Co-curricular

Art and design take place in an award-winning, contemporary building with exceptional facilities. Teaching focuses on techniques, skills and vocabulary in order to communicate and express ideas visually. Creativity, innovation and artistic talent are encouraged, along with taking creative risks and learning from mistakes.

In Textiles, students learn practical skills to understand fabrics, construction, manufacturing, the design process, and the commercial context. This enables students to produce outstanding work, from dresses for the Upcycled Fashion Show to preparation for Art-based university courses.

Teachers are specialists in a variety of disciplines including oil-painting, print-making, ceramics, textiles, photography, mixed-media work and sculpture.

These activities are available to all students as part of the co-curricular programme.

All students can sign up for dance classes and recreational clubs, with a wide range of styles. These promote inclusion, physical fitness, enjoyment and social interaction. No previous dance experience is required and students can choose to work towards exams (RAD or ISTD).

An annual dance performance is staged at our theatre in the Parabola Arts Centre, and other opportunities to perform include the annual International Society Gala, Talent Show, and our inter-house dance battle. Professional dancers and companies deliver workshops and performances

Regular trips include the Disneyland Paris International Festival of Dance and Performing Arts and a key Dance Trip to London or another areas of the UK. Local opportunities include Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts and the Gloucestershire Schools Dance Festival. 

Whether acting, directing or supporting productions in our 325-seat Parabola Arts Centre (PAC) theatre, or engaging in professional workshops, drama is an inspiring part of CLC life.

With four main productions each year, students from every year group can audition for at least one. Students assist behind the scenes, directing or as part of our technical crew, supervised by the PAC technical manager and technician. Recent productions have included: Grease the musical, Once Upon a Time and Showcase, as well as our annual Open-Air Shakespeare Festival.

Students can study for Trinity and LAMDA acting, musical theatre and communication exams, with students often gaining places on the National Youth Theatre Acting, Technical and/or Musical Theatre courses.

Every week, more than 1,000 individual music lessons and ensembles take place, with no pupil missing an academic lesson to attend. A range of instruments are taught by more than 40 staff.

Our musicians perform at the five major annual concerts. Other events include Scholars’ Recitals, House Music Competition, and masterclasses and prizes.

Recent public concerts have included Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham, Tewkesbury Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Eton College Chapel and York Minster. Biennial overseas tours have recently included Venice, Tuscany and Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Provence, Andalusia and Catalonia. CLC is also accredited by the Royal College of Organists.

Many take exams (ABRSM, Trinity or LCM), and students are able to arrange Alexander Technique lessons to help with their general wellbeing, and their performance in music, drama and sport.