 Play
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Click here to
view our new page on Schools' Play Development |
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Click here to view new publications on
the play website |
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Click here to view our new
page on Risk and Play |
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Click here to see the our Best
Practice Fora meetings |
Current Play Ranger sessions:
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Times the same for all sessions, 3 -5 pm during school terms,
2 - 5 pm during the school holidays.
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Monday & Wednesday |
Staple Hill, Page Park
Kingswood, Kingswood Park |
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Tuesday & Thursday |
Filton, Elm Park
Yate, Tynsdall Park |
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What are your memories of play?
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Where did you like to play?
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Who
did you play with?
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What did you like to play?
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 For many adults, their memories of playing as a child are very
important to them. Playing outdoors often holds especially
powerful memories. Time to play was time to explore where you
lived, who your friends were, and how the world you lived in
worked. All children and young people both
want to and need to have many different kinds of play
experiences throughout childhood.
Play is evolutions’ gift to children to enable them to explore
and understand the world around them in a way that comes to them
naturally. Until recently we have not needed to plan for
children’s play, it has just happened, in those informal times
and places where you can be yourself.
Children have not changed but there are increasing signs that
childhood is changing rapidly.
Some of these signs are:
- The distance from home that children aged 8-12 are
allowed to play unaccompanied by adults has decreased by 80%
in the past twenty years. (CPC 2001)
- Children’s mental and physical health is getting worse.
Children are suffering more mental illness and stress and
increasing levels of obesity. (BMA 2005)
- Childrens’ ability to think (their cognitive
development) at the age of 11-12 years, is on average two to
three years behind children of twenty years ago (Shayler
2006)
 South Gloucestershire Council recognises that the decisions
which adults make have a big impact on children’s ability to
have the play experiences they need. In an increasingly ordered
and organised world we can no longer leave play to chance. In
the future we will have to plan to make sure children get the
places, time and security they need to play.
The Play Policy and Play Strategy is intended to be a working
document for use by anyone who makes decisions which have an
impact on children’s play.
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Publications:
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South Gloucestershire is part of a partnership that has been
awarded £130,000 by the Lottery to develop Play Pods for Primary
Schools.
Abbotswood School in Yate, Severn Beach Primary and St Anne’s in
Oldland Common have been chosen to be pilot schools in the
project. Read more about it in the PDF document below.
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Play Policy - Final
version
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(1455kB) |
Playrangers
Quarterly Report
(Quarter 4, Year
1) |
(415kB) |
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Playscapes Design Day
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(461kB) |
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Booking Form
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(36kB) |
Playrangers article
in Play Today,
Issue 57, April 2007
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(66kB) |
The whole Play Today magazine can be downloaded by clicking on
the link below:
www.playengland.org.uk/resources
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Play Pods Poster
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(712kB) |
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Invite Letter for
School Development
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(105kB) |
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Policy Background PowerPoint
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 (2272kB) |
Outdoor Play
- Information to support the development of outdoor
play in Foundation Stage settings
By Foundation Stage Advisory Teachers |
(1407kB) |
South Gloucestershire Play
Policy and Strategy 2006
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(232kB) |
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Useful Websites:
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http://www.playrangers.org/
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A new team of Play Rangers started work in the South
Gloucestershire on the 9th October 2006.
The Play Rangers will inspire children ages 5 – 15 to go out to
their local parks and play by creating secure environments for
them to access. Though consultation they aim to support the
children to improve play opportunities in their areas including
fixed equipment in parks and facilities for young people making
the areas more child/young person centred.
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Freeplay Network
www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk
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The Free Play Network is a network of individuals and
organisations, which aims to promote the need for better play
opportunities for children. |
London Play
www.londonplay.org.uk |
London Play aims for every child in London to have quality,
accessible and inclusive play opportunities. |
Play Wales
www.playwales.org.uk |
Play Wales is the national organisation for children's play. |
Children's Play Council
www.ncb.org.uk |
The website is designed to be a useful source of
information for CPC members and anyone with a
professional or academic interest in children’s
play. CPC's books, reports, briefings, policy
positions, consultations and responses are also
excellent resources for students.
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Children's Playlink
www.childrensplaylink.org.uk
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Children's Playlink is a children's charity which is based
in South Gloucestershire. Established in 1995, Childrens Playlink has
grown dramatically over the last 10 years and now employs 21 staff and
services to childcare groups and children throughout the county. |
Southern Brooks Community Centre
www.sbcommunitypartnership.org.uk |
Working with local people to help them identify issues that
concern them and to find local answers to local issues.
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Contact Details:
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Michael Follett
Play Development Officer
Learning & School Effectiveness Service, Department for Children
& Young People
Bowling Hill
Chipping Sodbury
South Gloucestershire
BS37 6JX
Tel: 01454 864430
Fax: 01454 868967
Email:
Michael.Follett@southglos.gov.uk
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