Rockcliffe First School, Whitley Bay
Rockcliffe First School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Whitley Bay, part of The North Tyneside Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. It was full in 2025, at 109% of capacity.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to North Tyneside (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Rockcliffe First School in detail
Rockcliffe First School in its own words
In its own words: "At Rockcliffe First School we aim to be shining brightly together every day. We are proud to call ourselves the Rockliffe Family. Our family inludes our children, staff, families and the wider community."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Rockcliffe First School
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Rockcliffe First School as their first choice and 74 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Rockcliffe First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Rockcliffe First School are Cullercoats Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 87% reading, 78% maths); Marine Park First School (0.7 miles, Good); St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Cullercoats (0.8 miles, 89% reading, 86% maths); and Monkhouse Primary School (1 mile, Good, 100% reading, 94% maths).
Cullercoats Primary SchoolMarine Park First SchoolSt Mary's Catholic Primary School, CullercoatsMonkhouse Primary School
The trust
Rockcliffe First School is one of 31 schools run by The North Tyneside Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
7.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (8.6%) received SEN support and 6 (2.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Whitley Bay (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whitley Road-Grafton Road (se-bound), 210 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Rockcliffe First School issued 3 suspensions, 1.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Rockcliffe First School are Marden Bridge Middle School (0.7 miles), Marden High School (1 mile), Monkseaton Coastal School (1.1 miles) and Monkseaton High School (1.3 miles).
Marden Bridge Middle SchoolMarden High SchoolMonkseaton Coastal SchoolMonkseaton High School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
7.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
26.9
Avg class size
26.2
Infant (KS1)
29.0
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Rockcliffe First School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Rockcliffe First School.
- Act 2 Cam440m away · Not yet graded
- Whitley Bay Kumon Study Centre770m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rockcliffe First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rockcliffe First School is in North Tyneside; for families living there:
Apply to North Tyneside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in North Tyneside is 12 (the median across 84 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Rockcliffe First School
Will you get a place at Rockcliffe First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Rockcliffe First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Rockcliffe First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Rockcliffe First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from North Tyneside, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Rockcliffe First School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in North Tyneside got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
109%
Over capacity
227 pupils
209 places
18 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Whitley Bay
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Whitley Bay
Across North Tyneside council
Places available
2,516
Applications
2,025
Got 1st preference
91.7%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All primary applications across North Tyneside council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
11.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
244
Total Pupils
117
Boys
127
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
20.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,848
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,948
Per pupil
£1237k
Total funding
£29k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.7%
Overall absence
7.0%
Persistent absence
186
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Rockcliffe First School
What is Rockcliffe First School's Ofsted rating?
Rockcliffe First School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2011 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Rockcliffe First School?
No fixed boundary. When Rockcliffe First School is oversubscribed, North Tyneside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Rockcliffe First School?
Rockcliffe First School was full in 2025, at 109% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Rockcliffe First School?
Classes at Rockcliffe First School average 26.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Rockcliffe First School?
Rockcliffe First School has around 244 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Rockcliffe First School?
3.7% of sessions were missed at Rockcliffe First School in 2024/25. 7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rockcliffe First School?
Apply through North Tyneside's coordinated admissions process, naming Rockcliffe First School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Rockcliffe First School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Rockcliffe First School: Act 2 Cam (440m away, registered, not yet graded) and Whitley Bay Kumon Study Centre (770m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Rockcliffe First School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in North Tyneside is 12 (the median across 84 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rockcliffe First School?
Rockcliffe First School is at Grafton Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26 2NR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)