Entry Guide
When a new student joins Cheltenham Ladies' College, she joins a House, a tutor group, a school and a community that makes her development a priority. She will be nurtured and encouraged, both academically and personally, to find her strengths and her passions, and she will be empowered to leave College as a well-rounded, independent and compassionate individual, ready to take her next steps in the world.
Applying for schools can be a confusing time; every school will be different and have different processes, and you may be applying for schools which operate under a different national system to where you live. Whatever your personal situation, we try to make it as easy as possible to understand our processes.
Admission to College is handled centrally via our Admissions Department (under the leadership of Mr Richard Houchin, our Director of Admissions). There is no admission to individual Houses, as is traditional at some schools; rather you apply to College for a place and are subsequently allocated a House a few months prior to entry. At CLC, admission is via our own entrance exams and interviews; these look for potential as well as learned knowledge.
| Terminology | ||||
| CLC | National Curriculum | Traditional | Usual age range on enrolment | Approx number of new starters |
| LC1 | Yr 7 | 11+ | 10 years 8 months – 12 years 0 months | 75 |
| LC3 | Yr 9 | 13+ | 12 years 8 months – 14 years 0 months | 50 |
| SFC1 | Yr 12 | 16+ | 15 years 8 months – 17 years 0 months | 45 |
Details of the application process for each year group can be found by clicking the links below:
Occasionally places are available at other points (for example, if a family moves to the local area or requires a place during the school year). In these instances, please contact the Admissions Team as early as possible to find out if a space is available and to discuss your situation.