Te Kura o Take Kārara, Wānaka
Aotearoa New Zealand
The P-BLOT™ is specific, targeted, concise. It identifies what to look for with very clear indicators, it supports leaders in guiding teacher to the next step and how to support the process, it also identifies unclear indicators, so it ensures everyone knows what learning through play looks like and doesn’t look like! It guides leaders in making very deliberate observational notes when in the teacher’s learning spaces and narrows the focus to a particular area which enables a very clear direction for feedback and feed forward. The leadership team builds a very coherent and shared understanding of what we all expect our play environments and our teachers’ roles within that to be. Nobody is going off down their own pathway of what good practice might be or not be. It identifies what further research, resources, or new learning might be needed to continue to further deepen play practice and teacher professional learning.
Jodie Howard, Tumuaki, Te Kura o Take Kārara, Wānaka
Supporting Play Pedagogy Across Aotearoa New Zealand
Since 2020, the Play-Based Learning Observation Tool (P-BLOT)™ has been making a positive impact in Aotearoa New Zealand schools, helping educators observe, reflect, and refine their play-based teaching practices. We are proud to have partnered with many schools across the country, empowering teachers and school leaders to implement play pedagogy with confidence and fidelity.
Te Whai Hiringa School, Hawkes Bay
Ready to Enhance Play-Based Learning in Your School?
The P-BLOT™ has proven to be a valuable tool for New Zealand schools, transforming how educators observe and implement play pedagogy. Contact us to find out how we can support your school on its play-based learning journey.
Our Impact Across Aotearoa New Zealand
Over 100 Schools NationwideThe P-BLOT™ has been successfully implemented in over 100 primary schools across Aotearoa New Zealand, at all year levels. Our tool has supported educators in enhancing their teaching practices, creating more engaging and effective play-based learning environments for thousands of children.
Longworth Forest School, Hawkes Bay
Golden Sands School, Bay of Plenty
The P-BLOT™ is an amazing tool that we initially used at Golden Sands School to build our staff’s understanding and capability in implementing play pedagogy. Staff were observed in their teams using the P-BLOT™ and then given supportive and constructive feedback that was identified from the observation. From the feedback it supported the teams to create a goal to focus on to help improve their practice in play-based learning. This process was repeated for a year. We now use P-BLOT™ to support new teachers and when a team requests support with identifying how to improve the play-based learning in their community. I highly recommend this tool if you want to implement play pedagogy with fidelity in your school.
Carol Ballinger, Deputy Principal
West Gore School, Gore
We are relatively new to the P-BLOT™. With what I know already the ongoing support from the tool and facilitators is critical to make significant progress with teachers. One of our teachers has started training this year. I have been lucky enough to work alongside which I think has been great so I have an overview of the process and can support the training/implementing teacher. The systematic implementation process and the clarity of the P-BLOT™ make this an excellent tool. We have had a member of the training team work in our school this past week with observations in each classroom and then individual coaching and goal setting with the facilitator and our teacher.
What was very evident was the experience she brought to the conversation and the goals for the teacher were much more holistic than we had thought. This experience will get teachers to implement effective practice much more quickly. The fact the goals are negotiated with teachers and there is steps in place to check in is so important. Nothing happens without accountability and a teachers own goal. I cannot speak highly enough about this effective practice model. The team’s willingness to tailor their approach to help us in the Deep South is a testimony to their commitment to play pedagogy.
Linda Fraser, Tumuaki/Principal
Oropi School, Tauranga
The P-BLOT™ is a most useful tool in helping teachers truly understand where to next with their classroom practice, resourcing and own way of being as a teacher to enable some important foundations, especially with regards to play. However, it is most definitely not just about play and on that basis we use it as ‘the’ tool to support teachers with their own growth (PLGs). It is not threatening and helps with self-identification of next steps in practice.
It has really helped our senior school with defining their practices in relation to play to help know what PBL can look like in the senior school.
Andrew King, Principal, President Rural Schools Association
PBLOT™
A Longworth Education Training Series
Supporting schools with evidence-informed strategies that prioritise teacher wellbeing, professional growth, and sustainable practice.
Get in touch
info@longwortheducation.co.nz