OPAL & Forest School Play Leader

Zest Education is proud to be recruiting an OPAL and Forest School Play Leader for a welcoming primary school in Burton upon Trent. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate and organised individual to lead OPAL play and Forest School provision across the school.

The role is 25 hours per week, term-time only, with an immediate start, on a fixed-term contract until 31.03.2027.

The Role

As the OPAL & Forest School Play Leader, you will:

• Lead and develop the school’s OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) programme

• Plan and deliver engaging Forest School sessions for pupils across the school

• Promote active, creative, and inclusive outdoor play

• Support children’s physical, social, and emotional wellbeing

• Encourage healthy lifestyles and positive play behaviours

• Organise resources and ensure outdoor learning environments are safe and stimulating

• Work closely with school staff to embed play and outdoor learning into daily school life

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience delivering OPAL and/or Forest School programmes

• Holds (or is working towards) a Forest School qualification

• Is well-organised, proactive, and able to lead sessions independently

• Has a strong understanding of child development and wellbeing

• Is passionate about outdoor learning, play, and physical activity

• Can inspire children to see being active and healthy as fun and rewarding

Why This Role Is Special

This role gives the school the opportunity to:

• Offer a wider range of sports, play, and Forest School activities

• Support children in developing a healthy lifestyle

• Enhance pupils’ social, emotional, and physical wellbeing

• Create a positive and inclusive culture of outdoor play and learning

Contract Details

• Hours: 25 hours per week

• Working Pattern: Term-time only

• Start Date: Immediate

• Contract Type: Fixed-term until 31 March 2027

• Grade: 6

If you are interested in this position or want to find out more, email Jo at Joanne@zesteducation.co.uk or ‘apply for job’ at the top of the page to submit your details.

Zest Education are an APSCo audited agency and are dedicated to safeguarding children. All candidates must hold an enhanced DBS (or allow us to process one for you) and be registered to the DBS Update Service, be able to provide references to cover the last two years and successfully pass all other necessary safeguarding checks prior to clearance for work.

Salary is dependent on experience, training, or qualifications. The minimum experience, training, or qualifications required for this position are recent school-based experience (within the last 5 years within a school that teaches the British Curriculum) and/or care-based experience within the last 5 years.

The role advertised is for temporary supply work.

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