Cheltenham Ladies' College
11+ Admissions Guide 2026

Cheltenham Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day school for female pupils, founded in 1854 and moving to its present site near the centre of Cheltenham in 1873. The school operates under Royal Charter and is overseen by a governing council. It is organised into three sections: the lower college for Years 7 to 9, the upper college for Years 10 and 11, and the sixth form. Boarders are accommodated in twelve boarding houses. The school's mission is to support and guide pupils in becoming self-determining, fulfilled and resilient women who value, serve and enrich the communities to which they belong, honouring its pioneering heritage through challenge and innovation in the pursuit of academic excellence. Pupils come from over forty different countries, and around one third of boarders come from outside the UK, with many being multi-lingual. Day pupils come from within a 30-mile radius, largely from professional, entrepreneurial and farming backgrounds. The school has identified pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, a number of whom receive additional specialist help, and around one third of pupils speak English as an additional language, with some receiving further support.