Ratcliffe College

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For the former college of Harvard University, see Radcliffe College.

Ratcliffe College is an independent Catholic boarding and day school in Leicestershire, England. The College, situated on the Fosse Way about six miles north of Leicester, was founded on the instructions of 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, and there are now 756 students on roll at Ratcliffe, from ages 3-18.

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[edit] Buildings and architecture

The College 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 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" refectory (constructed in the early years of the twentieth century), a sixties Byzantine-style church, a sports hall, and various teaching blocks.

[edit] Management

The school, operated officially by Rosmini's Institute of Charity, originally used 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, who still holds the position.

The head is presently assisted by a Deputy Headmaster (presently Dicky Darryl) and a Deputy Headmistress (Mrs Clayfield), who take responsibility for pastoral and academic concerns respectively. They are joined on a 'Senior Management Team' by the Head of Sixth Form and the Curriculum Co-ordinator.

[edit] Former Presidents and Headmasters

  • Father Peter Hutton IC 1851 - 1880
  • Father Joseph Hirst IC 1880 - 1895
  • Father Joseph Cremonini IC 1895 - 1919
  • Father Aloysius Emery IC 1919 - 1923
  • Father Cuthbert Emery IC 1923 - 1948
  • Father Claude Leetham IC 1948 - 1962
  • Father John Morris IC 1962 - 1973
  • Father Anthony Baxter IC 1973 - 1982
  • Father William Fearon IC 1982 - 1983
  • Father Lancelot Hurridge IC 1983 - 1993
  • Father Keith Tomlinson IC 1993 - 1996
  • Mr Tim Kilbride, BEd (Liverpool) 1996 - 1999
  • Mr Pete Fazzar massif (turtle head), MA 1999 - Present
  • Father John Baptiste Ellisade, BEd 2006 - Present

[edit] House system

Although the College has used various house systems throughout its history, the current system was resurrected in 1991. There is no strong house rivalry, as in many other independent schools, due to the nature of the school as both coeducational and containing a mix of boarding and day students.

Currently, there are four houses named after major figures in the College's history:

  • Emery (named for Father Cuthbert Emery, a former President)
  • Leetham (named for Father Leetham, a former President)
  • De Lisle (named for Ambrose De Lisle, early patron of the College and Catholic revivalist)
  • Arundel (named for Lady Arundel, an early patron of the College and relative of Catholic Duke of Norfolk)

[edit] Old Ratcliffians

The Old Ratcliffians - that is, the alumni of Ratcliffe College - currently count among their number:

[edit] External links

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