The Cheltenham Ladies' College

The Cheltenham Ladies' College is well positioned in the heart of Cheltenham, voted in 2007 as the best place to live in Britain, which enables older girls to have a little more independence than the average boarding school. Although I must add that this access to town is very carefully controlled by staff. CLC is a fairly large school, 640 boarders – in 10 boarding houses a short walk from the main College. There are also 220 day girls who are placed into Day Houses. Pastoral care is very much focused on creating a family environment with several resident staff in each house ably led by a housemistress. If we had a daughter, Cheltenham Ladies' would definitely be high on our list, as my mother-in-law is an Old Girl we wouldn't be forgiven for sending girls anywhere else!

There is a huge array of sporting opportunities including riding at the Hartpury Centre and polo at Longdale. With over 30 clubs and extracurricular activities (from yoga to paperclip physics!) there is surely something to appeal to everyone. CLC opens up the questions of faith during morning prayers and Sunday services. Girls of all faiths are welcome. Arrangements can be made for Confirmation should your daughter wish to do this as well as preparation for Catholic girls to take part in services at St Gregory's. There is a sense of quiet spirituality without being at all prescriptive. The International Baccalaureate has recently been introduced alongside traditional A-levels. Most families drawn to this school will be from London and the South East, a somewhat 'Sloaney' crowd who would also consider schools like Downe House, St Mary's Ascot and Wycombe Abbey. But don’t think of CLC as just a finishing school for young ladies. As the outstanding results show, this is a very academic school but this does not come at the cost of turning out very well-rounded girls. One gets a strong impression of a school that maintains continuity of care, stability and permanence, strength and support from all staff and girls alike. All attributes which build the foundation for a very successful life.

Extract taken from Cradles of success: Britain's traditional Public Schools by Mario Di Monaco