Cheltenham Ladies' College is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Consistently ranked as one of the top all-girls' schools nationally, the school was established in 1853 to provide "a sound academic education for girls". It is also a member of the

Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) is an association of the head teachers of 361 independent schools (both boarding schools and day schools), some traditionally described as public schools. 298 Members are based in the Unite ...

. The school badge depicts two pigeons, taken from the Cheltenham town coat of arms, above three stars, which are in turn above a daisy, a school symbol. In 2020, Cheltenham Ladies' College was named Southwest Independent School of the Decade by ''

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and

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''.

History

The school was founded in 1853 after six individuals, including the Principal and Vice-Principal of Cheltenham College for Boys and four other men, decided to create a girls' school that would be similar to Cheltenham College for Boys. On 13 February 1854, the first 82 pupils began attending the school, with Annie Procter serving as the school's Principal. In 1858, upon Procter resigning from her position, the Principal's post was taken by

Dorothea Beale Dorothea Beale LL.D. (21 March 1831 – 9 November 1906) was a suffragist, educational reformer and author. As Principal of Cheltenham Ladies' College, she became the founder of St Hilda's College, Oxford. Early and family life Dorothea Beale ...

, a prominent

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

educator. who later founded St Hilda's College, Oxford. She was commemorated by a Cheltenham Civic Society blue plaque in 2017.

Structure and academic results

The school is divided into three divisions, Lower College ( KS3), Upper College ( KS4) and Sixth Form College ( KS5). The school gives pupils a choice in what they study. A range of subject combinations is available to Upper College girls at GCSE, and for Sixth Form girls at A-level or

International Baccalaureate (IB) The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...

. Tutors are full-time academic members of staff and advise girls on matters relating to their academic work and progress, while the Professional Guidance Centre gives advice on career options and university applications. Most pupils go on to continue higher education. The school's academic results are high, both compared to the national average and within the independent sector. From 2014 to 2017, the school reported that over two thirds of A-level results and approximately 90% of GCSE results were A* or A grades. Since 2015, the school has been the top girls boarding school in the country for IB results for three consecutive years. In 2019, 71% of students scored A*/A for their A-level examinations awhile 90% scored A*/A for GCSE. Members of an alumnae association of over 9,000 former pupils, across 80 different countries, keep in contact and offer work placements and careers advice. According to Vicky Tuck, the school's Principal in 2011, the school's pupils succeed in " chemistry,

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

, economics and

maths Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

Houses

The school is made up of around 80% boarders and 20% day girls. Whether boarders or day girls, pupils are part of a junior or senior house and are supervised by a Housemistress and a team of House Staff. Girls who board live in one of eleven boarding houses. There are six junior houses for 11- to 16-year-olds, and five senior houses for sixth form girls. The junior houses are Farnley Lodge, Glenlee, Sidney Lodge, St. Austin's, St. Helen's, and St. Margaret's. At Sixth Form, all girls move to a senior house. The senior houses are Beale, Cambray, Elizabeth, Roderic and St. Hilda's. Each house is run by a housemistress and several resident staff. The housemistresses have a lighter teaching load with a full-time commitment supervising their boarders. Junior day girls have their own base in Eversleigh, where the three junior houses, Bellairs, Glengar and St Clare, are located. The senior day girl house, Bayshill, is situated in the main college site.

Co-curriculars

Over 160 co-curricular activities are available.

Music and Drama

The Music and Drama departments offer productions and concerts each year involving all age groups. Over 1,000 individual instrumental lessons take place each week. In October 2009, Sir Richard Eyre opened the school's new drama building, The Parabola Arts Centre (PAC). The building was built by Foster Wilson Architects and cost over £12.5 million, funded by donations. The school is a major sponsor of the Cheltenham Music, Literature, Jazz and Science Festivals and events are hosted at the centre annually. The PAC building was awarded the RIBA award. In 2010, Sharman Macdonald (Keira Knightley's mother) was commissioned to write the college's play. In 2016, the school also invested in a new recording studio.

Sports

In 2018, the school opened a new Health and Fitness Centre. Sports facilities include a 25-metre six-lane swimming-pool, netball courts, tennis courts, squash courts, AstroTurf fields, lacrosse pitches, a spin studio, two dance studios and two sports halls. Over 30 sports are offered, and students are encouraged to maintain their fitness and wellbeing through physical exercise. The main sports are Netball, Lacrosse and Hockey in the winter, and Tennis, Swimming and Athletics in the Summer. The school also has a well-established Rowing Club, and Equestrian and Ski teams.

Admissions

The school is one of the hardest UK private schools to get into, with competition for places at sixth form being "fierce". Entry to Cheltenham Ladies' College is by examination for girls aged 11+, 13+ and 16+ (Sixth Form), as well as occasionally at 12+ and 14+ where only a few students are admitted.

Inspections

The school was last inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in October 2014. It achieved the grade "Excellent" in all areas. In the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...

secondary school ranking, Cheltenham Ladies College was placed at no. 14 in 2010 and no. 34 in 2011. The college was the top girls boarding school and 6th overall in UK rankings for the International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2017. The ''

Tatler ''Tatler'' is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications focusing on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper-middle class and upper class, and those interes ...

