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Ratcliffe College

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Coordinates: 52°43′46″N 1°04′33″W / 52.7294°N 1.0758°W / 52.7294; -1.0758
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Not to be confused with Radcliffe College.

Ratcliffe College
Location
Map
Leicester
,
Leicestershire
,
LE7 4SG

England
Coordinates52°43′46″N 1°04′33″W / 52.7294°N 1.0758°W / 52.7294; -1.0758
Information
TypePublic school
Private day and boarding
MottoLegis Plenitudo Charitas
(Charity is the fulfilment of the law)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic (Rosminians)
Established1845; 179 years ago (1845)
FounderBlessed Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
Department for Education URN120316 Tables
HeadmasterJonathan Reddin
GenderCoeducational
Age3 to 18
Enrolment920
Colour(s)navy blue  
PublicationThe Ratcliffian
Former pupilsOld Ratcliffians
Websitehttp://www.ratcliffecollege.com/

Ratcliffe College is a coeducational Catholic private boarding and day school near the village of Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Leicestershire, approximately 7 miles (11 km) from Leicester, England. The college, situated in 200 acres (0.81 km2) of parkland on the Fosse Way about six miles (10 km) north of Leicester, was founded on the instructions of Blessed Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati in 1845 as a seminary. In 1847, the buildings were converted for use as a boarding school for upper-class boys. The college became coeducational under the presidency of Father Tony Baxter in the mid-1970s. As of the 2023-2024 academic years, there were 920 students on roll at Ratcliffe, from ages 3 to 18.[1]

The school buildings were designed by the Victorian Gothic revivalist Augustus Welby Pugin. Pugin, who is associated with Catholic architecture throughout the Midlands and north of England, is also noted for his collaboration with Charles Barry in the reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster. The Square was designed by Charles Francis Hansom, brother of Joseph Hansom, the designer of the Hansom cab. Various building works over the years have contributed to Pugin and Hansom's work, and modern buildings include a "new" gothic refectory (constructed in the early years of the twentieth century) and a Byzantine-style church.

Management

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The school, operated by Rosmini's Institute of Charity, used to use the title "Father President" for the most senior member of staff who, up until 1996, was always a Father of the Institute. In 1996, the school appointed its first lay President, Tim Kilbride, and the position was renamed Headmaster. He was succeeded in 2000 by Peter Farrar and then in 2009 by Gareth Lloyd. Its current Headmaster is Mr Jonathan Reddin who took up the post in January 2017.

Ratcliffe College, the front

Former Presidents and Headmasters

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Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)

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Ratcliffe College is regularly inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). This is the body approved by the Department of Education for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations and reporting on compliance with independent school regulations.

The School received Excellent report in all areas, during the latest ISI Inspection, 2022 - Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection. The Educational Quality Inspection reports on the quality of the College’s work.[2] It focuses on two key outcomes:

1. The achievement of the students, including their academic development. 2. The personal development of the students.

The College was judged “Excellent” for both outcomes, the highest grade possible.

Partnership with Leicester City Football Club

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Ratcliffe College has a partnership with the Leicester City Football Club Academy Programme. Academy players complete their GCSE programme studying and boarding at Ratcliffe College in Years 10 and 11.

Cricket ground

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The college cricket ground is used by the college cricket team. The first recorded use of the ground came in 1948, when Ratcliffe College played King Edward's School, Birmingham.[3] The ground has also played host to a single List-A match, when the Leicestershire Cricket Board played Denmark in the 1st round of the 2003 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy which was played in 2002.[4]

School Combined Cadet Force in the Square (now known as the Lockhart Garden).

Notable former pupils

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Former pupils of Ratcliffe are known as Old Ratcliffians. They include:

References

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  1. ^ "Teacher of Religious Studies at Ratcliffe College - TES Connect". www.tes.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
  2. ^ "School Inspections".
  3. ^ Other matches played on Ratcliffe College
  4. ^ List A Matches played on Ratcliffe College

Bibliography

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  • Ratcliffe College 1847–1947 edited by Rev. C. R. Leetham with an Appendix at the back entitled 'Alphabetical List of Students 1847–1950'[1]

Coat of arms

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Coat of arms of Ratcliffe College
Notes
Granted 23 September 1936.[2]
Crest
On a wreath Argent and Azure, A pelican in her piety affronte argent, vulning herself proper, the nest Or.
Escutcheon
Azure, six mullets, three, two and one, argent; on a chief Or three pellets, the centre one charged with a lion rampant of the third, the dexter with a lily and the sinister with a swallow both of the second.
Motto
'Legis Plenitudo Charitas'
[edit]
  1. ^ From a copy of book published by the Ratcliffian Association in 1950 which contains black-and-white photographs
  2. ^ "Ratcliffe College". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
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