When Augustus Pugin designed the main buildings in 1844, the Victorian Gothic Revival architect little knew that his soaring red-brick façade would still define Catholic education in the Midlands nearly 180 years later. Ratcliffe College opened in June 1847 with just two pupils and a chapel; today it educates over 900 students aged three to eighteen across 200 acres of Leicestershire parkland. The school was founded by Blessed Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati, an Italian priest whose educational philosophy centred on the whole person. That principle remains the compass. The 2022 ISI inspection awarded the school Excellent in all nine categories, positioning it in the top 1% in England for value-added results at A-level (FindMySchool data). Unusually for a boarding school, Ratcliffe remains genuinely inclusive; 45% of A-level grades achieve A* or A, whilst the admissions process values character and potential alongside academic ability. Day and boarding options sit side by side, serving local families and an international community from over 70 countries.
The campus feels purposeful without being cold. The central Gothic chapel dominates; daily Mass is woven into boarding life, evening prayer into the rhythm of day students' afternoons. Yet the school is inclusive of those of other faiths or none. Catholic values permeate teaching and pastoral life, but evangelicism is absent.
The Lockhart Garden, redesigned by award-winning landscape architect Ashley Lynch and completed in recent years, captures the school's character precisely. Engraved with the Latin motto Legis Plenitudo Caritas (Love is the Fulfilment of the Law), the contemplative garden features a fountain built with stone from Stresa in northern Italy, the home of Rosmini's original college. This integration of historical reverence with modern design, the fountain's stone, the contemporary planting, the inviting seating, tells the Ratcliffe story: tradition respected but not fetishised, innovation embraced where it serves the mission.
Mr Jonathan Reddin has led the school since January 2017. The appointment marked a shift from the previous era of Rosminian priest-leaders; Reddin is the first lay headmaster after nearly 150 years of Rosminian leadership. Under his tenure, the school has invested £15 million in new facilities, including a carbon-zero English Language Centre completed in autumn 2024. The tone is distinctly modern. Staff speak of intellectual curiosity rather than obedience, resilience rather than conformity. Students describe a community where effort is recognised regardless of starting point.
At GCSE, 37% of grades achieved the A*/A tier (FindMySchool data), with 68% reaching A*/A/B. These are robust outcomes, but not stratospheric. The school ranks 739th for GCSE performance, placing it in the top 25% in England (FindMySchool ranking). In the local Leicester context, Ratcliffe sits 12th among secondary schools in its area. The Attainment 8 figure sits above national averages, and progress metrics indicate pupils make above-average progress from their starting points.
The extended three-year GCSE curriculum (Years 9 to 11 rather than the conventional two years) is distinctive. Class sizes average just 14 students, allowing more personalised teaching. This structure trades breadth in the upper sixth against depth in GCSE preparation. Pupils tackle linear assessment with greater confidence as a result.
At A-level, the picture brightens considerably. 45% of all grades achieve A* or A, whilst 68% reach A*-B (FindMySchool data). The school ranks 431st for A-level performance, placing it in the top 16% in England (FindMySchool ranking). Locally, it sits 5th among independent schools in the East Midlands. The school claims consistent placement in the top 1% for value-added results, meaning students exceed expected outcomes given their GCSE starting points. This is where Ratcliffe distinguishes itself.
Students progressing into sixth form experience a marked shift. The school offers over 25 A-level subjects, including Classical Greek, Russian, and History of Art, alongside the conventional pillars. The curriculum breadth attracts both academic specialists and those seeking broader learning.
In the 2023-24 leavers cohort, 62% progressed directly to university, with a further 4% entering further education and 1% commencing apprenticeships. The destination data is limited in granularity, but the school's sixth form webpage emphasises regular progression to Russell Group universities, with "some Oxbridge." Recent figures indicate just one Cambridge acceptance in the measured period, suggesting selective rather than dominant Oxbridge success. The sixth form provides specialist support for Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science applicants, offering weekly mentoring, entrance test prep, and interview practice.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
68.4%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
36.6%
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Teaching is characterised by rigour combined with pastoral personalisation. The school timetable reserves 4.40pm to 6.10pm daily for either supervised preparation or co-curricular activities. Every sixth former is taught in groups small enough for individual feedback; the average class size is 14 across GCSE.
The curriculum is traditional in flavour but contemporary in execution. All students study English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science (taken as separate GCSEs), and Religious Studies. The modern foreign language offer is unusually broad: French, German, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Latin are all available. Students whose first language is one of these can sit an additional GCSE in their home tongue. This linguistic ambition reflects the international composition of the school and Rosmini's historical emphasis on preparing students for service globally.
The English Language Centre, completed in 2024, exemplifies the investment in teaching spaces. This carbon-zero building features passive air control maintaining optimal CO2 levels, serving the 25% of the student body for whom English is additional language. Academic rigour meets environmental responsibility in the design.