School Guide 2018'' notes that "confident, resilient, clever girls flourish" at the college. The ''

Good Schools Guide ''The Good Schools Guide'' is a guide to British schools, both state and independent. Overview The guide is compiled by a team of editors which, according to the official website, "''comprises some 50 editors, writers, researchers and contri ...

'' described the school as "a top flight school with strong traditional values and a clear sense of purpose. For the bright and energetic all rounder this school offers an exceptional education that is both broad and deep, with endless opportunities for fun and enrichment along the way." In 2020, Cheltenham Ladies' College was named South West Independent Secondary School of the Decade by ''

and

''. The awards, published in the "Parent Power" schools guide, commend schools that have achieved academic excellence and provided an outstanding education over the previous decade.

In popular culture

As one of the oldest and most prestigious all-girls' boarding schools in the UK, the school has often been referred to as "the girls' Eton". However, the school has worked hard to play down this reputation. BBC Four made a three-part documentary series titled ''My New Best Friend'' to emphasize the importance and nature of friendship among children. The first episode tracked the journey of four young girls starting at Cheltenham Ladies' College. Cheltenham Ladies' College is mentioned in the film '' St Trinian's'' (2007) as the previous school of the main character.

List of Principals

* Annie Proctor, 1854–1858 *

, 1858–1906 *

Lilian Faithfull Lilian Mary Faithfull CBE (12 March 1865 – 2 May 1952) was an English teacher, headmistress, women's rights advocate, magistrate, social worker, and humanitarian. She was one of the "Steamboat ladies" who were part of the struggle for w ...

, 1906–1922 * Beatrice Sparks, 1922–1937 * Margaret Popham, 1937–1953 * Joan Tredgold, 1953–1964 * Margaret Hampshire, 1964–1979 * Joan Sadler, 1979–1987 * Enid Castle, 1987–1996 * Vicky Tuck, 1996–2011 * Gwen Byrom, 2011 (Acting) *

Eve Jardine-Young Eve Jardine-Young DL is the Principal of the Cheltenham Ladies' College. Early life She lived in Malawi, Central Africa, and was educated there at Saint Andrews International High School until 1989, when she accepted a scholarship to the Chelt ...

, 2011–present

Notable staff

* Winifred Lily Boys-Smith (1865–1939) * U. A. Fanthorpe (1929–2009), poet * Charlotte Laurie (1856–1933), botanist * Eleanor Mary Reid (1860–1953), palaeobotanist * Mary Watson (1856–1933), chemist *

Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...

(1874–1934), composer * Agnes Tschetschulin (1859-1942), composer and violinist

Notable pupils

Guild is the association of College's former pupils.

The arts

Florence Farr Florence Beatrice Emery (''née'' Farr; 7 July 1860 – 29 April 1917) was a British West End leading actress, composer and director. She was also a women's rights activist, journalist, educator, singer, novelist, and leader of the occult ...

, actress and mistress of

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

Bridget Riley Bridget Louise Riley (born 24 April 1931) is an English painter known for her op art paintings. She lives and works in London, Cornwall and the Vaucluse in France. Early life and education Riley was born on 24 April 1931 in Norwood, Londo ...

, artist * Sophie Solomon, violinist *Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, actress *

Serena Scott Thomas Serena Harriet Scott Thomas (born 21 September 1961) is an English actress and documentary producer. Her television roles include Diana, Princess of Wales in '' Diana: Her True Story'' in 1993. Her film appearances include ''The World Is Not Eno ...

, actress *

Katharine Hamnett Katharine E. Hamnett (born 16 August 1947, in Gravesend, Kent) is an English fashion designer best known for her political T-shirts. Early life Hamnett was born on 16 August 1947, the daughter of James Appleton, a group captain. She attende ...

, fashion designer * Damaris Hayman, actress *

Cherry Healey Cherry Kathleen Healey (born 1980 as Cherry Kathleen Chadwyck-Healey) is a British television presenter, frequently featuring in self-titled lifestyle documentaries on the BBC. Early life Healey is the daughter of Nicholas Gerald Chadwyck-Healey ...

, television presenter * Judith Ledeboer, architect and housing reformer * Leyly Matine-Daftary, modernist painter * Charlotte Reather, comedy writer and actress *

Talulah Riley Talulah Jane Riley-Milburn''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916-2005''; Ancestry.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015. (born 26 September 1985) is an English actress and writer. She has appeared in films, including '' Pride & P ...

, actress * Amanda Wakeley, fashion designer

Politics, law and civil service

* Violet Brooke-Hunt, community organizer and volunteer in

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

Elizabeth Gass, Lady Gass Dame Elizabeth Periam Gass, Lady Gass, ( ''née'' Acland-Hood; born 2 March 1940) was Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset from 1998 to 2015. Early life and education She is the eldest daughter and co-heiress of the Honorable John Acland-Hood, a barrist ...

