The Ryes College and Community is a much smaller than average school. It is registered to admit up to 24 students in the age range 11 to 19 years; there are currently 21 students on roll. Students are taught on two sites; one at the Aldham School site near Colchester and the other just over the border in Suffolk at Pump Farm School in the village of Assington, near Sudbury. Almost all students have a statement of provision for their special educational needs. Most students have autistic spectrum disorder. In many cases they have severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties as well as other disabilities. The proportion of students who come from minority ethnic backgrounds is much lower than found in most schools. There are currently no students who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students in care is much higher than average. Some of these students are housed in children’s homes operated by the company that owns the college. The children’s homes were inspected at the same time as the college. Their report is published separately. Students in Key Stages 3 and 4 are taught from time to time at a range of external providers which comprise of Aldham Church, Barnardo’s (for fund raising), Colchester Borough Council, Colchester Rallysports, EYDAS Drugs Awareness, Forest Schools Association, Frisky and Risky, Only Cowards Carry, the NSPCC, the Terence Higgins Trust and West Suffolk College which includes the Leap Centre in Sudbury. Students in the Sixth Form are currently educated offsite for part of their time by Butterfly Lodge, Colchester Borough Council, Eden Rose, Otley College, the Princes Trust, West Suffolk College which includes the Leap Centre in Sudbury, Whittle College and the Youth Offending Service. The college was last inspected in December 2011.