Teachers report working within a structure of clear expectations. Inspection findings praise "expert subject knowledge" among staff and note that pupils "develop excellent knowledge, skills and understanding." This is not a school where pupils coast. Intellectual engagement is assumed and encouraged.
A dedicated Student Support Services Team coordinates pastoral provision. The Lay Chaplain works alongside the Student Wellbeing Coordinator, counsellor, SENCO, and medical staff to create a multi-layered safety net. Tutors are the frontline; they know each pupil individually and meet weekly with tutor groups of six to eight. For boarders, house staff live on campus, observing the complex social ecology of adolescence.
Mental health receives explicit attention. Fortnightly PSHCE sessions run school-wide, addressing contemporary pressures: screen dependency, exam anxiety, relationship health, grief. The "Lunchtime Retreat" in the Chaplaincy offers quiet space. Sixth Form Student Listeners, trained peers identifiable by red hoodies, provide informal peer-to-peer support. Parent Cafés run termly, creating space for guardians to discuss emerging challenges. The school maintains an online reporting tool, Whisper, allowing confidential safeguarding concerns to be raised outside formal channels.
The ISI inspection (2022) specifically praised "excellent provision for boarders" and noted that "the welfare and protection of pupils is central to the school's life and work." Boarding houses operate on a pastoral model rather than institutional model; housemasters and housemistresses know residents deeply.
This is the school's widest stage. Over 100 clubs, societies, and activities run each term, organised around six pillars: Chaplaincy, Sport, Music, Drama, Combined Cadet Force, and Duke of Edinburgh.
Ratcliffe holds All-Steinway School status, housing concert grand pianos and offering students the rare privilege of learning on the finest instruments. Professional concert pianists visit and mentor. The chapel choir performs across the liturgical year; touring to major UK cathedrals and European destinations features regularly. Chamber ensembles include the Senior Strings Ensemble (violins, violas, cellos at advanced level), a Jazz Cats ensemble, brass quintet, and woodwind ensemble. The Music Hall, built as a gift from an Old Ratcliffian before World War II, provides performance and rehearsal space. Music tuition costs £384 per term for ten 30-minute lessons, with instrument hire at £54 per term. These figures remain genuinely affordable compared to equivalent private lessons. The music curriculum itself, from Year 7 through sixth form, includes both performance and composition pathways; approximately one-third of the school learns an instrument.
The school mounts large-scale productions termly. Recent years have included scaled staging of classic musicals, original contemporary plays, and Shakespeare. The drama programme is not confined to the gifted; participation spans from casual involvement in house productions to serious technical roles and performance training. The Drama Club meets weekly; student-led theatre companies develop autonomous projects. The three dedicated performance spaces range from intimate black-box studios to a main theatre with lighting and sound infrastructure. Unlike music, drama is integrated into the curriculum at GCSE and A-level (GCSE Drama) and available as optional drama at sixth form.
Rugby, cricket, and hockey remain the traditional sports, but the provision extends significantly. The 200 acres contain an athletic track, 25-metre indoor pool (reconstructed and covered in 2001), astroturf, multiple tennis courts, squash courts, basketball courts, badminton courts, and extensive playing fields. Rowing has historical roots; equestrian is offered. The junior Cricket Club played its first recorded fixture in 1948. The cricket ground has hosted a List-A match (2002). The partnership with Leicester City Football Club Academy means senior GCSE students can train and board at Ratcliffe whilst completing their examinations, bringing elite football to the campus.
Sports is compulsory at lower school; sixth formers have choice. Competitive fixtures occur regularly. The school emphasises both elite pathways (strong players can compete at county and regional levels) and genuine inclusion; over 30 different physical activities are available.
The Spitfire Project exemplifies the school's maker ethos. Students are building a full-scale replica of the Spitfire Mk1a P9503, flown during the Battle of Britain by Old Ratcliffian Paul Ballion. The project works from over 3,000 digitised blueprints, teaching engineering to exacting tolerances. The ultimate vision includes a purpose-built Spitfire Education Centre where schools and the public can learn. The project has attracted BBC and ITV news coverage and MOD engagement.
The Puzzle Club develops problem-solving through competitive games (Mastermind, Da Vinci Code, Blokus, amongst 50+ titles). The Warhammer Figure Building Club, technically a hobby, teaches precision and patience. Computer Science is taught from Year 7; the subject attracts genuine interest. The school has invested in updated lab infrastructure and coding equipment.
The school's Catholic identity finds expression through active charity. Community service is expected of sixth formers; groups work with local food banks, homeless shelters, care homes, and schools serving disadvantaged pupils. Duke of Edinburgh schemes run through Gold level; approximately 8 pupils completed Bronze awards in 2024. Combined Cadet Force offers military training and discipline; the school notes this builds resilience alongside practical skills. Prayer and reflection are embedded; collective worship happens daily, with attendance at Chapel expected for Roman Catholic pupils and invited for others.