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since 1998 *Dame

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, Conservative Member of Parliament and former

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* Sally Keeble, Labour Member of Parliament *

Lizzy Lind af Hageby Emilie Augusta Louise "Lizzy" Lind af Hageby (20 September 1878 – 26 December 1963) was a Swedish-British feminist and animal rights advocate who became a prominent anti- vivisection activist in England in the early 20th century. Born t ...

, speaker and writer antivivisection and feminism *

Rachel Lomax Janis Rachel Lomax (born 15 July 1945) is a British economist, banker, and former government official who served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, sitting on the Monetary Policy Committee from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2008. Early life Lom ...

, the first woman Deputy Governor of the Bank of England * Fiona Mactaggart, Labour Member of Parliament *

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, UK's first female diplomat *

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, defence lawyer *

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, former

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* Catherine Williamson, Canterbury's first woman mayor & Irish politician

Sciences, technology, engineering

Mary Archer Mary Doreen Archer, Baroness Archer of Weston-super-Mare ( Weeden; born 22 December 1944) is a British scientist specialising in solar power conversion. She is married to Jeffrey Archer, a former chairman of the Conservative Party. Early life ...

, scientist and chair of the trustees of the

Science Museum A science museum is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in ...

Group * Prue Barron, surgeon * Louisa Aldrich-Blake, first female Master of Surgery * Mary Collins, immunologist *

Maud Cunnington Maud Edith Cunnington (''née'' Pegge; 24 September 1869 – 28 February 1951) was a Welsh archaeologist, best known for her pioneering work on the some of the most important prehistoric sites of Salisbury Plain. Early life, education, and m ...

, archaeologist * Miriam Violet Griffith, electrical engineer, technical author and pioneer of ground source heat pumps *

Lillias Hamilton Lillias Anna Hamilton (7 February 1858 – 6 January 1925) was a British doctor and author. She was born at Tomabil Station, New South Wales to Hugh Hamilton (1822– 1900) and his wife Margaret Clunes (née Innes). After attending school in Ay ...

, doctor and author * Constance Leathart,

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pilot in Second World War, first woman in Britain to design and fly a glider *

Margaret Lowenfeld Margaret Frances Jane Lowenfeld (4 February 1890 – 2 February 1973) was a British pioneer of child psychology and play therapy, a medical researcher in paediatric medicine, and an author of several publications and academic papers on the study ...

, paediatrician and child psychotherapist *Dame Clare Marx, first female President of the

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(2014-2017), Chair of the General Medical Council (January 2019) * Helen Mackay, first female Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians * Liz Miller, former neurosurgeon and mental health campaigner *

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, quantitative geneticist * Frances Ritchie, nurse * Lucy Wills, haematologist *

Helena Rosa Wright Helena Rosa Wright (17 September 1887 – 21 March 1982) was an English pioneer and influential figure in birth control and family planning both in Britain and internationally. With her husband she undertook missionary work in China for five yea ...

(née Lowenfeld), doctor and pioneer of family planning * Nur Amalina Che Bakri, Doctor

Journalism and authors

* Hilary Andersson, journalist and presenter *

Phyllis Bentley Phyllis Eleanor Bentley (19 November 1894 – 27 June 1977) was an English novelist. Biography The youngest child of a mill owner, she grew up in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire and was educated at Halifax High School for Girls and ...

, novelist and authority on the

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* Theodora Bosanquet, writer, reviewer, editor, amanuensis to Henry James, director and literary editor of

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. *

Rosie Boycott Rosel Marie "Rosie" Boycott, Baroness Boycott (born 13 May 1951) is a British journalist and feminist. Early life The daughter of Major Charles Boycott and Betty Le Sueur Boycott, Rosel Marie "Rosie" Boycott was born in Saint Helier, Jersey. S ...

, journalist and former editor of ''

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'' and the '' Daily Express'' * D. K. Broster, novelist *

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, author * Amy Key Clarke, mystical poet, author and senior teacher at the school, also wrote histories of the school * Janet E. Courtney, writer * Tatiana Hambro, fashion writer and editor for

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, writer and suffragette *

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, poet *

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, historian, author and broadcaster *

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, novelist * Sue Lloyd-Roberts, television journalist * Kate Reardon, journalist * Betty Ridley, journalist *

Mira Sethi Mira Sethi (born January 12, 1987) is a Pakistani actress and writer. The daughter of journalists Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin, she attended Lahore Grammar School and Cheltenham Ladies' College then graduated from Wellesley College in 2010; she ...

, journalist *

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, writer * Caroline Spurgeon, literary critic * Robin Stevens, children's author *

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, biographer * Margaret Winifred Vowles, author * Sarah Wardle, poet * Grace Wyndham Goldie, first Head of

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

History

Structure and academic results

Houses

Co-curriculars

Music and Drama

Sports

Admissions

Inspections

In popular culture

List of Principals

Notable staff

Notable pupils

The arts

Politics, law and civil service

Sciences, technology, engineering

Journalism and authors

Sports

Other

References

External links