Sign up free
Skip to main content

Playology Forest School Castle Eden Dene

Playology Forest School Castle Eden Dene is a pre-school in Peterlee for children aged 2 to 4, with 12 registered places. Ofsted report card, 19 January 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met.

Oakerside Dene Lodge, Stanhope Chase, Peterlee, SR8 1NJ

Key facts

Type
Pre-school (Sessional day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Ages
2 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered places
12 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered
22 September 2023 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:30 - 16:30

Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 19 January 2026

Who runs it

Playology Forest School Castle Eden Dene is run by Playology Limited (Ofsted register).

Latest inspection

  • Inclusion: Strong standard
  • Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
  • Achievement: Strong standard
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard
  • Leadership and governance: Strong standard
  • Safeguarding standards met

Source: Ofsted, inspection on 19 January 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children thrive in the calm, nurturing environment. They develop a love of the outdoors and thoroughly enjoy helping to set up for the session. Children settle quickly and talk confidently to staff about their weekend as they make their way to the forest school site. Clear routines help children to feel secure and develop their independence. For example, they help staff to prepare snack or to set up the toilet tent. They engage in purposeful play. For example, children thoroughly enjoy climbing on tree trunks and pretending to ride a horse. Staff support them effectively, finding things on the forest floor for reins.

Staff know the children well, including all children's individual next steps. They thoughtfully adapt their provision to support children's differing needs. They plan a range of opportunities to support children's learning across the whole curriculum. Children achieve well. For example, children thoroughly enjoy engaging in imaginary play. They communicate their ideas with staff and children as they pretend to drive their fire truck, navigating the many obstacles of the forest.

Children are safe, form strong relationships and demonstrate a clear sense of belonging. They demonstrate this as they set up the rope ladder and place logs around it so other children do not run into the space when others are climbing. They talk to staff about the resources they wish to use that day. Staff help all children to feel valued as they listen to all children's ideas. They notice when children need support or reassurance, for example as they become tired, hungry or upset. They provide the necessary comfort to help children to thrive. Leaders talk to parents and carers to encourage consistent attendance. They take effective action to understand any barriers to attendance and work with families so that children benefit from the stability the setting provides.

