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If this is you, then we’re here to help.
We support primary schools to dramatically improve the quality of day-to-day play times and lunchtimes, with a consequent beneficial impact on lunchtime behaviour, engagement, learning, social, emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing.
In fact some of our schools have seen their serious behavioural problems completely disappear!
Positive Playtimes is a whole-school improvement programme that transforms playtimes into purposeful opportunities for belonging, wellbeing, leadership and learning. We empower staff and pupils to create happier, more harmonious schools where every child can thrive.
Can this programme be funded through the PE and Sport Premium?
Yes. Positive Playtimes supports the Department for Education’s objectives for physical activity, wellbeing, inclusion, staff development and sustainable whole-school improvement and is an excellent use of Primary PE and Sport Premium funding.
“Thank you so much for all of your help and advice in turning our lunchtimes around with the Positive Playtime Award Programme. Our lunchtime supervisors are a completely different team now and playtimes are going amazingly well!
We’ve noticed behaviour has greatly improved and playtime accidents have massively reduced.
We’ve had lots of great feedback from lunchtime supervisors about how positive the playground is, they all love the equipment, and the more structured playtime has had an extremely positive impact.
Communication is also excellent and staff are working together as a team.
We have also all noticed how much happier the children are!
The Positive Playtime Programme has been transformative, thank you.”
We offer a variety of Positive Playtime Training Programmes, including our most popular Positive Playtime Essentials Programme and Positive Playtime Award Programme, all include Online, Inset and Working in School Days.
Positive Playtimes Training
How to be Lunchtime Supervisor Superhero Online Course
Leadership Coaching
Imagine if you could give your entire team the confidence to develop and implement a unique school-wide Programme and Action-Plan.
Over the last 20+ years headteachers across the country have witnessed the transformation the Positive Playtime Programmes can bring to your staff and children’s lives.
About Therese
I’m Thérèse Hoyle, Founder and Director of Positive Playtimes.
As a teacher, I regularly spent large chunks of precious learning time resolving playground disagreements that had spilled over into the classroom. Children returned to lessons upset, dysregulated and often unable to learn for the rest of the afternoon.
I worked alongside some exceptionally talented and experienced teachers, yet I saw how unstructured playtimes, limited opportunities for co-operative play and lunchtime staff who had not received the training they needed could affect children’s behaviour, wellbeing, friendships and readiness to learn.
That experience inspired me to create Positive Playtimes. For more than 20 years, I have developed and refined the Positive Playtime Programmes, including our flagship Positive Playtime Award Programme, to help schools transform playtimes and lunchtimes into happier, safer and more inclusive parts of the school day.
I am the author of 101 Playground Games and 101 Wet Playtime Games and Activities, and co-editor and contributing author of The Big Book of Whole School Wellbeing. My mission is simple: to ensure every child has a happy and harmonious playtime.
My vision is a world where every school champions Positive Playtimes: safe, inclusive and joyful spaces that nurture wellbeing, creativity, friendship, connection and belonging.
My mission is simple: to ensure every child has a happy and harmonious playtime.
Testimonials
“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
Ark Backlands Hastings
“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 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 and are working hard at playing well.”
Jill Watson
Headteacher, Lent Rise Primary School
“Our recent online training provided by Therese has reinvigorated myself and our team at school. As a small school on the East Coast, we often struggle to have face-to-face training as the cost with travel is too high, the online flexibility of this training made this an cost effective option for us. It allowed staff to engage with via the online platform and also allowed staff who had to work during the time access afterwards. We now have heaps of ideas to refresh our play times and ensure all children are encouraged to play with one another in a purposeful and meaningful way. In addition to the online training, the resources provided will support our school in implementing the ideas further. Working with Therese has been great, and I look forward to working with her again in the future. Thank you for your time and fabulous ideas.”
Roxanne Gray
Deputy Headteacher, Toynton All Saints Primary School, Lincolnshire
“The children are more settled and are busy and more cooperative. The playground is a positive place with Playground PALS, Games, Craze of the Week, Positive Play and a Friendship Stop. We have a happier, more settled playground and as a result, happier more settled children, with a significant decrease in detentions from poor behaviour at playtimes. We highly recommend the Positive Playtime Masterclass Programme”
Principal, Musselburgh Primary School.
101 Playground Books
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