26th May 2016
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The tail-end of last week saw a splendid golf match played between a Students’/Staff team
and Old Ratcliffians, in fine sunshine, and the return of our Year 6 pupils and Staff from their
wonderful residential week in North Norfolk, having enjoyed glorious weather. Of course, it was
also the completion of internal examinations for students in Years 7 – 9, and I wish them all the
very best with their results.
It was a privilege to welcome Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of the Diocese of Nottingham,
to celebrate our Confirmation Mass. Particular thanks must go to Mr Michel and the Chaplaincy
Team for preparing our Confirmation Candidates: Lucia Antill, Sophie Brown, Sam Bullock,
Tilly Goodwin, Eva Hluchan, Owen Lloyd, Yasmina Lock, Isabella Mulvihill, Osric Navti,
Finlay Noble, Samuel Seidu, Samantha Seidu, Joseph Stamp and Alexander Tyszka, to whom we
offer our sincere congratulations.
Similarly, congratulations to our Preparatory School pupils: Luca Salem, Hugo Illingworth,
Tyler Black, Cameron Mulvihill, Henry Urwin, Olivia Lynch, Francesca Atkinson, Isabella Elsby,
Ciernan Cooke and Ruby Doran, upon making their First Holy Communion on Sunday, in a lovely
Mass, beautifully well organised by Mrs Danielle Grant with the assistance of Mrs Waters and the
Chaplaincy Team.
This past week has seen productive Governors’ Sub-Committee Meetings, interviews for several
teaching posts for this September, a number of mid-week Sports Fixtures and, of course,
a continuation of GCSE and AS Public Examinations. We now look forward to the Preparatory
School House Music Competition Final this afternoon, together with the Year 11 Thanksgiving
Mass, ahead of tomorrow’s Year 13 Leavers’ Mass, when I hope to see as many Year 13 parents
as possible, for it promises to be a very special occasion.
May I wish you and your families a very happy, healthy and blessed Half-Term, during which you
will receive a Half-Term mail by post.
Yours sincerely,
Gareth P. Lloyd,
Headmaster.
THE RATCLIFFE GRAND SUMMER BALL – SATURDAY 9TH JULY
Supporting: Ratcliffe 2020 – Funding Brighter Futures Together
Tickets are now on sale for the Ratcliffe Grand Summer Ball.
Set in a beautifully decorated marquee on the Headmaster’s Lawn, this unforgettable evening
will bring together parents, past parents, Old Ratcliffians, staff and friends of the College for a
celebration of Ratcliffe.
Tickets are £65 each which includes a pre-dinner drink, a four-course dinner by Browns Lane of
Loughborough, and entertainment provided by a live band and disco.
There will be a cash bar on the evening. Dress: Black Tie.
Year 13 Students may attend if accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Book your tickets online today at the Ratcliffe College Shop, or download a booking form and
post/bring into Reception before Monday 20th June 2016.
N.B. Tables can seat 10 people.
Mrs Louise Liston
Foundation Manager
(Working days: Monday – Thursday)
Tel:
Email:
01509 817091
[email protected]
PARENT/GUARDIAN NEWS
Ratcliffe College Music Department
Presents
The Picnic Concert
Bring your family, friends, and a picnic,
and enjoy a selection of music from
the Senior and Intermediate Orchestras,
the Preparatory School and Senior Choirs,
the Brass Ensemble,
the Swing Band,
and lots more!
On
Saturday 25th June
At 6.30pm prompt
In the Marquee
The Marquee will open at 6.00pm
The concert will start at 6.30pm prompt
and will include an interval
for you to enjoy your picnic.
The concert is scheduled to conclude by 9.15pm
The Picnic Concert
I would like …………adult tickets @ £10.00 each
I would like…………student/child tickets @ £2.00 each
(Please include performers in your numbers – all performers need to book a seat in the
Marquee)
I enclose a stamped addressed envelope and a cheque (made payable to ‘Ratcliffe College’)
to the value of £………….
Name………………………………(please print). Telephone………………………………………
Student contact name(s)……………………………………………………………………………….
Year group(s)………………………………………..
If possible my party would like to sit with or near:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Please be prepared to share your table with others as per the published plan, which will be
displayed on the evening.
Please complete and return this reply slip (marked ‘Picnic Concert’) to the Senior
School Reception
as soon as possible to secure a seat.
Tickets are limited so early booking is advisable.
Money from the Raffle will be donated to the chosen
Rosminian Mission for this year.
