“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein
“Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” – Abraham Maslow
The iPLAY programme uses play as a powerful tool to engage Year 9 students in developing the key attributes essential for success in both work and life. Through a diverse range of challenging experiences, students are immersed in a motivating and safe environment where they have the freedom to create, achieve, and grow.
KPI: “The best four hours of the fortnight”
Progressing through five experience modules, delivered in 8-week blocks, students have the opportunity to gain AQA Certifications which recognise and reward their development in the following areas:
- Emotional and Social Skills
- Resilience, Self-Awareness, and Independence
- Future-Ready Skills (digital literacy and financial awareness)
Drama Experience: A rehearsal space for life — a place to test, refine, and strengthen the same interpersonal and intrapersonal skills they’ll need in work, relationships, and future learning. Activities include: Life Olympics, Carnival Cruise Line Escape Room, Fail Forward – Bounce Back, Forum Theatre, Role Play, Mock Interviews
eGaming Experience: Gaming is more than entertainment — it’s a dynamic simulation of real life, where students can build teamwork, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving in a space that feels exciting and relevant. Activities include: Minecraft Create, Minecraft Team Challenge, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes! Fall Guys. Walkie Talkies.
Classic Toys and Games Experience: Not just old-school fun — mini-life labs where Year 9s can sharpen communication, resilience, creativity, and problem-solving while laughing, competing, and collaborating. Activities include: Lego create and team build, Domino chain reaction, Articulate, Charades, Kids Against Humanity! Battleship, Jenga, Chess!
Fit to Fuel Experience: fitness and diet activities help Year 9s rehearse self-discipline, teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience in a context that directly connects to their health and lifestyle choices. Activities include: Fitness measurements, group skipping, juggling, food, diet and budgeting – power of the £, taste tests! Exercise planning – cardio vs strength.
WOW! World Of Work / Build it! Experience: The world of work is a real-life arena where Year 9s will need to perform. Practicing essential attributes now means they’ll walk into apprenticeships, jobs, or higher education already “work-ready.” Activities include: Work focussed sessions with links and mentors from the Maritime industry and Morgan Sindall Construction. Build challenges – STEM QinetiQ Speed Boat Challenge – marble run, zip line, speed stacking, finance, teamwork and more!
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Chat GPT version: The iPLAY Programme – Year 9
“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein
The iPLAY programme uses play as a powerful tool to engage Year 9 students in developing the key attributes essential for success in both life and work. Across the full academic year, students progress through five 8-week experience modules. Each module offers a rich mix of challenges in a safe and motivating environment, giving students the freedom to create, achieve, and grow.
Our ambition: to deliver the best four hours of the fortnight.
Students’ progress is recognised through AQA Certifications, which reward growth in three core areas:
- Emotional and Social Skills
- Resilience, Self-Awareness, and Independence
- Future-Ready Skills (digital literacy and financial awareness)
The five experience modules
- Drama Experience: A rehearsal space for life — testing and strengthening interpersonal skills through role play, mock interviews, forum theatre, and “fail forward” challenges.
- eGaming Experience: Harnessing the teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving of gaming with activities such as Minecraft challenges and collaborative puzzle games.
- Classic Toys and Games Experience: Old-school play reimagined as mini-life labs, using Lego, Jenga, chess, and more to sharpen communication, resilience, and collaboration.
- Fit to Fuel Experience: Linking fitness and nutrition to self-discipline and teamwork through physical challenges, food budgeting, and lifestyle planning.
- World of Work / Build It! Experience: Real-world practice through STEM build challenges and links with employers such as the Maritime industry and Morgan Sindall Construction.
Through iPLAY, Year 9 students experience purposeful play that builds the resilience, creativity, and confidence they’ll need to thrive in education, work, and life.
