Rochester Independent College

• Location: Rochester, Kent, England,
• Year of foundation: 1984,
• Number of students: about 380,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of instruction: blended.

Rochester Independent College (RIC) is a private college that is a dual-format school: day and residential.

Founded in 1984, the institution aims to create a fairly free, friendly atmosphere for its students, in which each student has an individual value. Rochester Independent College has specific rules: there are no school uniforms, many classes are held outdoors in small groups, candidates will not face a complicated process or inflated requirements upon admission - these are just some of the features. The school has established a system of individual mentoring, tutoring: teachers, tutors strive to be on the same page with their students, to walk together with them towards their successful future.

The total number of students in the school does not exceed 380, academic groups consist of eight students. Small classes allow teachers to notice the strengths of each student, to supervise his successes, to support him in time in case of academic difficulties, and students - to receive individual attention, help, and not only in academic matters. Out of 380 students, about 30% are foreigners who come to London for quality British education. Foreign students are provided with support in learning English, accompaniment during lessons for the first time and a system of preparation for language exams for admission.

The school is in the rankings of the best educational institutions in the country, accredited by the Ministry of Education and is proud of the results of its students: semester and final exams are passed with high scores, which allows students to enter the leading universities of Great Britain and other countries.

Marie de Tito Mount

Chief Executive Officer

What are the most important factors parents should consider when choosing a school?

Parents should consider the school’s academic record, philosophy and pastoral support network. The most important factor is ‘fit’, is this an environment my child will thrive within. 

Rochester provides pupils with the opportunity to retake examinations through repeated short preparation without obliging them to re-take the full subject material.

Another feature of the learning process is the outdoor grounds where academic classes are held in good weather. Forest School is in great demand among middle school students, whose curriculum is not yet rigorous enough to fully immerse themselves in preparation for exams, university entrance. High school students have the opportunity to study in the fresh air both during class and in the process of self-study - for this purpose, the campus has prepared many places with benches, tables, canopies from rain and sun.

Rochester is made up of several academic departments, each of which educates children of specific grades:

• Secondary Grades, GCSE: 7-11,
• Sixth Form: 12-13.

The school is not prepared to educate children with disabilities, but does consider applications from candidates with disabilities mild such as dyslexia.

The institution provides a comfortable residence open to students over the age of 15. The accommodation provides students with the opportunity to enjoy a relatively independent life, while enjoying the full support of teachers, tutors, staff.

The former Dickens Hotel is the College's twelfth Grade II listed building. It was opened in September 2017 as a new residence offering 34 rooms with modern renovations. The residence is prepared with a dining room, a lounge, a landscaped garden, a small woodland and a meadow nearby.  Students are accommodated in single bedrooms, some of which have en-suite bathrooms. If there is no bathroom in the room, it is on the floor and is shared by several residents.

There are a small number of houses available for students over the age of 18 who would prefer to live outside of college. Even though a student chooses to live independently off-campus, they will still have access to all of their facilities and meal plans.

Weekly meals are an increasingly popular option for students from Kent, London and other counties, provided in a large dining hall, meals are prepared daily from fresh, local, tested produce. The menu includes appetizers, sandwiches, salads, hot and cold dishes, healthy desserts, and a wide variety of beverages.

Rochester is a great place for the creatively minded: the city hosts regular music concerts, the annual Fuse Medway Arts Festival, art exhibitions at Nucleus Arts and The Deaf Cat, productions at the Little Theatre, and other fun events. In all events, students can participate not only as visitors, but also as team members or representatives of their work, such as in an art exhibition.

A variety of events are organized on the campus almost every week: from culinary master classes, scientific lectures to sports competitions, thematic parties. On weekends, students have the opportunity to explore the surrounding area, visit places of interest, plunge into the study of culture and customs of local residents. Staff organize trips to Bath, Shoreditch, East London, Brecon Beacons, Brighton, Cambridge and other nearby cities. In addition to exploring the natural beauty, attractions, students will be able to visit entertainment centers, Harry Potter Park, art galleries, go camping, and enjoy a graffiti tour.

Students living in school residences have a slightly more varied leisure time as they have access to residential building parties, movie nights, literature discussions, and other events.

Medway Park Sports Center offers RIC students a wide range of opportunities to maintain a healthy lifestyle, physical fitness, and skill development: swimming, team sports, tennis, yoga, and other activities are offered in equipped halls and outdoor areas.

• No school uniform,
• Full board residence is available from the age of 15,
• Small classes of 8-12 students,
• New students can be admitted in any academic year,
• Rochester Independent College is one of the best boarding schools in the UK and the best Sixth Form college in the country,
• Outstanding math, science,
• Performing and Visual Arts programs play an important role in children's education,
• Approximately 30% of the total student population is international,
• Flexible schedules that allow for unlimited course combinations,
• Rochester Independent College is a Good Schools Guide award winner in math, chemistry, film studies, social studies and English literature.

Rochester Independent College is located in the eponymous city of Rochester, Kent (it is the city we meet so often in the works of C. Dickens) in 50 kilometers from London: you can get to Gatwick Airport in 50 minutes, to Heathrow - in an hour and a half, direct trains go to the major station St. Pancras.