The Tilinanu Orphanage, Malawi
If you are able to donate a raffle prize please contact
Tracey Nightingale on 01509 817000
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Good Food Show trip, Thursday 16th June: there is still time to buy tickets from the Senior
School Reception.
2nd Hand Uniform Sale, Tuesday 21st June, 3.30-5.30pm, Prep School: please have a look during
half-term and drop items off at school receptions for sale as soon as you can.
Forms available to download from the website: www.ratcliffeparents.co.uk
Jenny Howling [email protected]
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
Senior School Awards
Monday 23rd May
Merit Badge
Year 7
Merit Shield
Mustafa Mamujee
Daniel McGunnigle
Samuel Moss
Amy Whitelaw
Megan Williams
Year 8
Super Shield
Outstanding
Reward Voucher
Daata Apiafi
Adam Bartlett
Jonathan Bellamy
LAMDA Results
Student’s Name
Examination
Result
Luke Gyesi-Appiah
Acting Grade 6 Solo- Bronze medal
Distinction
Philip Gyesi-Appiah
Acting Grade 6 Solo- Bronze medal
Distinction
Hermione Lanyon
Acting Grade 4 Combined
Merit
Caitlin Lawrence
Acting Grade 4 Combined
Merit
Olivia Carpenter
Devising Drama Grade 4- Duo
Merit
Grace Clark
Devising Drama Grade 4 – Duo
Merit
Charlotte Meadows
Acting Grade 4- Solo
Merit
Over the last few months, Year 7 and Year 8 students were challenged to independently
research and produce projects on Castles and Tudor Houses, respectively.
The standard of the work produced was truly outstanding, demonstrating excellent research
skills. It was superb to see so many students researching local castles/houses as the basis of
their research.
The winners were as follows:
Year 7 Castles:
1st Place: Rachel Astill
2nd Place: Annie Rose Reddin and Sam Moss
3rd Place: Sophie Wilson and Marley Totton
Highly commended: Alex Dring, Mustafa Mamujee and Maddi Bryant
Year 8 Tudor Houses:
1st Place: Archie Heaney
2nd Place: Sophie Brown
3rd Place: Eleanor Shaw
Highly commended: Aimee Cleminson, Annabel Mills, Lucy Antill, Jenson Curtis and Finn Noble
Congratulations to Ridhi Odedra, Year 11, on achieving her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh
Award.
PREPARATORY SCHOOL NEWS
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT were awarded to:YEAR 6
Tyler Black
Tobias Chilton
Harvey Henderson
Isla Jenks
Please turn over …
Merit Shield
Super Shield
Merit Shield
Merit Badge
YEAR 5
Connie Colville
Maddy Dunstan
Kai Kirk
Felix Jackson
Sophie Leighton
Tatiana Lock
Maddy Whalley
Year 4
Lucas Barker
Katie Bradley
Harry Hings
YEAR 3
Sophia Denham
YEAR 2
Ethan Carroll
Sophia Hull
Oliver Kirby-Doughty
Amélie Wilson-Knight
Isha Sidhu
YEAR 1
Rebecca McCall
Erin Olds
Freddie Poutch
Merit Shield
Super Shield
Merit Badge
Merit Badge
Merit Badge
Merit Badge
Merit Shield
Merit Shield
Merit Shield
Second Certificate of Merit
Merit Shield
Merit Shield
Merit Shield
Super Shield
Merit Shield
Merit Shield
Merit Badge
Merit Badge
Merit Badge
Felix Jackson, Year 5, has completed a 10 week Royal Yachting Association Sailing Course and
has passed RYA 1 & 2 levels.
Harry Corby, Year 2, was awarded a trophy, medal and certificate for an amazing week playing
football for West Bridgford Mini Colts.
Oliver Kirby-Doughty, Year 2, was awarded a trophy, medal and certificate for an amazing week
playing football for West Bridgford Mini Colts.
