Rockcliffe First School

About Rockcliffe First School

Rockcliffe First School is a state primary in North Tyneside that is currently educating more pupils than its official capacity suggests. With 272 children on roll against a capacity of 251, the school is clearly in demand locally. That demand is confirmed by its admission data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 83 applications for just 45 places, with 50 of those applications coming from first-preference families. Only 45 first-preference offers could be made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.84 applicants per place. The school’s intake is notably less disadvantaged than the national average, with just 9.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, compared with a typical primary figure of around 23% across England. The school serves children from age 3 to 9, with nursery provision on site, and has no religious character. It is led by headteacher Tom Jones.

Academically, Rockcliffe First School was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection, which took place in February 2024. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2011, when it was judged Outstanding across the board. In the latest inspection, inspectors awarded Outstanding grades for early years provision, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes, while quality of education and leadership and management were both rated Good. The school’s performance in key stage 2 SATs is not individually published in this data, but the local authority average for KS2 attainment in North Tyneside is 62, which provides a benchmark for comparison. The school sits among strong peers in the area, with Cullercoats Primary School and New York Primary School both scoring 82 on a local ranking measure, and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Cullercoats scoring 80. The nearest school rated Outstanding is Coquet Park First School, 1.9 kilometres away.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, a forest school, a sensory room, and art studios. Sports provision covers rounders, football, cross country, athletics, dance, tennis, and gymnastics, while clubs include Eco Club, Book Club, and Chess. For children with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With its oversubscribed status and strong Ofsted outcomes in personal development and behaviour, Rockcliffe First School is likely to suit families who prioritise a well-structured, inclusive environment with strong early years provision and a clear focus on pastoral care. Parents should be prepared for a competitive admissions process, particularly for first-preference applicants.

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