Name of headteacher

Mr Rob Carnevale, seven years in post

Headmaster Rob Carnevale

Number of pupils and what age range

Six hundred pupils aged from three to 18 (nursery to sixth form).

Number of staff

More than 70 teachers and 10 teaching assistants

Tell us a bit about the school

Rougemont School is one of Newport's oldest schools. It started life in Clevedon Road, Newport, in 1926 before moving to Risca Road and Stow Hill before settling at Llantarnam Hall, where all pupils from nursery to sixth form are taught. Rougemont is one of Wales' leading independent schools with outstanding academic results at GCSE and A-level. With small class sizes, fantastic facilities and wonderful teaching, Rougemont is proud of its ethos as 'A School for Life' ensuring pupils have a well-rounded education.

What are your exam results like and what percentage of pupils go on to university?

We are proud that our exam results are the best in the South East Wales region at both GCSE and A-level. A total of 99 per cent of pupils go on to higher education at university.

How did the school rate on its last Estyn report?

Rougemont was last inspected in 2016 and achieved excellent in all areas.

What sorts of things do your pupils get up to in the average school week?

With 55 acres of grounds, pupils enjoy taking learning outdoors, be it in the outdoor classroom or the sports facilities. The school day starts at 8.50am across the school and formally finishes at 4pm with extra-curricular clubs available until 6pm, in normal times.

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Tell us about your extra curricular activities

An excellent enrichment programme across the school enables pupils to engage in a variety of co-curricular activities during lunchtimes and after school. Eco Council, School Council, Performing Arts Clubs, House Events and Sport Clubs/Teams dominate the weekly lives of pupils as well as traditional classroom based learning.

Any famous former pupils?

Matt Tebbutt, host of Saturday Kitchen is our most famous alumnus. Former Wales rugby international Richard Parks attended Rougemont Prep School along with Ross Leadbetter, of Only Men Aloud.

Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt. Picture: Abergavenny Food Festival

Do you have a PTA and how do they get involved with the school?

Our PTA has a huge role within the school and actively fundraises through a variety of events. As an independent school, our only funding comes from fee income with no other support from other associations or trusts, like many other independent schools which is why our PTA is hugely important. From nursery trikes, iPads, junior play yard apparatus, the PTA help us fund myriad things across the school.

What's the highlight of the school year for you - and for the pupils?

House events underpin the culture of Rougemont, from cross country to house music, eisteddfod to sports days culminating in the end of year speech days. The Prep and Senior productions are a key focus in the school calendar with the most recent production of Phantom of the Opera staged in February 2020.

Who is your chairman of governors and how does the board of governors get involved with the school?

The board of governors determines the overall strategic vision of the school which is then carried out by the headmaster and senior management team. Our current chairman of governors is Mrs Shilpa Desai. The governing body meets termly to discuss all aspects of the school.

What does the future hold for your school?

As we near our centenary in 2026, Rougemont will continues to promote the ethos upon which it was formed, the provide its pupils with an outstanding all-round education. 'A School for Life' means just that, from nursery to sixth form, pupils develop and learn in a safe, secure and nurturing environment from the age of three to when they leave for university at age 18. In terms of our school site, plans are in place for a new astro turf, and sports pavilion as well as the continual improvement of all facilities.

How was it during the pandemic - what did you do differently and how did staff and pupils cope?

The pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone in education. Because of our outstanding and committed teaching staff, a full programme of online learning was put into place as soon as possible in April 2020 ensuring our pupils did not miss out on their education. Senior, junior and infant pupils had a full timetable of lessons right throughout lockdown from April 2020 onwards. While learning online was different, our pupils didn't miss out on any of their education as we continued with normal classes right throughout. Our teaching staff have been exceptional during this time and have gone above and beyond to ensure as little disruption to our pupils' education as possible. This is something we are incredibly proud of, to have created an online learning programme as soon as we locked down in April 2020.

Anything else you think we should know?

Rougemont is a very friendly and welcoming school and we work hard to change perceptions of independent schools. This is a thriving, busy school with new pupils joining us throughout the academic year. We offer scholarships and bursaries for entry to the school. As a largely non-selective school, we are very proud of our long standing reputation for academic excellence due to our fantastic teachers.