Impact of partnership work done in 2024 (ISC annual Census 2025)

• 45 state schools involved
• 1001-2000 state school pupils involved
• 350 staff hours given

Impact Statement

With support of the Headmaster, a whole-school public benefit partnership has been established by the Head of Sixth Form with Rushey Mead Academy, an 11-16 academy with 1400 students and part of the Rushey Mead Educational Trust (RMET), which also includes Hamilton Community College. The partnership has led to Rushey Mead students (and their parents) regularly attending INSPIRE guest speaker events and Higher Education events at Ratcliffe, such as ‘What’s Next? Information on Life After Sixth Form’.

In the summer term of 2018 the Head of Sixth Form gave a presentation to ‘Able, Gifted and Talented’ students at Rushey Mead Academy on application to Oxford and Cambridge universities. Earlier this month, Rushey Mead students joined Ratcliffe students for the Head of Sixth Form’s speech-writing seminar in preparation for the Ratcliffe Public Speaking Championship. In the coming year, plans are in place for further collaboration between Ratcliffe and Rushey Mead in music and sport.

Ratcliffe College has recently developed relationships with a number of local Primary Schools where their students use our swimming pool for lessons. In addition, we provide transport and drivers to and from our school for these lessons.

We are part of the Nottingham Catholic Schools’ Alliance which is a group of schools who meet to share best practice, particularly in Science and RS. This has particularly students and staff of all the schools involved and as a consequence we have introduced our own Teaching and Learning Forum from which we will continue to share best practice at these regular meetings.

Carnegie Medal Group shadows the National Carnegie Book Awards in partnership with Moat Community College. Students from Moat College are invited to our launch event, reading workshops and the final competition day when the winning book is announced and celebrated. This is a reciprocal arrangement.

Every two years, Ratcliffe College hosts the regional UKMT Mathematics Challenge at which students from approximately 30 state and independent schools compete in Mathematical challenges to develop their A,G&T and team working skills. The link with UKMT will continue and grow from strength to strength as more schools in the region become involved.

Each year Teaching staff attend Uppingham School and lead interviews to support students from maintained and independent schools with their interview preparation for their University applications to Oxford and Cambridge. It is a privilege to support the schools and students who attend.

For the past two years students and staff from Samworth Academy have attended our weekly CCF Training sessions and taken part in Field Training trips/weekends. Our contingent leaders have been Mentors for the visiting staff which has resulted in Samworth Academy starting their own CCF contingent with an initial cohort of 20 cadets. Ratcliffe College will continue to provide support and mentoring as required.

A recent initiative is our Debating and Public Speaking Programme. Students from local secondary schools have attended training workshops and received masterclasses in writing and delivering high quality speech. This culminated in a Public and Speaking Competition hosted at Ratcliffe College and judged by an independent panel of experts in this field. This programme will remain in the school’s annual programme and invitations for students from local state schools to take part will continue.

In excess of 300 boys and girls aged 7-11 from local primary schools attend our annual Football Festival, Netball Festival and Cross Country meeting. The pupils are able to compete for their schools and experience the thrill of competitive sport.

Ratcliffe College is a Centre for Cambridge English as an Additional Language examinations. This offers local students and their families an opportunity for testing without traveling to Birmingham and London.