Cheltenham College
School summary
Founded in 1841, Cheltenham College is a Church of England independent boarding and day school that draws together around 737 pupils, including a substantial sixth form of 326. The Independent Schools Inspectorate awarded it its highest grade of 'excellent' for both education and personal development, with all compliance requirements met. Set in Cheltenham, the College combines a long-established boarding tradition with co-educational day places, and a notably generous staffing model gives a great deal of individual attention. Means-tested bursaries reaching up to 100 percent sit alongside scholarships in academic work, art, drama, music, choral singing and sport, broadening who can take up a place.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Latest results
GCSE grade 9-7
59%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
51%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
82%
National average 55%
Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 25 April 2023
Teaching & academics
At A-level, 51 percent of grades were A*-A and 82 percent reached A*-B, with sciences and mathematics among the most popular choices alongside history, geography and economics. At GCSE, 59 percent of grades fell in the 9-7 range. The College offers a broad curriculum spanning GCSE, A-level, BTEC and the EPQ, with French, German and Spanish all available, and supports around 13 percent of pupils through SEN provision.
Languages
Popular GCSE subjects
Head · Chris Townsend
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 326
A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Sport runs deep here, with rugby, cricket, hockey and netball as the main games. Drama and the creative arts also feature strongly, reflected both in popular subjects such as Drama & Theatre Studies and Fine Art and in the scholarship routes for art, drama, music and choral talent.
Main sports
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1841
- Religious character
- C of E
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 13.16%
- EHC plans
- 0%
Mobile phone policy
Third, fourth and fifth form pupils hand phones in at 9pm, access devices at 8am. Lower college pupils no access during school day. Internet switched off at 10:30pm.
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £44,247 - £45,808
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £58,935 - £60,496
- Bursaries up to
- 100% of fees
Means-tested bursaries up to 100%
Schools nearby
Cheltenham College Preparatory School
Cheltenham, South West
Cheltenham Ladies' College
Cheltenham, South West
Dean Close Airthrie
CHELTENHAM, South West
St Edward's School
Cheltenham, South West
Berkhampstead School
Cheltenham, South West
Ashley Manor Preparatory School
Cheltenham, South West
Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A historic, full-boarding C of E college with strong A-level results and an unusually high level of staff attention. Bursaries up to 100 percent mean its considerable fees need not be the final word for every family.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Cheltenham College 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.