.svg)
How do we know a child is growing? Is it the number they score?
For so many kids, assessment feels like pressure. Like being watched. Judged. Reduced to a mark on a page. And when that happens, the joy of learning slips away.
But real growth? It's messy. It looks like trying, failing, laughing, and trying again. It's courageous.
Play gives us a different lens. Through games and reflection, we see students take risks and stretch beyond what they thought was possible. Play-driven assessment is about making fun real.
Inside this newsletter, we share powerful ways to measure growth through play and games that make students feel seen, not scored. Dive in and shift how we assess, so every child feels celebrated!
#364: Small Acts, Big Impact: How Kindness and Support Shape Our Journeys
One of the biggest challenges with assessment is ensuring that students feel seen and valued beyond the scores.
In this episode, Paul Campbell and I explore how small, everyday acts of encouragement fuel growth and a sense of belonging, critical ingredients for any meaningful assessment.
We reflect on moments when a quiet belief from a mentor shifted our path, and how this kind of human connection reveals more about a student’s growth than any test score ever could.
If you’ve ever doubted whether the “soft” moments really matter in learning, you’ll want to listen to this one.
You can listen to the full episode here!
Daily Mission Cards
Learning can be measured not just in answers, but in the quiet moments of kindness that no one sees.
Today’s mission: invite kids to do something helpful without being asked.
Help a teacher set up for class. Wash the dishes before someone notices. Take out the rubbish, tidy the space, or lend a hand where it’s needed most, just because.
Traditional assessments don’t always capture these moments, but they are powerful indicators of growth, empathy, and self-direction. And when paired with playful reflection, they help shape compassionate learners ready to contribute beyond the classroom.
For more meaningful activities like this, consider checking out the Daily Mission Cards. Available in 5 variants!
Conflict Harmony Bridge
Not all growth is academic. Sometimes, the most powerful learning happens in moments of tension and connection.
This game invites students to explore conflict as a learning opportunity, not through lectures, but through play. In this role-play-based activity, students take on real-life scenarios, practising empathy, perspective-taking, and collaborative problem-solving in a safe, supported setting.
They don't just talk about emotions, but they live them and learn to navigate them together. It's a dynamic way to assess social and emotional development, communication skills, and resilience while building connection in a group.
Sign up to bring Conflict Harmony Bridge to your classroom!
All you need to know about teaching, learning and classroom management
If we want to make assessment meaningful, we need to start by making learning visible.
Grounded in the research of John Hattie, this webinar explores the strategies that have the greatest impact on student achievement. Aaron Johnston shares practical tools to help teachers see learning through their students’ eyes, making learning visible and trackable.
This session is packed with ideas to:
- Clarify learning goals for every student
- Maximise instructional time through smarter classroom management
- Support all learners through visible progress and self-awareness
-
Sign up to watch the full session here and start aligning your teaching and assessment with what actually works!
Play Meets Purpose at Belmont High
We had the absolute pleasure of running a student leadership workshop at Belmont High last week, where students welcomed their local primary school peers for a full day of play-based challenges.
The result? A living, breathing example of school values in action, Respect, Opportunity, and Resilience, brought to life through energy and inclusion.
Big thanks to the Belmont High community. Your young leaders truly inspired us with how confidently they showed that play is powerful.
Join us on this global journey of joy and connection! If you want to bring The School of Play to your community, fill out the form here ➡
.avif)
