Each September approximately 50 pupils join us in LC3 (Year 9 / 13+) from junior schools across Gloucestershire, the UK and from around the world. They join one of our nine junior Houses (six boarding and three day) and are taught in mixed ability groups in most subjects, with experienced tutoring staff to help them settle in to College, and who remain with them through their GCSE exams.
Assessments take place two years prior to entry when candidates are in Year 7. Below is the process for applying to join LC3 (Year 9 / 13+) in September 2026. Subsequent years will follow a similar path and you should use this as an indicative timeline.
1. VIEW OUR VIRTUAL TOUR
Alongside this website, our virtual tour video, lasting 12 minutes, will give you and your family an insight into CLC, the wealth of opportunities available and how it may suit your daughter.
2. COMPLETE A REGISTRATION FORM
We would encourage you to submit a Registration Form as soon as you have decided College is an option for your daughter. This means we can keep in touch with you, invite you to relevant events and inform you of key deadlines as they approach.
The final deadline for submitting a Registration Form for is:
1st May of Year 6 for bursary applications (1st May 2024 for applications to join in September 2026)
1st July of Year 6 for standard applications (1st July 2024 for applications to join in September 2026)
If you're applying for a bursary, please visit our bursary information page which will explain the additional steps in the bursary application process.
3. VISIT US IN-PERSON
An in-person visit will help you to get a sense of College and to imagine your daughter as part of our community. A small number of Open Days per year are open to all and are listed on our website, other events are year group / admission year specific, and details are emailed to registered families.
Pre-booking is required for all admissions visits and events.
4. COMPLETE AN ENTRANCE EXAM FORM
Registered parents will be sent an Entrance Exam Form to complete.
It must be returned by 1st August before Year 6 (1st August 2024 for September 2026 entry). This confirms you want to go ahead with your daughter's application and enter her for the Assessment Day.
5. TAKE PART IN AN ASSESSMENT SESSION
It is important for us to meet all our candidates as part of the entry process at our Assessment Day in the Autumn Term of Year 7.
For September 2026 entry, the Assessment sessions will be held in November 2024.
During the day, your daughter will undertake written papers, group discussions and team activities, and will be able to ask questions about life at CLC and discover the broad range of activities available to our pupils.
A Briefing Paper summarising the subject knowledge and skills we assess is available each year, as is a copy of the previous year’s English entrance paper.
6. OFFERS
Places are offered in December of Year 7 (15th December 2024 for September 2026 entry).
Our decision to offer a place is a holistic one based on the assessment day feedback, performance in the entrance exams and the reference we request from her current Head Teacher.
7. ACCEPT YOUR PLACE
You will have until the beginning of March in Year 7 to accept your place (March 2024 for September 2025 entry) and to pay the acceptance fee.
8. TAKE PART IN A SCHOLARSHIP DAY
In the Summer of Year 7 (Summer 2024 for September 2025 applicants), scholarship information is sent to parents who have accepted a firm or conditional offer of place. Academic, Music, Art and Sport scholarships are available for LC3 (Yr9/13+) entry.
Our scholarships do not carry fee remission, but those who earn the title of Scholar will benefit from our bespoke Scholarship Programme.
Scholarship assessments take place in the January and February of Year 8 (January and February 2025 for September 2025 entry).
The outcome of these assessments are released in the weeks after the assessments take place.
9. JOINING INFORMATION AND HOUSE PLACEMENTS
In June of Year 8, parents will receive confirmation of their daughter's boarding or day House, and access to an online portal containing our joining information. Some of this information is for you to read at your leisure, other items have forms which require a response by a set date (for example, requests for music or drama lessons, medical forms, etc).
During the last few weeks of the Summer Term, you'll have contact with your new Housemistress.
10. START COLLEGE!
The time has finally arrived...
Arrangements vary each year, but new students tend to arrive a day or two before our returning students to give them a chance to find their bearings before the official start of term.