The territory of the college is incredibly green and cozy, it is literally buried in gardens, just like the town of Rochester itself! This provides enjoyable walks, picnics, outdoor sports and recreation, as well as opportunities for lessons outside of classes. The campus is well equipped with everything that pupils may need during their living, learning and leisure time:

comfortable classrooms for classes, lecture halls with interactive technology,
scientific and practical laboratories with modern equipment,
numerous sports fields and playgrounds - both for individual lessons and team games,

• a fitness center,
• a small movie theater,
• spacious green gardens with gazebos, lawns and meadows for recreation/exercise,
• library.

Several of the largest buildings on the grounds bear their own names:

• Star Hill Terrace and Finland House: for high school students on Sixth Form - their residences and classrooms for study, a separate dining hall, state-of-the-art labs for hands-on learning,
• Modern Underhill Hall - a center for creativity: it houses a concert hall (the roof is transformable and in good weather performances take place in the open air), classrooms for creativity and art, galleries for exhibitions and performances, and venues for student performances and shows,
• New Road House - housing for middle school students (7-10),
• New Court - a unit for high school students + creative workshops, visual arts classes,
• Art Studios- also a major center for art and creativity, with photo labs and ceramic/pottery workshops,
• Gordon House- Boarding and Dickens Boarding are cozy, stylish three-story residences.

Students involved in sports visit Medway Park, a sports center with a variety of equipment for team games, individual activities, and group workouts. Center facilities:

Swimming pool with multiple swimming lanes,

• Sports halls for team games,
• Fitness Center,
• Spa Center,
• Sports Therapy Clinic,
• Respiratory Clinic. 

Medway Park was the official training camp for 13 Olympic and 8 Paralympic sports for the London 2012 Games. 

The nearby Arethusa Center, which is also available to RIC students, has:

• A climbing wall,
• An archery hall,
• Masterclasses, individual lessons in sailing, canoeing,
• Offices of soccer, rugby clubs.

In front of the RIC campus there are tennis courts, a skatepark prepared for BMX and roller skating.

The academic year consists of three trimesters, which begin in September, January, April. Academic classes are organized on weekdays, and on weekends and holidays students participate in cultural trips, off-campus activities - or rest.

A sample list of additional costs:

• Registration fee for incoming students,
• Deposit for on-campus reservations,
• Accommodation and meals in the RIC residence,
• GCSE, A-Level exam fees,
• Academic support, including additional English classes for international students,
• Some extra-curricular activities,
• Personal Expenses.

Extras:

• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 275 GBP
• Deposit for a course/programme 2500 GBP

Prospective students will have to go through several registration steps:

• Filling out the online form, submitting the required documents,
• Paying the registration fee,
• Arrival at the campus to get acquainted with the director, infrastructure, and curriculum,
• Passing possible admission tests: interview, English language test for international candidates,
• Receive official admission letter,
• Making a deposit to reserve a seat in the class,
• Arrival on campus, start of classes.

If the applicant does not have the opportunity to visit the study area to get acquainted, take entrance tests, all processes are organized remotely, for example, via Skype.

Rochester has no special requirements for new students and considers all applications on an individual basis. Selection is based on the completion of an application, the presence of required documents, and previous academic success. The school does not usually require students to have earned excellent grades, but does pay attention to behavior, teacher recommendations, and the personality of the student who is interviewed.

Every year Rochester Independent College confirms its presence in the rankings of the best schools in England thanks to the success of its students. High school students pass their final exams perfectly and enter leading universities: Cambridge, Leeds, Nottingham, Exeter, Imperial College London. In 2020, nine high school students entered medical school in London.

Top places at arts schools include direct entry to further education courses at UCL The Slade, Central Saint Martins UAL, London College of Fashion Falmouth, University of the Creative Arts Edinburgh and Istituto Marangoni.

In recent years, students have chosen:

• Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge,
• Art History at Edinburgh, 
• Fine Art at UCL's the Slade,
• Digital Media at Leeds, 
• Computing at Imperial College,
• Medicine at Oxford,
• Music Production at BIMM,
• Veterinary Science at Liverpool,
• Film Studies at Warwick,
• Law at Exeter,
• Dentistry at Bristol,
• Fashion Marketing at UAL London College of Fashion.

The school does not belong to the strictly selective category and usually does not suit difficult entrance exams - only invites applicants and their parents to get acquainted with the campus and the administration before enrolling. The package of necessary documents includes:

• Copy of the passport
• Recommendations and characteristics from teachers (in priority - in English and mathematics), class teacher, director
• A report card with grades and an excerpt from a previous school
• Certificates for knowledge of English / other subjects (by availability).

Also you have to pay:

• Registration fee: £295
• Deposit: £2750

A small number of scholarships are awarded to students with academic, creative ability who maintain their success throughout the academic year. Sixth Form scholarships in tuition discount format (up to 20%) are awarded in the following subject areas:

• Math, Science,
• Social Sciences,
• Film, Media,
• Creative, Performing Arts.

Twice a year, academically successful students may qualify for 100% tuition coverage through the Ralph Steadman Art and Design Scholarship Program. The Sustainability Scholarship, which is awarded to students in the junior year, provides the same discount.

The junior division offers awards for students 11, 13 years old to enter grades 7, 9. A scholarship of up to 50% of tuition based on academic achievement, dedication to their school is awarded for one year. 

RIC has a basic condition of the pupil's award: families with an income over £90,000 or with significant investment, equity are unlikely to be considered for the bursary.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision