Ambleside C of E Primary School have shard the exciting news that on the 4th February 2026, they achieved the OPAL Gold Award!
What is OPAL?
It is a mentor-supported school improvement programme addressing all 18 areas a school must plan for if they want to sustainably improve the quality of play. It is an 18-24 month programme.
Ambleside shared with us that they are the first school in their local area (10/15 mile radius of Ambleside) to receive the Gold Award- What a fantastic achievement!
The feedback they received from their OPAL Mentor:
Your school has managed to implement many of the cultural and practical changes recommended in the OPAL programme and the results are clear to see, Ambleside C of E Primary School is now truly an award level OPAL school. This means that every child has an amazing playtime every day. It also means that play is taken seriously at the school and is given appropriate leadership, planning, evaluation and resources. Playtimes at Ambleside are inclusive, joyful and provide a wide variety of types of play.
