Ratcliffe-College-Key-Stage-3-Handbook-2016-2017

students joining in. Students in Years 7-9 cannot use the Fitness Suite during
extra-curricular time, but will use this facility during their PE lessons.
House Competitions
Students are allocated to a House when they join the
school. Each House is overseen by a House Guardian who
is a member of the teaching staff. The main purpose of
the House system is to provide the structure for an
annual competition for house points, in various activities.
Competitions of an academic, sporting and artistic
nature take place throughout the school year. These competitions all count
towards the House Shield, which is awarded annually. All students are
encouraged to take part in House competitions during the year as part of your
commitment to the extra-curricular programme.
Combined Cadet Force
Students from Year 9 upwards are invited to join the Combined Cadet Forces
section of the school. It meets every Tuesday evening and on occasional
weekends. There are Field Days, involving visits to Army training areas, and
regular opportunities for RAF cadets to go flying.
The CCF has an Army and RAF section. Open up new
and exciting challenges for yourself, take on positions
of responsibility and improve your leadership skills.
Become involved in learning how to operate a store and
other administrative tasks, or planning and taking
lessons on the ‘recruit’ or ‘advanced’ courses. Older students can complete a
BTEC award, equivalent to four GCSE passes.
The CCF can be linked into the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award Scheme as many of the skills overlap.
Throughout the year there are opportunities to
participate in hill walking, rock climbing, canoeing,
sailing and other skills such as military exercises,
first aid and the use of radios, to name but a few.
The Combined Cadet Force is not just for those interested in a military career -
it is for everyone.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme is open to all students in Year 9 and
above once they have reached the required starting age. It is a programme for
young people that is known throughout the world. There are three levels to the
programme, Bronze, Silver and Gold. At each level, you choose activities from
four sections – Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and the Expedition.
115