Rockcliffe is right on the coast at the edge of Whitley Bay and not surprisingly its logo is a lighthouse. The building dates from the turn of the century but headteacher Miss Hilary Cooper doesn’t think it’s out of date. In fact, it’s “lovely inside”. During the day it’s home to about 50 children in the nursery and 160, aged up to nine, in the main school. The school prides itself on its strong community links, one of which is a tea time club run by parents on Mondays. Its activities include art and drama, and before Christmas they made masks and lanterns for a St Nicholas day procession to the twn centre when they joined other schools to sing carols outside the church there. Other clubs include rugby league run one day a week by Mr Ken Sykes and a guitar group taught by Mrs Pat Davision, a retired teacher and grandmother of one of the pupils.

Snaps by the staff

* Scary piece: a mask for the St Nicholas day celebration

* The tea time club throws light on lantern-making

* We’re on our way to Whitley: parents and children take part in the St

* Nicholas procession

* Beth Clark loves to read

* Play it again: the guitar group puts in some practice

* Form an orderly conga, please: break time in the playground