Rockcliffe First School

Rockcliffe First School has been rated as 'Good' in its recent inspection, showcasing a strong commitment to providing a positive educational environment. The school's notable strengths include its outstanding personal development and behaviour and attitudes of pupils, indicating that students thrive in a supportive and nurturing atmosphere. Leaders and staff are dedicated to ensuring high standards across most subjects, with effective early years provision that helps children develop essential skills early on. Although the school was previously rated as 'Outstanding' 12 years ago, this current inspection acknowledges the strengths while also addressing areas for improvement, particularly in a few foundation subjects where curriculum development is necessary.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes of pupils
• Strong support for pupils with SEND
• Effective early years provision
• Well-sequenced and broad curriculum
• Excellent pastoral leadership
• High standards of achievement in most subjects
• Strong partnerships with parents

Areas for Improvement

• A few foundation subjects require further development
• Insufficient opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning in some subjects

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Rockcliffe First School attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.4% of pupils at Rockcliffe First School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Rockcliffe First School had 24.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 24.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.6% of pupils at Rockcliffe First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Rockcliffe First School received £6,737 and spent £6,453 for each of its 231 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £131,000 (£565 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Whitley Bay · North Tyneside local authority: places and applications

Rockcliffe First School is part of The North Tyneside Learning Trust, which runs 29 schools. The nearest others:

• Marden Bridge Middle School Whitley Bay
• Marden High School North Shields
• Monkhouse Primary School North Shields
• Monkseaton Coastal School Whitley Bay
• Appletree Gardens First School Whitley Bay
• Southlands School North Shields
• Monkseaton High School Whitley Bay
• Whitley Bay High School Whitley Bay
• Valley Gardens Middle School Whitley Bay
• Woodlawn School Whitley Bay

What is Rockcliffe First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rockcliffe First School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Rockcliffe First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rockcliffe First School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Rockcliffe First School have?

Rockcliffe First School has 244 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rockcliffe First School cover?

Rockcliffe First School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Rockcliffe First School?

Rockcliffe First School is at Grafton Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26 2NR.