What Ofsted found in each area

Inclusion: Strong standard

The knowledgeable leadership team ensures that staff are well trained to support children's individual needs, including those who face barriers to their learning. Staff carry out audits, and this helps leaders to plan training to support staff. Recent training has helped staff to adapt their practice and to understand how they can reduce barriers in order to support children's behaviour. Staff use initial meetings and ongoing communication to understand children's needs. They identify children swiftly who may face barriers to their learning. Leaders support staff well to plan adaptations to support children's learning. An example of this includes working closely with parents to ensure that settling-in procedures are tailored to children's individual needs. Leaders meet regularly with staff to understand and monitor the progress children are making and to plan further support, using funding appropriately. Staff work well with a range of professionals to provide children and families with advice and support. This, alongside high-quality teaching, helps to reduce gaps in children's learning. Leaders support staff to make reasonable adjustments to their curriculum to help children to make progress. This has included using more songs throughout the routine to enrich vocabulary.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have adopted a broad and balanced curriculum that is well structured and embedded. It is thoughtfully designed to ensure that children make progress across all areas of learning. Staff assess children's learning and identify clear next steps for what they want children to learn. They have a clear understanding of how they can help children achieve what they need to learn next, which is tailored to children's individual needs. Staff working with older children help them to identify trees or to understand how things work. As children look at the identification charts to identify trees, staff encourage children to use their developing literacy skills. Staff make consistent use of all opportunities to develop children's communication and language. They ask thought-provoking questions that help to support children's thinking skills. For example, children explain why they believe an area is safe or unsafe. Staff use stories and songs to develop children's language and vocabulary. Staff plan a wealth of opportunities for children to develop and practise their physical skills. They develop increasing control over their bodies as they run and climb. They learn to navigate obstacles, such as rope ladders. Staff teach children mathematical vocabulary, such as longer, shorter and taller. Leaders ensure that staff consistently support children who have barriers to learning and can adapt practice to meet their needs.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, progress rapidly from their starting points. They concentrate well as they listen to stories or listen to their friends' suggestions. Children make rapid progress in their communication and language. Thoughtful and timely support from staff helps children to become confident communicators. Children who are usually quiet have the confidence to express their ideas. Children develop a strong understanding of the world in which they live. This is evident as they use magnifying glasses to discover how plants such as sticky weed have hooks and it is this that gives them their sticky nature. Children develop a strong mathematical understanding. They understand and use comparative language to talk about the size of sticks they have. Children count with confidence as they talk about how many pieces of apple they have. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders establish a positive and nurturing environment where children flourish. Children benefit from meaningful relationships with staff, which give children the confidence to try things out even when things are hard. Staff have clear expectations that are appropriate to children's age and stage of development. They consistently remind children of these. This is evident when they remind children to keep their sticks down as they pretend to toast marshmallows with sticks and leaves. Children have a very clear understanding of these expectations. For example, older children remind younger children about the rules as they use sticks. They gently push the stick down, telling them 'not up, down'. Staff help children to manage their feelings and emotions. They teach children how to play with other children and share resources. When children become upset because they want a turn on the tree stump, staff take time to talk about the issue and help children to find a solution. This helps children, including even very young children, to play together harmoniously. Leaders have robust procedures in place to help children to attend regularly and to take advantage of the learning opportunities provided. They work consistently well with parents to ensure that children in receipt of funding or those that face barriers to their learning develop good attendance habits to support their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff are incredibly focused on supporting children's care and wellbeing. They develop responsive relationships with all children. Staff work extremely well with parents to understand children's needs and to plan how they can adapt their provision to support all children, including those who face barriers to their learning. They tailor their daily routine to provide time for children to sleep when needed. For example, staff gather detailed information when children first start to understand their needs. Their settling-in procedures are tailored to each child's unique needs. Staff help children to develop an effective understanding of how they can keep themselves safe. For example, children help staff to make the setting safe for all children. They use twine and wrap it around trees to set up the boundary markings for the session. Staff support children well to understand their own physical capabilities. Younger children are keen to try out the rope swing, with adult support. They can explore the feeling of the ladder swinging as they put their foot on the bottom rung. Children quickly learn that they do things that they feel confident with and know that they can get down. Staff support children well to manage their emotions. Staff teach children how they can keep themselves healthy. Children develop a love of being outdoors and learn good hygiene practice, such as learning to wash their hands.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have robust procedures to identify the setting's strengths and areas for development. Regular staff meetings and audits help them to know what they are doing well and where they need to improve further. Leaders are currently focusing on developing the confidence of other staff to lead and develop the setting further. They take decisive action to support children who are disadvantaged or face barriers to their learning. They ensure that children get the help they need. Leaders work exceptionally well with parents to provide any support and guidance that they may need. This has included sharing more detailed information with parents to help them to understand the importance of regular attendance. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that staff continue to improve and develop their knowledge and skills and understand the policies and procedures. Staff receive in-depth training on assessment to ensure they can identify and respond to children's individual needs. Leaders' rigorous monitoring of staff's planning and assessment help to ensure that all children's needs are supported effectively. Staff comment that they feel incredibly well supported. They value the supportive ethos. Apprentices value the support that they are given to develop their skills and the time that they are given to manage their coursework.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

  • Leaders should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on having a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning.

Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 19 January 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Inspection history

  • 19 January 2026: Full inspection, report card: Strong standard in 6

Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)

Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.

The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.

Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.

Source: Ofsted reports

Funded childcare hours in England

All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.

Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.

Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.

The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.

Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)

Other nurseries nearby

  • The Sunshine Day Nursery - Day nursery, Peterlee SR8 5UD, ages 0 to 10, 66 places, 0.5 miles
    Ofsted, 26 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Sunshine Nursery - Day nursery, Peterlee SR8 5RL, ages 0 to 4, 62 places, 1.0 miles
    Ofsted, 11 November 2021: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Howletch & Shotton Primary Childcare - Day nursery, Peterlee SR8 2NQ, ages 0 to 6, 40 places, 1.0 miles
    Ofsted, 11 May 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • The Sunshine Day Nursery @ Seascape Children's Centre - Day nursery, Peterlee SR8 5NJ, ages 1 to 4, 30 places, 1.2 miles
    Ofsted, 29 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Hazel Dene Childcare Ltd - Day nursery, Hartlepool TS27 4PT, ages 2 to 10, 32 places, 1.2 miles
    Ofsted, 18 April 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Schools nearby

Playology Forest School Castle Eden Dene on the Ofsted website