We are thrilled to introduce an exciting new initiative for the year 2025-26 at Halfway Houses: our OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme! 

OPAL is a nationally recognised approach that transforms the quality of play in primary schools. It encourages children to engage in creative, active, and meaningful play every day. Research shows that schools adopting the OPAL model see significant improvements in children’s wellbeing, behaviour, social skills, resilience, and physical health. 

At Halfway Houses, we are committed to supporting every aspect of your child’s development—not just academically, but emotionally, socially, and physically. The OPAL programme helps us do just that by creating a rich outdoor environment where children can explore, take risks, collaborate, and, most importantly, have fun. This kind of unstructured, imaginative play is essential for building life skills and boosting confidence.

The launch of our very first OPAL zones at Halfway Houses was a resounding success! The playground came alive with dinosaurs and elves roaming freely, cars and houses crafted from cardboard, and countless smiling faces enjoying every moment. Here’s a snapshot of our incredibly fun playtime today. A huge thank you to everyone who donated resources to make this possible—this is just the beginning of an exciting journey!