Ratcliffe College

Ratcliffe College began in 1847 under the Rosminian Fathers and remains shaped by its Catholic foundation. The co-educational community serves pupils from age 3 to 18 through day and boarding routes, with a Sixth Form and a historic centre of chapel and Pugin's Victorian Gothic buildings. Service, dignity and compassion give the school a clear moral vocabulary alongside its academic purpose.

The senior years build knowledge before pupils specialise. Years 7 and 8 provide a broad foundation, followed by a three-year GCSE pathway in Years 9 to 11. English, mathematics, science, religious studies and PSHCE sit alongside a wide range of options, while Sixth Form students move into A levels with personalised university and careers guidance and opportunities for work experience.

Sport, music, drama, trips and societies bring variety to the week. Boarding is available in full, weekly, part-time and occasional forms across two houses, so families can choose the level of residential life that suits them. International pupils can join as full-time boarders from Year 6, adding an international dimension to the shared day and boarding community.

Admissions begin with a visit, registration and taster day before the relevant entrance assessments. In-year assessment is possible where places are available, and the stage of entry determines the academic route. The December 2025 inspection outcome recorded the relevant standards as met, adding a recent external reference point to a school whose identity rests on Catholic education, boarding and a broad senior curriculum.