Everything you need to know to create active and enriching playtimes
The Positive Playtime Essentials Programme is a whole school approach, focused on changing the long-term culture of your school. It will help you create happy playtimes and harmonious dining halls, support staff and pupil wellbeing and develop a policy for active, creative, and positive play at lunchtimes.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Introductory meeting
- Observation and Positive Playtime Award Audit meeting
- Two days of Positive Playtime training – we come into your school over two ordinary school days and work with your children and whole school team
- Lunchtime Supervisor Superhero Training
- Coaching Development and Action Planning Sessions – Schools have access to 2 x 1 hour zoom coaching sessions over the 12 months
- The Positive Playtime Toolkit provides you with ready-to-go resources, so you don’t have to create your own (worth over £1000.00)
- Positive Playtime Academy – As part of the Award Programme you will have access to the Positive Playtime Academy for the first 12 months of your programme. This will enable ongoing training and induction of new staff (valued at £1497.00)
- A copy of 101 Playground Games
- 30+ years of social, emotional, mental health and wellbeing, behaviour management and play expertise
- Friday Cuppa with Therese – A termly catch up for you to celebrate your successes, ask questions and gain further support.
- Unlimited e-mail and phone support – we offer unlimited phone/Zoom and e-mail support.
- Option to apply for an additional day to complete the Positive Playtime Award
You will learn how to:
- Significantly improve the quality of day-to-day playtimes and lunchtimes
- Create a safe, secure and playful outdoor learning environment
- Complete a whole school audit of lunchtimes and playtimes
- Develop a strategic plan for moving forward
- Assess risks and manage changes safely
- Gather pupil voice
- Create Zoned Activity AreasUpskill your Lunchtime Supervisor Superheroes to understand the benefits of play, create positive and effective playtimes, enhance morale and team spirit and develop a repertoire of games that develop social, emotional and relationship skills
- Develop a whole school relational approach, and effective positive behaviour systems, including restorative practices, at lunchtimes
- Introduce playground games training from our book 101 Playground Games
- Establish or re–energise the Playground Activity Leaders (PALS) System.
- Improve wet playtime
- Create happy and harmonious dining halls
- Support children to develop peaceful problem solving skills
- Deliver Positive Playtime Staff Training
- Develop a positive and effective lunchtime and playtime policy.
Benefits of taking part in this programme:
✓ Reduced accidents ✓ More time for teaching and learning
FAQ's
• How much does the Positive Playtime Essentials Programme cost?
The cost of the Positive Playtime Essentials programme for 2026-2027 is £3,997 plus VAT and travel for your consultant. This can be split into two payments. This also includes access to the Positive Playtime Online Academy for 12 months (valued at £1497.00 + VAT)
YES. You can pay for the Positive Playtime Essentials programme entirely from the School Sports and PE Premium – PE and Sport Premium for Primary Schools . The revised 2019 DFE guidance now puts ‘Active Play in Schools’ as its second priority for how the funding should be used. We have plenty of evidence from the schools we work with that shows the impact of the programme and how it increases the physical activity of all children. Our research also shows that those benefits are sustained over many years.
All staff will have access, post the Positive Playtime training days, to catch up in our Online Positive Playtime Academy. Schools will have access for 12 months; this also helps with induction of new members of staff.
• What additional support will our school and team get?
Positive Playtime Academy – As part of the Award Programme you will have access to the Positive Playtime Academy for the first 12 months of your programme. This will enable ongoing training and induction of new staff.
Friday Cuppa with Therese – A termly catch up for you to celebrate your successes, ask questions and gain further support.
Coaching and unlimited e mail and phone support – Schools have access to 2 x 1 hour Coaching calls over the 12 months and we offer unlimited phone/zoom and e mail support
You have the option to buy into an additional day to gain the Positive Playtime Award
You can choose from our Positive Playtime Essentials Programme or Positive Playtime Award Programme, or if you require a more personalised package, we can create bespoke programme that is more suitable to your requirements and/or budget.
Kudos and Raves for the Positive Playtime Essentials Programme
Our results show that when you get it right you have happier children, teachers, midday supervisors, lunchtime supervisors and parents!
“We found Therese’s Positive Playtime Essentials course inspirational and motivating. Her style of working meant that everyone felt included and was able to actively participate, and leave feeling better informed, more confident, and ready for action!
It was a great team-building for all staff and helped everyone to work together with a greater understanding of our children’s’ daily needs.
We have initiated many of Therese’s ideas already and children are reaping the benefits of more structured, cohesive play and lunch times.
Pam Simpson – Headteacher, Kimpton, Thruxton and Fyfield C of E Primary School
“This is the best lunchtime supervisor training I have ever done. It was active, engaging and has given me so many ideas I can use in the playground. Usually training days are boring, but this was the best; I can’t wait to get started!’’
Gurvinder Maharu – Lunchtime Supervisor, Tudor Court Primary School
“Therese Hoyle delivered high quality, structured sessions tailor-made to the needs of our school. She worked with teachers, support staff, midday supervisors and pupils to create a shared emphasis on positive playtime experiences for all children.
The Positive Playtime Essentials training has energised staff who are now more actively engaged in developing creative and harmonious playtimes and utilising equipment and skills.
The children responded very positively and with the introduction of our playtime council to foster and lead inclusive, active games, are working hard at playing well.”
Jill Watson – Head teacher, Lent Rise Primary School
“The biggest impact of our training with Therese Hoyle has been the sense of pride and purpose, feeling of being valued and ownership our MSA’s have taken with what goes on at lunchtimes. They are now more motivated, engaged in playing games with the children, have set up zoned activity areas and Playtime PALS.
As a result, the children are being more tolerant, friendly and kind to one another which has led to a marked reduction in incidents of poor behaviour at lunchtimes and fewer first aid incidents.”
Natalie Rankin – Deputy Head, Ark Blacklands Hastings
