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SEND | Our Green School | Staff | Breakfast & After School Care | Pupil Voice |Ofsted| Challenge Partners
Attainment & Progress | Transition | Vacancies
Community Links | Archive Project
OUR PLAYGROUND
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Do You Want to Play?
We take play seriously at Dulwich Hamlet. The past three years have seen us develop our concept of the playground as one of our most powerful learning resources. We have curated a space which has a free choice ethos at its heart and one clear and simple aim: to get children playing. Play is an often-maligned concept: we are not talking about learning through play or play-based learning we are talking about learning how to play. We want children engaging in wide and rich forms of play: building, exploring, pretending, competing, risk-taking, imagining, balancing, negotiating, acting… the list could go on. That the children therefore learn how to be engaged, happy and confident individuals is a positive by-product. |
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In order to facilitate such a rich environment, we have a wide-range of free-choice activities which stimulate free play. Come to our playground tomorrow and you will see children choosing ball games, building dens, playing with small world toys, inventing things, being super-heroes, role-playing grown-ups, drawing with chalk, honing their circus skills, hanging upside down, climbing, jumping and much else besides.
We provide a safe environment in which to take risks. Children hurl each other around the tarmac on their scooters, climb to the top of the apparatus and take their chances on the stilts. Real stilts. In a world without risk, how would our children learn to take responsibility for their safety? We take a measured approach to rough and tumble and recognise the value of consensual physical contact in building self-esteem and social skills. Children are therefore taught explicitly how to engage in rough and tumble play and recognise when this become rough play.
Alongside this wide array of unstructured free-play, we also offer a range of structured activities which provide children with new experiences, calm places and breathing spaces. Our PE coach, Mr Mullings runs daily sports sessions for each year group, whilst we are also incredibly lucky to welcome an army of parent volunteers who run a range of free and highly popular lunchtime clubs, including: Japanese arts and crafts, German arts and crafts, Explore and Play, Gardening, Chess, Mindful Colouring and Board Games library. Mrs Evans keeps our fantastic library and outdoor reading space open to all each day and always knows what book to choose next.
None of this would happen without our Midday team. A dedicated, motivated, well-trained staff body who are enthusiastic about their roles. Respected and empowered, these skilled adults observe carefully, making informed decisions about when to step in. Whilst we encourage children to take responsibility for their behaviour choices, our adults have ultimate authority; they are trusted to make decisions about the playground and take the delivery of our ethos seriously. We meet fortnightly to discuss specific needs of pupils and engage in bespoke training.
But it’s not only adults who act as role-models and leaders at lunchtime. Our School Council is chosen through a special method aimed at identifying ‘hidden influencers’ and these children receive training to be Playground Buddies, who support those who might be feeling lonely or low. Our Playground Leaders support play and are encouraged to devise organised games and can be seen leading parachutes activities, explaining rules to classic parlour games and even inventing their own co-operative challenges.
The joyous, socially vibrant and happy playground which you see each day doesn’t just happen. It is made by adults who follow through with every single behaviour; it is made by our therapists and mentors teaching explicit social skills; it is made by the parents giving up their free time every week; it is made by the teachers who model and teach our values daily; and it is made by the children who stand up for respect and anti-bullying. But don’t take our word for it, come and see us, we know you’ll want to stay and play.
Alongside this wide array of unstructured free-play, we also offer a range of structured activities which provide children with new experiences, calm places and breathing spaces. Our PE coach, Mr Mullings runs daily sports sessions for each year group, whilst we are also incredibly lucky to welcome an army of parent volunteers who run a range of free and highly popular lunchtime clubs, including: Japanese arts and crafts, German arts and crafts, Explore and Play, Gardening, Chess, Mindful Colouring and Board Games library. Mrs Evans keeps our fantastic library and outdoor reading space open to all each day and always knows what book to choose next.
None of this would happen without our Midday team. A dedicated, motivated, well-trained staff body who are enthusiastic about their roles. Respected and empowered, these skilled adults observe carefully, making informed decisions about when to step in. Whilst we encourage children to take responsibility for their behaviour choices, our adults have ultimate authority; they are trusted to make decisions about the playground and take the delivery of our ethos seriously. We meet fortnightly to discuss specific needs of pupils and engage in bespoke training.
But it’s not only adults who act as role-models and leaders at lunchtime. Our School Council is chosen through a special method aimed at identifying ‘hidden influencers’ and these children receive training to be Playground Buddies, who support those who might be feeling lonely or low. Our Playground Leaders support play and are encouraged to devise organised games and can be seen leading parachutes activities, explaining rules to classic parlour games and even inventing their own co-operative challenges.
The joyous, socially vibrant and happy playground which you see each day doesn’t just happen. It is made by adults who follow through with every single behaviour; it is made by our therapists and mentors teaching explicit social skills; it is made by the parents giving up their free time every week; it is made by the teachers who model and teach our values daily; and it is made by the children who stand up for respect and anti-bullying. But don’t take our word for it, come and see us, we know you’ll want to stay and play.