About us

Michael Follet, Founder of OPAL, invites three headteachers from Durham to Bristol to see OPAL in action. They immediately sign up to start the programme. 

Ingrid Wilkinson is approached by Michael to develop OPAL in the North East. Ingrid recruits three more schools across three local authority areas.

Ingrid recruits 60 schools over five local authorities in the first 18 months.

OPAL CIC wins the European Award for increasing physical activity.

Ingrid develops a playwork course aimed at lunchtime supervisors to complement the OPAL programme and upskills primary school staff.

Esh Winning Primary School is the first school in the North East to receive their OPAL award. 

Ingrid organises the first UK health and safety in schools seminar to inspire headteachers to adopt HSE’s Promoting a balanced approach guidance.

Ingrid organises the first OPAL North East showcase event to show other schools what a positive impact OPAL is making on children’s health and wellbeing.

OPAL is now positively impacting over 350,000 children in the North East.

Ingrid trains to become a RoSPA inspector to provide reassurance and confidence to North East schools around risk and challenge.

Ingrid launches the Celebration of Play in School awards to acknowledge the hard work and investment of schools across the region.

Ingrid sets up OPAL North East as a limited company.

Ingrid trains new OPAL mentor Ana Ardalean to enable schools to start the OPAL programme in Leeds.

During Covid, Ingrid supports schools by developing online training and providing guidance documents to those who were still open during the pandemic.

OPAL CIC receives funding from Sport England and Ingrid leads on developing a training course for new mentors and an accreditation system for staff. 

Ingrid trains newly appointed OPAL Mentor Charlotte Derry to enable the launch of OPAL across the Midlands.

Ingrid recruits OPAL North East’s first member of staff, Andrea Caine, who joins the team to support schools across North Tyneside and surrounding areas.

Ingrid spots the potential of a historic building needing TLC during Covid with the vision of it becoming OPAL North East’s headquarters. Ongoing renovations take the following four years.

OPAL CIC starts a partnership with Play Scotland to bring the programme to schools across the country. Ingrid trains Scotland’s first OPAL mentor, Dr Simon Knight.

OPAL CIC publishes the literature review, The Case for Play in Schools.

OPAL North East provides ongoing free Covid catch-up meetings to inspire and support schools to get back on track following the pandemic and the removal of play.

Ingrid recruits a Finance and Business Officer to support the growth of the company.

OPAL CIC is a finalist in the Children and Young Peoples Now Awards.

Ingrid recruits Kate Gallon, who joins the team to support schools across Durham and surrounding areas. Ana Dutson and Lizzie Pringle also join the team this year to work with schools across Cumbria, Stockton and Teeside. 

The third annual Celebration of Play Awards take place, attracting schools from every local authority. The awards are hosted at Shiremoor Adventure Playground.

Ingrid and the team design a range of OPAL products to enhance the schools’ user journeys and support mentors to deliver the programme. 

OPAL CIC wins the Play Sector Children and Young Peoples NOW Award

OPAL North East partners with Suez on a project to support playtimes by providing recycled loose parts and other resources. After a successful pilot, the project is expanded in the region, with plans to cascade UK-wide.

Play Scotland celebrates their first award level OPAL school and recruits two new OPAL mentors, who are trained by Ingrid. 

OPAL CIC launches the A Plan for Play report at Westminster. The UK’s first five OPAL Honours schools are presented with their awards at the event, including the North East’s Esh Winning Primary School. 

The new OPAL North East office officially opens and the team launches their OPAL product range for mentors.

The Playful Schools website is launched to support OPAL North East in its mission to improve the lives of children through the power of play. OPAL Branded is set up to become the licensed provider of OPAL branded merchandise for schools across the UK.