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Ratcliffe College is an independent, HMC, co-educational boarding and day school for children aged 3 - 18, with boarding available from age 9 to 18. The School is thriving - there are currently over 800 pupils of which over 100 are boarders, about half of these are international. Our aim at Ratcliffe is to create a learning community in which young people may grow to become confident, competent, articulate members of society. The School was founded in 1847 by the Institute of Charity. Founder Antonio Rosmini was renowned as an educational innovator and that spirit has propelled the College forward ever since. The College ‘Victorian Gothic’ buildings were designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, who co-operated with Sir Charles Barry on the design of the Palace of Westminster. The school is set within 200 acres of beautiful grounds seven miles north of Leicester, in the Midlands and within easy reach of airports and motorways. Whilst we are a Catholic school, children of other denominations and faiths, and none, are welcome.

Academic Success

Ratcliffe students enjoy an excellent all-round balanced education, underpinned by the College’s core Rosminian Catholic ethos. While students at Ratcliffe have a broad range of ability, academic success is strongly encouraged, valued and recognised; indeed, the greatly improved academic standards in recent years have proved popular both with parents and prospective parents, as reflected in the numbers of students applying to join the College.

Ratcliffe College has repeatedly ranked in the top 1% nationally for value added results at A Level.

A Level results achieved in 2024:

90% of all A Level grades were A* - C

40% achieved A*/A, with a pass rate of

99.5% overall.

Over 90% of students typically achieve their first choice pathway for life after School. This includes students taking up places at Oxford, Cambridge, and other highly selective Russell Group universities; for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science; and at universities abroad.

Extracurricular activities

We firmly believe that a good school is about much more than academic success alone. Students’ talents and interests are developed through an extensive programme of activities that include rugby, hockey, cricket, swimming, football, rounders and fencing. Drama, film-making, the Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award are also popular and over a quarter of our students play a musical instrument, with a plethora of choral and instrumental ensembles to join. This year we offer 57 different activities.

Facilities

These include a Chapel; an outstanding modern Sixth Form Centre; high-quality boarding accommodation; sports hall; indoor swimming pool; floodlit all-weather pitch; tennis and netball courts; theatre; ICT suites; art and design centre; squash courts; and conference facilities. In September 2014, a new £4.5m Preparatory School building was opened, with twelve classrooms are located over two floors, as well as a dedicated technology and languages centre, science and food technology laboratory, arts and crafts room, performing arts centre, library and central assembly hall.

Boarding

There are separate boys’ and girls’ houses. All Years 11–13 students have their own modern room; younger boarders share rooms of no more than three. The boarding Housemaster and Housemistress reside on site, with their own families, thereby helping create a family atmosphere. Ratcliffe College offers an outstanding boarding community, enjoying a comprehensive programme of activities and trips, arranged for evenings and weekends.