Cheltenham College, Rendcomb or Dean Close

[Onceagain22]

Hi, I’m interested in hearing feedback on these schools please.
I’m considering them for my children in secondary who will be day pupils but concerned that they might get a bit lost amongst the boarders. Does anyone have any knowledge they can share with me please? Maybe one is more suitable for day pupils? Thank you

I don’t have kids there but based on friends who do I’d say Dean Close or Rendcomb. We chose King’s Gloucester so we wouldn’t have the ‘day kid in a boarding school’ issue. Very happy with it.

Please don’t read that as judge-y about the boarding element! It’s just that we don’t want to have to do the long days and Saturday school if our DD wasn’t boarding

I would second comments about Kings above. Rendcombe is small - under 300 last time I looked so I would suggest in the current climate that's a risk - I would want to look at its accounts but I don't think it's academically all that good so I personally wouldn't look there. Dean close seems very sporty and also has lots of boarders. Cheltenham college has a range of students in terms of ability - lots from abroad. I think you can find out day/boarder ratios in their ISI reports, from memory.

I’d definitely look at Rendcomb. My children were there. As for comments about it not being academic, I would say that an A and an A star at A level is a pretty good result in subjects such as Design Technology, Chemistry and Geography.
It’s a very happy school with amazing caring staff. The HM is lovely. The boarders and day pupils are friends as they have mixed day and boarding houses. I don’t worry about it financially as it’s owned by the Wills family who invest in it. It doesn’t have any debt either which other schools do have. Rendcomb does not have to be part of a group like other schools in the area and can retain its individual personality, excelling in pastoral care.
Comments about it not being academic always make me smile. My older son just got a first class honours degree and won a prize from his university for the best dissertation. Rendcomb is a wonderful school and remains my first choice for a happy and successful childhood.