Cheltenham College

[Saira1234]

Does anyone have any recent experience of Cheltenham College? DS is starting there in September. I can’t seem to get any real life comments about it.....all views welcomed.
He’s boarding

Bumping… anyone?

Replying as no one else has. I know two people who sent their DC to Cheltenham however both left a couple of years ago. Both were very happy with the school but that’s about all I can say.

It has a very good reputation. I did some work there at one time and was very impressed with it. Not heard anything negative.

My manager has two kids there. One in the college and one in prep. They seem to be very happy with it and the kids are happy from what I've seen. The only thing I hear him complaining about is the very monied kids that don't seem to care about valuables in the college. His friends have broken his phone 4 times now during rough play. The other boys just laugh about it and they seem to just get another iPhone as soon as they need it without a thought.

Thank you so much. That’s really helpful. I am looking at the prep for my daughter and then the majority continue onto the college. So while I like the prep very much it is quite hard to determine if the college will fit her as she is so young.
Does anyone know of girls who have gone all the way through ? I don’t know if it is really a more boy-oriented school as Cheltenham Ladies draws so many girls. We are also looking at the Ladies but they are like apples and oranges. And the Ladies starts at 11 and she is only 9.
So… anyone with opinions of girls who have gone through? Particularly pastoral care, ratio of day students to boarding, exit results, that kind of thing.

My managers daughter is starting at the college in sept. I've not heard anything bad said about the girls being there. There is less good schools for boy in the area so makes sense but I doubt they don't serve the girls well. I think Cheltenham ladies is a bit more academic

I thought Cheltenham Ladies was awful. Had admission for DD but put her in Downe House. On reflection I think mixed boarding better in this day and age and hence have admitted DS to Cheltenham College. I understand it now is fully focussed on both sexes since they went co-Ed a while back.

Thanks Meadowbreeze

My DS also starting in Sept

How did you find downe house? We were thinking about it for Y9.

I know two happy boys in the senior. They are both rural and have become a bit ‘Londony’ according to their parents - speaking in rap talk and a bit swaggery. But frankly if that is their only complaint about a boarding school that is a glowing recommendation as teenagers boarding can be a wild bunch 😂

We did Downe House from year 7 - year 11. Started off very well but it goes quite haywire in the senior years. Lots of mental health issues with the girls and very little effective pastoral care. Hence decided to take my DD out for A Levels.

Thanks - that’s helpful. My DD has grown up in London although went to a semi rural prep school and we spend a fair amount of time in Herefordshire so hopefully he won’t get too enamoured of the rap culture!!

I meant DS

@Saira1234 that's interesting. DD has found some of the DH girls on tiktok and the older ones do seem to be very London heavy, lots of vaping etc. But I know that's anecdotal. We will have another look before applying.
The sixth form seems quite chilled and small. Not sure DD would like such a rural sixth form but we're a long way from that atm.

I have just left there and am now at teddies and can not recommend Cheltenham as there academic program is downright easy and there bulling from bioth teachers and students are off the charts and the only thing that they like is that if you are good at rugby. This is my personal experience and i think that it is shit in terms of academic and patrol