Playology Beach School Souter Lighthouse

Inspection of Playology Beach School Souter Lighthouse National Trust, Souter Lighthouse, Coast Road, Sunderland SR6 7NH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this nurturing provision. The ethos is to develop confidence, resilience and independence. Parents comment on how much their children's confidence has grown. They say children thrive. Children develop excellent relationships with staff. This is evident as children play with staff. They make pretend bus and car journeys together. Other children enjoy a cosy time with staff as they talk about their recent holidays. Managers have thought extremely carefully about how they can keep children safe. Children form a line to walk to the beach school or forest school site. Staff teach children the procedures for emergency drills and evacuations. This helps children to respond quickly should a loose dog enter the site accessed by children.

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The provision is outstanding

The curriculum is ambitious. Children experience a range of rich, motivational experiences. For example, they are fascinated when they find eggshells on the ground. Staff share the excitement with children, pointing out a nest in the trees above. When children find a butterfly, staff work alongside them looking at an identification chart to identify the butterfly.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff manage children's behaviour exceptionally well. They seize opportunities to help children to understand how others feel. They take time to explain to children the importance of asking for things. When minor disagreements occur, staff explain to children that they can only take it if their friend agrees.

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need to do better?

n Leaders plan carefully for the day based on children's interests and learning needs, as well as the expected weather and tide conditions. For example, during the inspection, children spent the day in the forest school area to keep them out of the extreme heat. Staff teach children about the importance of reapplying suntan lotion regularly. During the inspection, children find staff to remind them that they need more suntan lotion on. n Children are incredibly independent. They thoroughly enjoy helping with activities, such as putting up the toilet tent. When children encounter challenges and ask for help, staff support them effectively, asking them how they could solve this problem. As a result, children are incredibly skilled as they unscrew the lid on squirty bottles to refill them. n Staff support children's communication exceptionally well. They use a range of excellent strategies to help children make the best possible progress. These

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need to do better?

include highly effective questioning to encourage children to think deeply. Staff take time to listen to children. Even when they are busy, they hold children's hands and tell them to wait because they really want to hear them. Children are incredibly confident communicators.

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need to do better?

30 June 2025 n Children develop excellent attitudes to their learning. They are highly motivated as they look at books with staff. Other children play with mud and water. They are incredibly engaged as they use water as oil, or milk and mud as flour. They use bark as sprinkles and concentrate for extended periods, ensuring the consistency is just right. n Children develop excellent relationships with each other. Older children work together as they help to move crates around at snack time. They take turns as part of a group as they play on the rope swing. Parents believe that the staff have made a positive difference to their children. They say their children cannot wait to tell staff things they have been doing. n Managers provide excellent support to their staff team. Staff comment how happy they are. They appreciate the regular meetings to check how everything is going. Professional development is precisely focused on helping children to

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need to do better?

make the best possible progress. All staff are highly trained in outdoor learning philosophies. Any training that staff attend has a positive impact on practice. n All children make excellent progress. They receive exceptionally high levels of support from managers and staff. Staff know children extremely well and plan for children's individual needs. Where children need additional support, they act swiftly to provide children with the support they need. They work tirelessly with the local schools to ensure that children's move to Reception classes, when the time comes, is well planned and smooth. n Staff have an excellent relationship with parents. There is a clear partnership approach to supporting children's learning. For example, they talk together about what children are doing and what they need to learn next. Parents value the wealth of information that they receive about the curriculum and learning

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need to do better?

and other information, including detailed contingency plans for extreme weather.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture towards safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2752716 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 10405883 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Playology Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07545181069 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Playology Beach School Souter Lighthouse registered in 2023 and is based within a National Trust building in Whitburn. The provision operates Monday to Thursday, during school term times. Sessions are from 8.30am to 4pm. There are four staff employed, of whom three hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The provision provides government-funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The manager showed the inspector around the parts of the site accessed by children and explained how they organise the provision. n The inspector observed children playing and learning. n The manager and inspector evaluated an activity. n The inspector talked to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The manager showed the inspector a range of documents, including those relating to staff suitability. n Parents spoke to the inspector to express their views on the provision. n The manager explained how she manages the provision and keeps children safe.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

30 June 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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