Rochester Independent College was established on its current site in 1984 as a tutorial college. It provides education for 163 boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18. Provision for younger students, of whom there are currently 69, has expanded considerably in recent years. The majority of students attend on a daily basis, but there are thirty eight boarders, including a number of overseas students. The college aims to provide ‘a fresh alternative to traditional independent education in a lively, supportive and informal atmosphere’ where students ‘achieve examination success’. Two students have statements of special educational need. The boarding provision was last inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) in December 2006. This is the college’s first published inspection report by Ofsted.