Cheltenham Prep / College vs Rendcomb College

[Cotswoldsliving]

Hello all, I have 3 children in years 4, 2 and Reception and would be very grateful for advice on Cheltenham Pep and College vs Rendcomb College. Pros / cons / experiences, etc. Thank you in advance!

hi! good luck with choosing a school for your children😊

cheltenham prep/college
pros:
the prep was honestly great for us - we generally had positive experiences with friendly staff, mainly nice students (with a few odd balls), a variety of activities, etc. lots of lovely memories have been made there

cons:
unfortunately, cheltenham college fell a bit short of our expectations. it must be kept in mind that it is a LOT bigger than the prep so a massive step up. at that point, it became more of a "cool/popular" school than anything else, where students care more about how they present themselves/look. it's a shame really, because the college has so much potential ! but this is just our experience & i don't know if others would agree or disagree

personally i recommend the prep, but perhaps do some more digging about college when your children arrive at that stage

i've heard mostly positive opinions about rendcomb college. it's a smaller school, therefore perhaps there is a lovely community atmosphere? some people think results are not great there, but i'm not sure if that's true or not. the scenery is absolutely gorgeous though + cannot be faulted - the school is literally comparable to a spa resort haha!!

feel free to let me know if you have more questions xx

So Cheltenham college prep has a good reputation, and people I know who have sent their kids there have been happy with it. The senior school is very different from what I hear, and I think it depends on what parents and kids are looking for, and what's important and them.

Rendcomb is small and obviously rural. I've never heard anything bad about it. I've been there to watch my ds play them at sports, it seemed very nice.

Just to add it's always worth remembering that the prep department of a school might suit your child but not necessarily the senior - and vice versa too.