Making Space for Play in Irish Schoolyards School Programme

Supporting Irish primary schools in creating conditions for play rights in schoolyards.

Project Aims

 

  • Deliver a monthly practical online knowledge sharing series with a collective of interdisciplinary contributors (Sept 2025–June 2026) to support Irish primary schools in evaluating and creating conditions for play rights in schoolyards.
  • Share accessible resources and facilitate an online dialogue space for schools on play rights in schoolyards.
  • Deliver training on evaluation tools and develop case exemplars with interested schools
  • Generate with schools and contributors’ recommendations on the types of supports schools need to co create a culture of play rights and plan, implement and evaluate conditions for play rights in Irish schoolyards.

Online Series Schedule (Sept 2025 – June 2026) TBC

Monthly 60-minute MS Teams sessions (30–45 min presentation + Q&A)

Introduction & The Case for Play in schoolyards | Evidence Based Recommendations
Thursday 18th September

Dr Wendy Russell

Evaluating exisiting conditions for play | Dynamic Risk Assessment
Thursday 17th October

Dr Bobby Beaumount OPAL UK

The Role of Play in Curriculum Change and Re-Development – Key Messages from Policy for Practice Schools
Thursday 20th November

Prof Emer Ring

Evaluating for Play | Playground Audit tool / Play Your Part (Participation Resource)
Thursday 11th December 2025

PlayBoard NI

Drop in Sessions ( TBA)

Facilitated informal sessions for participating schools

Identify support needs, share experiences, build peer network

Resources

Play Wales | A Play Friendly School Guide​

Inclusive Playgrounds
Universal Design for Playspaces
Read more
Where to Begin When Planning for Playspaces: Design by Inclusion and Inclusion by Design
Read more
Can I Get There?
Read more
Learn more