Lunch break on Wednesdays is a busy, creative time at UPS!

Every week, with the help of some fantastic Years 5/6 students and supportive yard duty staff, Denby and Amy run Pop-Up Play on Campus 1. Supplied with a shed full of no-longer-used items and loose parts (from wooden reels to cast-off suitcases, and telephones to empty crates), our students enjoy engaging their imaginations to build, pull, push, jump and role-play their way through break time.

As well as being a lot of fun, this activity provides our students with the opportunity to practice and develop skills in cooperation, turn-taking, construction and problem solving. It also offers our older students the chance to take on responsibility, use their time keeping skills and engage in a giant game of Tetris as they strategise putting everything back in the shed at the end of lunch.

Offering students structured play opportunities at lunchtimes is just one way we promote a sense of belonging and inclusion at UPS. Play is highly valued in our school community – we know it’s central to children’s learning, development, confidence and wellbeing.

Thank you to Denby and all the helpers who make Pop-Up Play possible. If you’d like to support Pop-Up Play at UPS, we would be very grateful for any donations of loose parts (that are safe and in good condition) to add to our collection in the Butterfly Shed. Please see Brianna in the Front Office to organise a drop off time.