Basic Information & Location
Established in 1853, Cheltenham Ladies’ College is an independent boarding girls’ school located in the Cheltenham town of Gloucestershire. There are approximately 850 students aged between 11-18 with 30% international students. Among them, many come from Hong Kong top schools such as DGS, but students are self-disciplined and speak English most of the time. The GCSE, A-Level and IB results are consistently excellent, leading to College being med both top girls boarding school in the country for IB and top independent school in the South West in 2016. It is also known as “the female version of Eton”.
Academic Development
The teachers have a deep enthusiasm for their subjects and are committed to providing high-quality teaching. Classes are small, and girls are encouraged to take an active part in lessons, challenging, debating and developing their presentation skills. Exam results are consistently outstanding, 75% A*-A grades were achieved at A-Level over the last five years. One CLC girl wrote a mobile app at the age of 16 and went to Cambodia as a volunteer. She was later admitted to Preston University in the United States. In addition, the art teachers are well-qualified specialists who teach a variety of disciplines including ceramics, oil-painting, print-making, textiles, photography and sculpture.
Pastoral Care & Boarding
There are six houses for Junior and five houses for Sixth Form. The academic divisions, tutor groups, the boarding system enable students to have a fulfilled and enjoyable life at College. College’s house system is structured to allow new boarders to settle in quickly, with older girls in a position to nurture younger pupils. This ensures that all girls have a home from home, where they feel included, appreciated and part of a close-knit community.
Extracurricular & personal development
At the beginning of the Autumn Term, students are allowed to choose from a wide range of activities. Tutors and housemasters would discuss with girls to help them balance their co-curricular activities with their academic work. Most co-curricular activities run weekly throughout the three terms. Furthermore, each year girls participate in activities such as reading to the blind, teaching languages to primary school children, grooming homeless pets at the local animal shelter. These projects give students a perspective on life during a time when they are developing their attitude to the world.