September 2024

The children love the new play opportunities that have been developed over the summer.  Our giant ball pit is a huge hit.  The outdoor kitchen is a hub of activity at lunchtime and we have children of all ages digging and creating in our construction area.

October 2024 - Loose parts

The children have been finding different ways to use loose parts such as: Wheeled boxes, plastic crates, bread trays, plastic lids, tyres, tarpaulin, plastic chairs and much more. The children have been using these materials to make dens, boats, cars and slides.

 

November 2024

The children have been busy making a bike track. The children are currently using trikes and balance bikes, sharing and taking turns using the trikes and bikes. The children worked together to make a one-way system, ensuring that the track was zoned off to limit speed and collisions.

December 2024

The children have made base shelters to shelter from the rain within the outdoor life area whilst they bake their mud pies. The children have been enjoying jumping in puddles through the rain in their Wellington boots. The children used plastic items to make kites and wind streamers. 

January 2025

The children have swapped out their bikes and trikes for scooters. The children are enjoying scooting along and have become ever so confident on the scooter track. 

February 2025 Rough and Tumble 

In February, we introduced rough and tumble to our children. This was demonstrated to the children in assembly with very clear rules of play. The children use pool noodles in this area and can also show off their gymnastics skills. This area is very popular with the children. They have shown how fantastic they are at remembering the rules of play and showing how to keep everyone safe.

March 2025 Dance area and quiet zones

The children have been having a great time showing off their dance skills and are enjoying dressing up and playing musical instruments. The children have been busy making tanks, cars and pirate ships within the den building area. They have also been very creative and use their den building and knotting skills to make hammocks. Don't take our word for it, look at the photos!

We were kindly donated two kayaks. The children use them in a calm and quiet area for reading, enveloping, reflecting and a safe space away from lots of noise.

 

April 2025

Our Play assemblies have been going very well. The children are learning about Dynamic Risk and how to keep each other safe enough. 

The children are testing their skills at archery. We have a regular supply of cable reels and wooden pallets from CEF Electrical and Kew Electrical Thank you kindly, these are being put to great use as the children continue to use their imagination to be creative through play.

 

May 2025 Our first Stay and Play

Thank you to all that could attend our first Opal stay and play. This was an opportunity for the children to show their grown-ups what they do during Opal play and to introduce them to their playground. The children were excited to invite their grown-ups to play. We have booked our next Stay and Play and will be announcing this shortly.

Some of the comments we received:

"I now know why I have to wash my child's coat every day."

"I am overwhelmed by the amount of opportunities the children have to play."

"Well done Bromstone."

"What you're doing for the children is fantastic. I don't want to leave."

"Thank you for a wonderful time. It was nice to see my son playing and having fun"

"Amazing job team. My child is more willing to go and play outside now, which means less Xbox time."

"Very impressed, I noticed the growth in confidence. My child is very happy with the set up."

"Incredible choice and variety of activities. Really impressive! Thank you Team, for all you do."

"My children both love the freedom they are allowed to have during Opal and being able to play with each other."

"My children are always excited to see what is coming next during their Opal assembly."

   

Since our first stay and play, the children have been making their scooter track bigger, ensuring that it is enclosed with tyres and creating a one-way system. This prevents accidents from happening. The children take turns on the scooters and are fantastic at sharing.  They have also been enjoying playing board games, card games and puzzles in the social area.

    

 Our science team kindly donated a science investigation station to the field. The children can use spades, forks, measuring tapes, magnifying glasses and beakers to carry out their own investigations. 

June 2025

We have found a new location for our ball pit. The children have been a fantastic help emptying the ball pit and tidying up. Moving 12.000 plastic balls to a new location. Keep a look out for further updates.

We have had a delivery of tractor tyres, we cannot wait to see them in use and wonder what the children will do with them.

 

August 2025

Our site team have been hard at work and can't wait to show the children their new play areas.

Back by popular demand. The ball pit has a brand new location, in The Pirate ship area and is bigger and better than our old ball pit. 

Many of you told us that your children needed a calm space to go to. We then came up with a great plan and turned our old pond area into a beautiful sensory garden, providing a calm, quite space for the children.

We can not wait to introduce the exciting new areas to the children and can only imagine how much fun they will have. 

  

September

The opening of the sensory garden. The children had an assembly on the new Sensory Garden. This introduced the children to the calm, quiet space. Within this space the children can use their senses: Taste, Touch, See, Hear, Smell.

 

The grand opening of the ball pit. The children were very excited to have the ball pit back and couldn't wait to jump in. During our Opal assembly, the children were introduced to safety risks, such as the ball pit is made of wood and has a concrete floor. The children discussed things they can and can't do in the ball pit. 

 

 

Happy 50th Birthday Bromstone

To celebrate our school turning 50. We held a stay and play where we invited parents to play with their children. It was fantastic to see the children leading their grown ups around the playgrounds and showing them where their play areas.

Some of the lovely comments we received:

"Thank you for making the sensory garden. My child needed a calm space that she could go to during lunchtime, when she was feeling overwhelmed."

"We love what you have done. I can really smell herbs within the sensory garden."

"This area is very peaceful, I could sit here and read a book."

"I can't believe how big the ball pit is."

"My child comes into school much happier now she has Opal. She comes home everyday and tells me what she has made everyday."

"My children love being able to find each other during Opal. This has made my youngest settle into school more easily."

"My child comes home and tells me in detail what he has done in outdoor life every day. He really enjoys den building and has found lots of new friends of all different ages."

"I think it's just fantastic. The children are so lucky to have all of these play areas every day."

"My child's confidence has grown so much. When we go for a walk or to the park, he often climbs up trees. Though I was fearful at first, he assured me that he climbs the trees at school all the time and knows he is safe."

"My child enjoys playing on the field and getting involved with football."

 

The science investigation stations have moved to a new location. They are now in the bug exploring area with the sensory garden. The children can use magnifying glasses, tape measures and beakers to help with their findings and investigations.

October:

The children are using every area within the school for play. The field has become an inviting place for the children to emerse themselves in play. The previous ball has become a tyre hill. The children have been putting their dynamic risks to the test with climbing, jumping, crawling, rolling and sliding. 

Sledge hill: The children have been using the mud hill to run, roll, crawl, slide, sledge, climb and jump.