A lovely photograph from the Year 1 Pirates’ Assembly, 12th May
CHAPLAINCY
A Student’s Reflection from Headmaster’s Assembly, 23rd May
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sophie Brown, I’m in Year 8, and today
I’m going to talk about the Invictus Games. The Invictus Games was founded by Prince Harry and
is a competition much like the Paralympics, but purely for injured service men and women
that, this year, is being held in Orlando. There are many events at Invictus such as Indoor
Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair
Tennis and a Driving Challenge! As much fun to compete in these events as it sounds, these
sports greatly help the athletes with their rehabilitation, not only for those people with lost
limbs, such as one of my family friend’s, Scott, a double amputee who won Gold this year at
indoor rowing (whose lives are changed forever in the blink of an eye), but for those with
invisible injuries, a topic Prince Harry touched on in the opening ceremony this year. From the
outside, some of the competitors seem physically fit and healthy. However, many of these people
suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (where, once you have witnessed a graphic event,
such as war, you have flashbacks and episodes of those times), as well as anxiety, caused by
PTSD. This is why the games are so important. The Invictus Games was inspired by a poem by
William Ernest Henley called, funnily enough, INVICTUS. The word “Invictus” means
“unconquered” and that’s exactly what these athletes are. Here is the poem that created the
most life changing games for 15 nations and hundreds of people:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
I’d like to conclude with a prayer:
Living and true God,
You created all that is good and holy.
Be close to us your servants,
who gather here today.
Be our constant help and protection.
Enable us to reach out lovingly to all your children,
to show understanding and awareness,
comfort and consolation,
justice and equality.
So that together we may participate fully in life and worship.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, your son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever.
Amen.
By Sophie Brown
SPORT
Senior School
Report as presented at Assembly on Monday 23rd May:
Hockey
Congratulations to Owen Lloyd, who has been selected for the BAHA in the Media Vision UK U15
Boys’ Festival of Hockey, which includes the best hockey players from around the country.
He has also just been included in the JRPC U15 squad for this coming year.
On Saturday, Harry Culpin, Year 9, competed for Charnwood Athletic Club in the Youth
Development League Premier Division in Nottingham. He jumped 1.65m High Jump and 2.7m
Pole Vault, taking his ranking to 1st for High Jump and 3rd for Pole Vault in the East Midlands
at under 15 level (19th in the country at Pole Vault and 29th at High Jump).
Harry also received the top goal scorer award for Barrow Town Youth F.C. at the weekend;
Barrow Town Youth finished 3rd in Division 2 of the Under 14 Leicester and District Sunday
Juniors’ League.
Sam Nightingale, Boys’ Sports Captain.
Tennis
U15
The U15 tennis team remain unbeaten after their 8 – 1 emphatic victory over a competitive
Denstone team. Each of the individual matches saw some excellent teamwork as players set up
their partners for some superbly angled volleys. Sofia Henderson had her best match of the
season, partnering Sarah Astill to win all three of their matches, as did Eleanor Shaw and
Olivia Carpenter. Jenna Pole and her partner, Issy Hose, surprised themselves with some long
rallies.
U13
The U13 tennis team won their match, 7 – 2, with Annabelle Mills, Ellie Gallacher and
Samantha Seidu making their debuts this season. First pair, Rachel Astill and Elise Atkinson,
had a tough match against the Denstone’s 1st pair, narrowly losing 6 – 5. Annabelle and Ellie had
a marathon match against the 2nd pair with many of their games going to deuce, but they stayed
strong to win 6 – 5. Well done to all the girls who played.
Football
Congratulations to Amy Mason, whose Loughborough Foxes U13 Girls’ football team won the
Groby end of season football tournament last Saturday. In the group stage, her team won 3 out of
4 games making them group winners. They then played tense semi-final and final matches,
eventually coming out winners after a penalty shoot-out. Amy’s team also reached the Leicester
County and City County Cup and League Cup Finals this year.
Sibella Chew, Girls’ Sports Captain
Fixture List
Meet
Time
Date
Opposition
Time
Team
H/A
Thurs
26th May
John Ferneley
4.30pm
U15A Tennis
H
4.10pm
HALF TERM
Mon 6th
June
Grace Dieu
3.00pm
U12 Cricket
A
1.30pm
Tues 7th
June
Loughborough
Grammar
3.00pm
U14 Cricket
A
1.30pm
Wed 8th
June
Loughborough
Grammar
4.45pm
U15 & U14 Boys
Tennis
A
4.10pm
P.T.O.
Sat 11th
June
Princethorpe
10.30am 1st (TBC), U15 &
U12
H
9.30am
Princethorpe
10.30am U14 & U13
A
TBC
Kings High
Warwick
10.00am U15 & U13
Tennis
H
9.15am
Kings High
Warwick
10.00am U15, U14, U13,
U13/U12 & U12
Rounders
H
9.15am
County Finals
9.00am
Athletics (all
year groups)
Saffron
Lane
Athletics
Stadium
Individual
travel by
parents