Students can join the Debating Society, Coding Club, Photography Club (darkroom access available), Chess Club, String Ensemble, Jazz Cats, Chaplaincy Team, Leadership Programme, Model United Nations, and over 90 others. The "Big Six" co-curricular programmes form the spine, but voluntary clubs offer genuine choice and allow pupils to pursue idiosyncratic interests. No student is locked out of participation by cost or background; the school absorbs club fees in tuition.
Day fees range from £12,330 annually (Nursery, ages 3-4) to £24,642 annually (Years 9-13). Preparatory School day fees span £16,056 (Reception through Year 2) to £20,916 (Years 5-8). These exclude optional music tuition (£384 per term), instrument hire (£54 per term), and additional tutoring (£72 per lesson). Lunch costs £312 per term, included in published fees.
Sibling discounts apply: 10% for the second child, 20% for third and subsequent children. HM Forces receive 10% military discount. Direct Debit payment earns a £60 per term per student reduction.
Scholarships reward academic, sporting, musical, drama, and art talent. Scholarships are available on entry to Years 7, 9, and 12. Bursaries support talented pupils from lower-income backgrounds; awards can cover up to 80% of fees, or in exceptional circumstances 100%. Bursaries are means-tested and available primarily at Year 7 and Year 12 entry.
This financial structure places Ratcliffe in the upper-middle tier of independent school fees, comparable to similar Catholic boarding schools but significantly below leading public schools like Oundle or Uppingham. The bursary policy reflects the Rosminian founding principle of inclusion regardless of family wealth.
Fees data coming soon.
Ratcliffe operates two residential houses for students aged 10+. Full boarding fees are £48,312 annually (per the 2025-26 schedule); weekly boarding for Years 9-13 costs £35,982 per year. Flexible and occasional boarding operates at £72-84 per night depending on commitment. Approximately one-third of the school boards, bringing an international character (students from over 70 countries). Boarding is central to the school's identity. Housemasters and housemistresses reside on campus. The house is home in genuine sense.
Weekends follow a structured pattern: Saturday morning school (academic) followed by afternoon sport, exeats (home time) every three weeks. Boarders experience an extended day; the facilities and co-curricular offerings exist partly to support this extended residency. Pastoral contact between staff and students is frequent. Inspectors specifically noted that boarding provision is excellent, with pupils describing a sense of belonging.
The school operates a rolling admissions process. Entry points exist at Nursery (age 3), Reception (age 4), Year 3, Year 7, Year 9, and Year 12. Registration is required; the process involves entrance examinations for competitive years and assessments for younger entry. Year 7 entry is the most selective; families register by the September of Year 6. Entrance tests sit in January; results and interviews follow. Siblings of existing pupils receive priority, but the school uses distance/location as a secondary criterion.
For Year 12 (sixth form) entry, external applicants sit entrance examinations in November/December with interviews in January. Academic attainment at GCSE is the primary filter; A-level entry requires a strong showing, with specific subject requirements dependent on A-level chosen.
Open mornings occur twice yearly (September/October and March). Private visits and taster days are available. The admissions calendar broadly follows national patterns, but families should contact the school directly for specific timeline information in their year of application.
Ratcliffe sits on the Fosse Way, roughly seven miles north of Leicester city centre. The campus is rural yet accessible. East Midlands Airport is 30 minutes by car; Birmingham Airport is one hour. London can be reached by train in 90 minutes from Leicester station.
School day for Senior School begins at 8.25am with tutor time; lessons run until 4.10pm, followed by tea (4.10-4.40pm). Prep or co-curricular activities occupy 4.40-6.10pm. Sixth Form finishes earlier on some days. Breakfast club runs from 7.30am (£3.65 per day). The structure accommodates both boarders and day students.
Day students benefit from wraparound care; the school offers extended hours before and after the core day. Transport is available; the school runs a bus service connecting Leicester and surrounding areas. Parking is available for parents collecting at day's end. The rural setting is a feature, not a bug; 200 acres provide space for outdoor learning and recreation.
Catholic ethos is genuine. Daily Mass for Catholics, collective worship for all, Regular Masses, and explicit Catholic teaching are woven through school life. Families of other faiths are welcomed; the school is inclusive. But this is not a secular school with a Catholic badge. Expect explicit religious practice, not token acknowledgement. Those uncomfortable with Catholic moral teaching on certain topics should ask specific questions during the admissions process.
Boarding requires maturity. Students aged 10+ can board; many do from age 11. Separation from family for extended periods (three-week half-terms) suits some brilliantly and challenges others. Day options exist and should be seriously considered alongside boarding before committing.
