Research has consistently shown that playtime constitutes more than 20% of a child's time at school, which translates to approximately 1.4 years of their primary school life. At St. Antony's school, we recognise the pivotal role that play has in promoting mental health and well-being amongst our pupils.

Providing our children with a variety of play options has proven significantly beneficial to their social and emotional development. High-quality play allows children of all ages and backgrounds to interact and foster new friendships. It also enables them to enhance their social and emotional skills.

To ensure that our children have ample opportunities for varied and engaging play, we offer a range of options during lunch times. Our ICT suite hosts a popular Minecraft club, providing a platform for children to explore their creativity and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, our well-stocked library is open every day, encouraging children to develop a love for reading and expanding their knowledge. 

In the playground, our senior play leaders facilitate a designated scooter zone, enabling children to engage in physical activity while enhancing their coordination and balance. Moreover, our playground boxes are filled with toys, promoting inclusive play where children of different age groups interact and develop their social skills.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, Coach Jake, leads sports games over lunchtime where the children can put their skills developed in PE sessions into action and create a competitive edge in a safe and happy environment. 

It is worth noting that this focus on play, has made our lunch times even more harmonious, as our  children are so happy and engrossed in play. 

We are so proud of our chidlren's conduct at play time and lunch time. 

Another aspect we emphasise during lunchtime is the cultivation of a sense of responsibility. Even our youngest children in Year 1 are involved in maintaining cleanliness in the dining hall. They actively contribute by assisting with tasks such as stacking trays, cleaning tables, and helping scrap leftover food. In this way, our children learn important values and develop a strong sense of ownership for their school environment and school family.