these results, Holy Trinity has embraced a more flexible approach to play. Children have access to a wider range of resources, more of the school grounds are open for use throughout the year, and pupils are encouraged to take on greater freedoms in how and where they play. That might mean a few muddy knees or messy clothes – but the school sees this as a positive sign of active learning and development.
OPAL Lead, Abigail Lawrence said: “OPAL has transformed our playtimes. The children are no longer limited to concrete playgrounds, but instead are free to enjoy and explore all of our outdoor areas. We are thrilled that Holy Trinity is now recognised at Platinum level for making play a central part of school life.”
