A College education gives pupils the best possible opportunities to achieve their potential in both the academic and personal spheres.
Academic excellence forms the basis of College life, but just as important is the formation of character. We recognise that a 21st-century education needs to inspire, prepare and equip young people to sustain a lifetime of independently sought learning, and to give them the flexibility and resourcefulness to flourish in our rapidly changing world.
We believe that the wellbeing of our students is as important as their academic outcomes; it has a direct bearing on the quality of the engagement and interactions, including their receptiveness as learners. Pupils are encouraged to be self-determining and caring towards others, building the foundations of character and self-sufficiency for success and fulfilment in the years beyond school.
Students are encouraged to embrace a broad range of co-curricular activities to suit their interests, from the sporting to the intellectual and cultural. A global outlook encourages them to play a part in the wider world, creating young women who value and contribute to their communities. Life at College promotes mutual respect, integrity and courage, while nurturing intellectual curiosity, creativity, confidence and an enduring love of learning.
Our pupils are at the heart of all College does; we are ambitious for their futures, collectively and individually.
Numbers. Approximately 192 day and 670 boarding.
Fees per term (2023-2024). Day: £9,900, Boarding: £15,050. New Entrants to Sixth Form: Day £11,300, Boarding £16,900. Some extras are charged, e.g. music, riding.
Admission. Entry at 11+, 13+ and 16+ via College’s own examinations. An interview is also required for some entry points.
Academic. Our curriculum aims to instil in each student a curiosity about the world in which she lives and equip her with tools to question, reason and communicate articulately. Our Lower College curriculum provides exceptional breadth, building foundations for the GCSE years. Pupils study separate sciences, computing, humanities and a language acquisition course, as well as music, drama, art and design, and engineering, enterprise and technology. As a large school, College is able to offer extraordinary advantages in resources and choices. Pupils have a free choice of options for GCSE but are encouraged to maintain a broad curriculum, tailored to their individual strengths and interests. In Sixth Form, they have the option of taking A Levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Our exam results for GCSE, A Level and IB are consistently excellent, leading to College winning a number of awards for academic excellence over the last five years, including being named South West Independent Secondary School of the Decade by Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2021.
Pastoral care and wellbeing. As a large school, College is able to offer extraordinary advantages in resources and choices, but we are also divided into small groups too, through the three academic Divisions (LC, UC & SFC), Tutor groups and Houses. These create interlocking layers of pastoral care, which work alongside our whole-school Wellbeing Programme, to enable every pupil, the reserved as well as the extrovert, to find opportunities to lead a confident, fulfilled and enjoyable life at College. This network is backed up by an experienced and well-resourced Medical Centre based in College, an informed and skilled Catering Department and the support of the College Chaplain. Pastoral care isn’t something that happens when things go wrong; it’s a constant support network for every student throughout her time in College.
Buildings and grounds. College is set in a 36-acre dispersed estate in the centre of Cheltenham. The single teaching site is built in a Gothic revival style, complete with the stunning Princess Hall. It is complemented by the more recent Art and Technology block, housing College’s Engineering, Enterprise and Technology Department, the Parabola Arts Centre, with a 325-seat theatre, and College’s Health and Fitness Centre, which opened in 2018. This sports complex and the Day and Boarding Houses are located in nearby residential areas within a short walking distance of the main site.
Houses. There are six Junior Boarding Houses and three Junior Day Houses. All students then move into one of six Houses in Sixth Form, which is an excellent stepping stone to university life. Each House is run by a Housemistress, Deputy Housemistress and a team of staff, as well as a dedicated Chef. All Houses have dining rooms, common rooms, prep rooms, computer rooms, space for music practice and laundry facilities. Day girls are fully integrated into all College activities, regularly joining boarders on weekend trips and expeditions.
Music, drama and dance. More than 1,000 individual music lessons take place each week, which are scheduled around the curriculum to ensure girls do not miss academic lessons. There are also many choirs, orchestras and concerts throughout the year and at least five drama productions, with Sixth Form girls performing an open-air Shakespeare play in the Summer Term. Dance and gymnastics are also available and very popular.
Sport and co-curricular. At College, we are deeply committed to promoting the health, fitness and wellbeing of all pupils and to developing talent and a lifelong enthusiasm for sport and exercise, regardless of ability or expertise. The main sports are hockey, lacrosse, netball, swimming, athletics and tennis, but College aims to provide activities pupils enjoy and more than 30 different sports are offered. Alongside the existing 25 m swimming pool, tennis and netball facilities, and AstroTurf pitches, the new Health and Fitness Centre includes a second sports hall, multi-purpose studios, a dance studio, and a gym and fitness suite. More than 140 co-curricular opportunities are on offer, including astronomy, life drawing, hip hop dance, beginner’s Russian, fencing, debating, journalism, yoga, ethical hacking, martial arts, Model UN, philosophy, engineering, Young Enterprise, medical and ethical club and international society.
Scholarships and bursaries. A number of Academic, Art, Music and Sport Scholarships and other awards are made annually for pupils of all ages.
Applications for bursaries are welcome from girls whose parents require financial assistance in order to help their daughter join College.
Beyond College. Our dedicated Professional Guidance Centre provides specialist careers and higher education advice to pupils throughout their time at College. Sixth Form tutors also provide significant support in this area. The majority of our girls gain places at Russell Group universities, including Oxbridge, or at top US universities to study a diverse range of subjects.
Former pupils (Guild). There are over 8,000 Guild members in more than 70 different countries across the world, and many are actively involved in helping current girls prepare for the future, including supporting networking dinners, interview preparation, hosting careers and networking events, and arranging speakers from universities and the professions.
Charitable status. Cheltenham Ladies’ College is a Registered Charity, number 311722. It exists to provide a high standard of education for girls.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of Council: Mr Nick Baird, MA, CMG, CVO
Principal: Ms Eve Jardine-Young, MA
Vice-Principal: Mr Richard Dodds, BSc
Vice-Principal (Academic): Dr David Gamblin, MChem, MRSC
Chief Operating Officer: Mr Nigel Richards, BSc
Director of Admissions: Mr Richard Houchin, BA, MSc, PGCE, PGCER, ACEM
Director of External Relations: Mrs Dragana Hartley, BSc, FCIM, FRSA
Co-Curricular Director: Mr James Pothecary, MSci
Head of Pastoral Care: Miss Caroline Ralph, BEd
Head of Sixth Form College: Mr Josh Sumner, BA, MA
Head of Upper College: Dr Bethan Coupland, BA, MA
Head of Lower College: Ms Charlotte Woodhead, BEd Hons