Play is in the core of a child’s life. Not only humans play, play-like activities have already been found in insects and all mammals play as juveniles. Play researchers believe that play is the basic form of learning for life and as playwork theory states all “social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional” (SPICE) aspects are developed through play, especially through freely chosen, intrinsically motivated and self-controlled play. However today play is at risk. Children of today – especially in urban areas- have much less access to play, have less play time and less freedom as control is exerted by risk averse parents/ adults. The leverage point of the system of factors influencing play in society, is clearly the schools. They are where all the children can be found, and spend most of their time. Therefore schools shall be formulated to provide more play spaces and opportunities: to become more play-friendly. That is why, based on UK experience, we would like to develop a Play-friendly Quality Criteria / Label for Central Europe. To have the criteria as fitting and adaptable as possible, we are going to run research in each country and set up National Adaptation Plans. Also to prepare schools to apply the criteria we are developing a staff training course and materials, which will be adapted and translated to local languages. The project aims to reach 4100 beneficiaries through working with 7 team members/ Advisory Committee in each partner partner = 42, Multiplier events, direct contact: 62-100 per country, about 400 people, Training event: 30 trainees, number of schools involved through multiplier and other activities: about 30, number of children per schools: cca.120, altogether about 3600 pupils, out of which at least 200 will have special educational needs. As a result of our dissemination / communication activities, we would also like to set up a European network of playworkers – professionals, whose role is ''to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play” (Playwork Principles).
The Children’s Access to Play in Schools (CAPS) project was designed as a collaborative knowledge transfer and exchange to develop innovative practice in terms of supporting children’s play in schools. Play is a defining feature of childhood and the basis for good physical and mental health, wellbeing and development; opportunities for self-organised playing have decreased in recent decades, with concurrent increases in obesity, neurodiversity and mental health problems. Schools are well placed to facilitate opportunities for children to engage in free play, and this was the foundation for the project. The CAPS project drew on the UK model of playwork and on the experiences of OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) in improving play times and play spaces in primary schools. Whilst these approaches are established (if not very widespread) in the UK, they are little known in our partner countries. Evidence from actions taken to improve play times in primary schools shows that children enjoy school more, are more physically active and engage more readily in learning. All these factors help to meet the Erasmus+ objectives of tackling early school leaving and disadvantage, and strengthening the profile of the teaching profession. The project also built on previous Erasmus+ projects: VIPER (Volunteers in Playwork - Employment Routes) and ARTPAD (Achieving Resilience through Play and Drama), which worked with four of the partners in the CAPS project, and which also identified a strong need to work with schools as key sites for supporting children’s opportunities to play. Partners were: • University of Gloucestershire, UK (lead partner) • Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung und Bildung, Austria • Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Physical Culture, Czech Republic • Rogers Foundation for Person-Centred Education, Hungary • Gedania 1922 Association, Poland • TANDEM n.o., Slovakia Each partner (except UK) established an advisory committee of stakeholders working in education (school leaders, education policy makers, etc). These volunteers then undertook a study visit (M2) to exemplar OPAL schools in the UK to see the potential. This visit was a real eye-opener for many of them and acted as a strong motivator for change in their own country. Partners then undertook research into the situation regarding play in primary schools in their own country. This was used to develop, in partnership with advisory committee members, a National Adaptation Plan (IO1) to ensure that the project was implemented in the best way for their country’s circumstances. Feedback was then gathered from wider stakeholders through a Multiplier Event (E1-E5). Research was undertaken into existing quality schemes and this was used to develop Quality Criteria (IO2) for the Play Friendly Schools kitemark. The Quality Criteria booklet also included suggestions for evidence to enable schools to self evaluate against the criteria in a transparent manner. It was translated into partner languages, published on the project website and promoted through project social media and partner networks. Multiplier Events (E6-E11) were held in each partner country to publicise the kitemark to policy makers, school leaders and school staff and to act as recruitment for further engagement in the project, according to each NAP. A training course syllabus was developed and then delivered to 29 participants during a week long course in Slovakia (C1). Participants included partners and volunteers who would be delivering the course in their own countries. Evaluations from this were used to modify the course. A training guide was then developed together with a handbook (IO3) that could support both the delivery of the course and schools themselves in making changes to meet the Quality Criteria. The course was then piloted and results from the pilot informed finalising of the training guide. Both the guide and the handbook were then translated into partner languages and published on the project website and promoted through the same channels as the Quality Criteria. Some partners succeeded in formally accrediting the course, but this was not appropriate for all partners. Finally, partners worked with schools in their countries to deliver a series of school staff workshops (E12-17) according to their NAPS. The project aimed to reach 4100 beneficiaries, including Advisory Committee members, those attending multiplier events and the training course, and the children of schools participating in pilots. The actual total number reached (including numbers of children in schools supported, staff teams and broader networks) far exceeded this at over 25,000.