St Brendan’s Primary school believe that play provides opportunities for children to experience learning in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is a means by which children can develop the skills and capabilities to be effective learners. Play provides a context to access the content of the curriculum.

We recognises the importance of the need for high quality sustainable play for children, regardless of their needs and abilities and that inclusive play is achieved by offering carefully considered spaces that offer a real choice of accessible play opportunities.

As a school we aim to improve the way we think and provide opportunities for play. We believe that play is essential for physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development

Play meets the four components of a child’s development:

• Physical (direct impact on physical development, co-ordination and fitness)
• Intellectual (cognitive development, imagination);
• Educational (the knowledge and understanding of academic outcomes)
• Social (the development of values, beliefs and self-perception and the parallel communication skills, leadership and teamwork this enhances).

Staff at St Brendan’s understand that children learn best through carefully planned, play based experiences that start with their strengths, interests and capabilities.  We acknowledge that children are active learners and that they need opportunities both indoors and outdoors to make sense of the world, whilst supported by knowledgeable, interested and sensitive adults.