Welcome to RIC

A Rochester Independent College education is grounded in our mission to support students to find their own direction and help them open doors to great universities. We focus on the highest levels of academic success while retaining a creative buzz. RIC is a small school with a personalised approach that has a huge impact on student achievement and self-esteem. Atmospherically relaxed, there’s an emphasis on exam success without unnecessary pressure. It’s a natural stepping-stone between school and university. 

RIC students, described by The Good Schools Guide as a “strikingly nice bunch,” voice their opinions and think critically, creatively and independently. The mutual respect between teachers and students is palpable. They leave us not only with results that exceed expectations but with empathy and optimism, fluency of thinking, enthusiasm for the future and confidence about themselves and their education.

The first thing you’ll notice when you visit RIC is that our home is a one-of-a-kind urban campus at the heart of a designated conservation area. It’s a must-see for prospective families. The historic site, with listed buildings linked by award winning wildlife gardens, has a uniquely warm sense of place in which our diverse community of 425 students and 100 staff study and work. Our campus is designed for forging friendships, creating community and opening up educational opportunities rooted in the natural world. It's the backdrop for an atmosphere that’s a bit more university or liberal arts college than school: small class sizes; first-name terms with teachers; a campus spirit. Nip through one of our passageways and you’ll find quirk and character, green space and quiet corners.

The development I’ve seen since joining the team in 1997 has been, like the education so many of our former students remember fondly, colourful and vibrant. We’re growing too. A new student residential village and visual arts centre- Northbank- is directly opposite the main campus and opens its doors in 2025. A flying pig (RIC's unofficial mascot) weather vane will form a cheeky aerial nod to our heritage. 

As we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the College in 2024-5 we’re committed to maintaining focus on what makes the special alchemy of RIC culture work: an aspirational, informal and creative environment, a commonsensical flexibility of approach and a focus on the individual needs of every student who comes to us. 

We look forward to showing you our school. 

Alistair Brownlow

Principal