The three-year GCSE programme is unconventional. Ratcliffe begins GCSE content in Year 9 rather than Year 10. This creates more time but less flexibility if a student wishes to change subjects mid-course. The trade-off is worth investigating closely if your child thrives with last-minute subject changes.
International students require English proficiency. The school actively recruits internationally and provides excellent ESL support. However, entry requires minimum CEFR B1 level (intermediate) English, with an expectation of reaching B2 by sixth form entry. This is not a school for absolute beginner English learners.
Ratcliffe College is a school where tradition and innovation genuinely coexist. The Gothic chapel and 180-year heritage provide ballast; the 2024 carbon-zero English Language Centre and Spitfire engineering project provide momentum. Academic outcomes are strong without being selective enough to exclude motivated learners of ordinary ability. The value-added measures place the school among the top 1% in England for A-level progress; this is where the school shines. Pastoral care is serious, specific, and woven through boarding and day structures alike.
Best suited to Catholic families (or those open to Catholic education), families seeking boarding alongside rigorous academics, and international families seeking a welcoming UK school community. The school's inclusive ethos and emphasis on character development mean that the overtly academic are not the only ones who thrive. Parents should visit in person; the campus deserves to be walked, the chapel experienced, and current pupils engaged in conversation. The Rosminian mission, Learning and Growing in the Light of the Gospel, is not mere branding; it shapes daily choices about how students are treated and what education is for.
Yes. Ratcliffe was rated Excellent in all nine categories by ISI in 2022, the first time in the school's history this has been achieved across all areas. The school ranks in the top 25% of secondary schools in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool data) and the top 16% for A-level. Most significantly, students' value-added progress at A-level places the school in the top 1% in England, meaning students routinely exceed expected outcomes. The boarding provision is excellent, and pastoral care is comprehensive.
Day fees for 2025-26 range from £12,330 annually (Nursery) to £24,642 (Years 9-13). Preparatory School day fees range from £16,056 to £20,916 depending on year group. Full boarding is £48,312 annually; weekly boarding £35,982. Sibling discounts of 10-20% apply. HM Forces receive 10% discount. Music tuition is £384 per term (10 half-hour lessons); instrument hire £54 per term. Lunches are included in published fees.
Year 7 entry is the most selective point. Families register by September of Year 6; entrance exams sit in January. The school does not publish specific pass marks. External entry to Year 12 (sixth form) requires strong GCSE results and subject-specific requirements for chosen A-levels. The school welcomes applications throughout the year for other year groups where spaces exist; these may be less competitive. Contact admissions directly to discuss your child's profile.
Yes. Two dedicated boarding houses serve students aged 10+. Full boarding, weekly boarding, and flexible/occasional boarding are all available. Boarding fees are published separately from day fees. Approximately one-third of the student body board, creating a genuinely mixed day and boarding community. Boarding is central to the school's identity and ethos.
Facilities span 200 acres and include a 25-metre indoor swimming pool (covered in 2001), athletic track, astroturf, tennis courts, cricket pitches, rugby and hockey fields, basketball and badminton courts, squash courts, three drama performance spaces, the Music Hall, and recently upgraded teaching blocks. The £2.5 million English Language Centre (2024) is the first carbon-zero build on campus. The Lockhart Garden, redesigned by award-winning architect Ashley Lynch, provides contemplative outdoor space. Specialist science labs, design technology workshops, and ICT suites support the curriculum.
Boarding is structured around residential houses with live-in housemasters/housemistresses. Day and boarding students mix throughout the school, creating an integrated community rather than a two-tier system. Saturday mornings include school; afternoons feature sport and activities. Exeats (home time) occur every three weeks. Weekends include boarding activities, trips to nearby cities (London, Oxford, Cambridge), and social events. The school emphasises that boarding develops independence, resilience, and lasting friendships. Inspectors specifically noted boarders' high satisfaction and sense of belonging.
Yes. The school holds All-Steinway School status, meaning students learn on leading concert grand pianos. About one-third of the school learns an instrument. Ensembles include the chapel choir, Senior Strings Ensemble, Jazz Cats, brass quintet, and woodwind groups. The Music Hall, a dedicated performance venue, hosts concerts. Music tuition is available at £384 per term. Musical talent is recognised through scholarships at entry.
Ratcliffe is an authentic Catholic school founded on Rosminian principles. Daily Mass is expected for Roman Catholics; collective worship occurs daily for all. Religious Studies is a GCSE and A-level subject. Catholic Social Teaching and Gospel Values inform pastoral work and ethical discussions. The school welcomes pupils of all faiths and none but makes no secret of its Catholic identity. Families uncomfortable with explicit Catholic practice or teaching should discuss this thoroughly during admissions visits.
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